Open Badges
Dr. Doug Belshaw
“If you really knew me, you’d know that…”
to better structures
We Are Open...
for imagining new systems
for storytelling
Most images CC BY-ND
Bryan Mathers
Genius illustrator.
Biz guru. �Techie.
Is drawing you right now.
Laura Hilliger
Strategist & Idea Maker
Creative genius. �Tech wizard.
Expert facilitator.
Doug Belshaw
Open Thinkerer
Tech sherpa. �Writer.
Open advocate.
John Bevan
Convenor & Connector
Co-op radical.
Partnership wizard.
Zen in the room.
Anne Hilliger
Intern
Media Educator.
Learning design novice.
Gender studies aficionado.
Intern experiment
In 2021 we took on an intern in the middle of a pandemic. We designed a whole programme for her!
Anne
Intern experiment
We’d never had an intern before, but we’ve got lots of badge design experience, so we… designed some badges!
X
Intern experiment
As it turned out, those badges weren’t very relevant, so we ended up co-designing badges we didn’t even know would be useful!
(co-design)
X
What kind of badge would YOU like to earn? Why?
to better structures
We Are Open...
for imagining new systems
for storytelling
How the Open Badges Infrastructure works in practice (v2.1)
Verification can be carried out quickly and easily
General examples
Example 1
SURF edubadges
Example 2
OpenLearn
Example 2
OpenLearn
Example 3
IBM
Example 4
My favourite example
My son’s first badge!
What kind of badges might it be useful for your organisation to issue?
More (relevant?) examples
https://idea.org.uk
Benefits of badges
Earners
Issuers
Developers
Overview from openbadges.org
How are Open Badges issued?
There are 30+ certified systems for issuing digital badges in alignment with the Open Badges standard.
Here are the ones WAO has used the most:
Also look at:
Example of badges in profile
(on platform where they were earned)
Platform: https://participate.com
Example of the same badges displayed elsewhere
(i.e. curated on a platform other than where they were earned)
Platform: https://badgr.com
Example of creating and issuing a badge
Platform: https://openbadges.me
Some platforms allow badge pathways to be created. These show progression and may include constraints — e.g. that 4 of 6 badges have to be earned before moving onto the next level.
Platform: https://openbadgepassport.com
Platform: https://badgr.com
Image: fifaultimateteam.it
CC BY-ND Bryan Mathers
Questions? Comments?
Getting started with Open Badges
Minimum Viable Badge
to better structures
We Are Open...
for imagining new systems
for storytelling
DO
✅ Call them ‘digital credentials’ (or whatever works in your context)
✅ Add value to existing projects to help recipients
✅ Align with existing standards
DON’T
❌ Just issue images (the metadata is important!)
❌ Create a ‘badges programme’ and expect anything to change
❌ Focus only on what works for you as the issuer
Get in touch!
Website: https://weareopen.coop
Email: doug@weareopen.coop
Slides: https://bit.ly/3D31JNh
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dajbelshaw
Twitter: @WeAreOpenCoop
We build and sustain free resources such as our podcast, email-based courses, Badge Wiki, and our library of resource templates. All of these are openly licensed, designed for re-use.
Open Badges
resources
Resources
Resources
Resources
Formal and distance education
Resources
Formal and distance education (2)
Resources
Professional development
Resources
Business
Resources
Other
Spare
slides
What’s the value of these certificates?
(to the earner? to other people?)
Digital Literacy
COMMUNICATION
COLLABORATION
CRITICAL THINKING
WORK READINESS
Numeracy
Verbal Comms
Written Comms
Sussex Downs College Employability Passport
Positive Attitude
Teamwork
Meet Deadlines
Emotional IQ
Initiative
Creative
Decision Making
Problem Solving
Reliable
Adaptable
Professional
Ambition
Communication
Collaboration
Critical Thinking
Work Readiness
SUSSEX DOWNS COLLEGE EMPLOYABILITY
PASSPORT
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Who’s behind Open Badges?
(2011-2014)
Inventor:
(2015-2017)
Sustainer:
Steward:
(2017-Present)
+ a large and active community (more on that later…)
to better structures
We Are Open...
for imagining new systems
for storytelling
v3.0 of the Open Badges specification
The base document of the new spec only went live this month!
v3.0 of the Open Badges specification
Find out more in this presentation or this blog post.
More technical folk might want to check out the development of the spec on GitHub and/or join the W3C vc-ed working group to discuss use cases of verifiable credentials!
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