The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc.
Abstract
This article employs a conceptual framework illustrated through institutional data from Grambling State University to examine how digital badges, micro-credentials, and artificial intelligence (AI) tools can enhance achievement, engagement, confidence, and persistence for Black students at a rural HBCU. As institutions increasingly adopt alternative credentialing frameworks, limited research explores how these innovations function within rural contexts or how they address longstanding disparities experienced by Black learners. Grounded in culturally responsive and equity-oriented frameworks, this study proposes a model for understanding how micro-credentials and AI-enabled learning environments can operate as mechanisms of empowerment, skill validation, and institutional transformation. The article advances two core lines of inquiry: (a) how digital badges and micro-credentials shape Black students’ academic and psychosocial outcomes, and (b) the extent to which AI tools and micro-credentials reduce educational disparities. Implications for research, policy development, and institutional practice highlight how digital credentialing can foster equitable outcomes for Black students.
Recommended Citation
Gloria George, , Cheyrl Ensley, Max Ferguson, Adrienne Webber, and Kala Burrell-Craft. 2026. "Enhancing Black Student Outcomes Through AI and Micro-Credentials at HBCUs." The Griot - Southern Conference on African American Studies, Inc. 43, (2):35-47. https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/griot/vol43/iss2/5
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