Badges
= Recognition Badges as Open Accreditation system
Description
"A badge is a validated indicator of accomplishment, skill, quality or interest that can be earned in any of these learning environments. Badges can support learning, validate education, help build reputation, and confirm the acquisition of knowledge. They can signal traditional academic attainment or the acquisition of skills such collaboration, teamwork, leadership, and other 21st century skills.
Badges are used successfully in games, social network sites, and interest-driven programs to set goals, represent achievements and communicate success. A digital badge is an online record of achievements, the work required, and information about the organization, individual or other entity that issued the badge. Badges make the accomplishments and experiences of individuals, in online and offline spaces, visible to anyone and everyone, including potential employers, teachers, and peer communities.
In addition to representing a wide range of skills, competencies, and achievements, badges can play a critical role in supporting participation in a community, encouraging broader learning goals, and enabling identity and reputation building. For a learner, a sequence of badges can be a path to gaining expertise and new competencies. Badges can capture and display that path, providing information about, and visualizations of, needed skills and competencies. They can acknowledge achievement, and encourage collaboration and teamwork. Finally, badges can foster kinship and mentorship, encourage persistence, and provide access to ever-higher levels of challenge and reward." ( http://www.scoop.it/t/badges-for-lifelong-learning)
Example
David Wiley's badge system for the course: Introduction to Openness in Education:
Earning Course Badges
"This course operates on a badge system. Below are brief descriptions of the badges available to be earned as part of the course. I’m still looking for visual designs for the badges themselves – contact me with ideas.
OpenEd Overview (Novice level, complete for all 12 topics to earn the badge)
- Watch the topic video.
- Skim the topic readings.
- Write a short blog post summarizing what you’ve learned about the topic and why you think the topic is important.
- Write a final post linking to the 12 previous posts related to this badge and announcing your intent to have completed the badge.
OpenEd Researcher (Apprentice level, complete for 3 topics to earn the badge)
- Carefully read the topic readings.
- Find three additional scholarly resources (peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, etc.) and five other resources (videos, readings, podcasts, etc.) that provide additional information relevant to the topic.
- Write a blog post linking to the additional resources and summarizing the additional material contained in each.
- Write a blog post proposing a research study by which key assumptions of the topic could be (in)validated. Don’t worry about identifying specific participants, etc. Describe what you believe would be the ideal research setting, participants, data collection, and analysis methodologies.
- Write a final post linking to your previous posts related to this badge and announcing your intent to have completed the badge.
OpenEd Assessment Designer (Apprentice level, complete for 1 topic to earn the badge)
- Design a badge for the class, including a name, expertise level, and statement of work.
- Complete the badge yourself.
- Blog about your proposed badge. Include all the information necessary for someone to complete the badge. Also include your worked example and a description of how it meets the badge requirements.
- Monitor the class hashtag for someone else who claims to have completed your badge. Judge their work and decide whether they meet your criteria or not. Award the badge as appropriate.
- You earn the OpenEd Assessment Designer badge when you award your badge to someone other than yourself.
- Write a final post linking to your previous posts related to this badge and announcing your intent to have completed the badge.
OpenEd Evangelist (Journeyman level, choose this or Retro, complete for 1 topic to earn the badge)
- Construct an argument by which you could persuade someone to adopt the topic as an ongoing practice. Your argument should include at least five elements (kinds of evidence), with references. Write a blog post describing your argument in detail.
- Have a conversation with a faculty member in which you use your argument to try to persuade them to adopt the topic as an ongoing practice.
- Without revealing his or her identity, write a blog post describing your conversation and the reactions, responses, counterarguments, and concerns of the faculty member and announcing your intent to have completed the badge.
OpenEd Retro (Journeyman level, choose this or Evangelist)
- Select one character class from the 2009 Introduction to Open Education course and complete the Week 4 quest for that character. You will likely need to complete portions of quests 1-3 before you can complete quest 4. (Link coming soon.)
- Blog the results of your quest and announce your intent to have completed the badge.'
(http://openeducation.us/badges)
Grades
For those taking the course for credit who are concerned about how the badges convert to grades:
- No badges earned = F
- 1 Novice Badge = D
- 1 Novice Badge + 1 Apprentice Badge = C
- 1 Novice Badge + 2 Apprentice Badges = B
- 1 Novice Badge + 2 Apprentice Badges + 1 Journeyman Badge = A
(http://openeducation.us/badges)
More Information
See also, Recognition Badges as Open Accreditation system