I could see this evolving into a certification process as one finds in many technical fields. A student who completes one or more courses on a topic and whose work has been deemed passing could get a certification in that topic blessed by a major institution. The model would be similar to what Microsoft does. Tests are given in settings like Sylvan which have fairly tight controls (picture ID, time limits, test data collected online).
Less than a degree, for sure, but more credible than “I took these free courses online…”