Getting Started with Digital Badges

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Dr. Doug Belshaw

@dajbelshaw

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10th February 2021

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1xIE9IHG2U

Dr. Doug Belshaw

https://dougbelshaw.com

https://dynamicskillset.com

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Today's workshop

• An introductory understanding of the history and usage of Digital/Open Badges
• Exposure to examples of current national and international practice
• Examination of the potential uses of digital badges as alternative or micro-credentials
• Consideration of how participants might implement an organisational badging infrastructure

Who’s here?

Why are we here?

Benefits of badges

Earners

• Demonstrate skills and accomplishments, often by submitting evidence, by earning Open Badges.
• Claim Open Badges when issued to you.
• Collect your Open Badges in a portfolio or backpack to tell your story.
• Share your Open Badges on social media and with your community.

Issuers

• Break learning down into small chunks.
• Recognize learning based on proficiency.
• Award Open Badges for completion of microcredentials
• Gauge and retain talent.

Developers

• Design verifiable recognition of learning.
• Track learner engagement and scale resources.
• Create tools to issue, display, and host Open Badges.
• Certify conformance to the Open Badges standard.

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Overview from openbadges.org

http://content.imsglobal.org/badge-count-2020/badge-count-2020

http://www.open.ac.uk/about/open-educational-resources/openlearn/delivering-free-digital-badges

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https://www.ibm.com/skills/badges

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Never earned or claimed a badge before? Try this one!

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https://ottonomy.badgr.com/claim/US-81N8MD6R7H

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Session overview

1. Welcome
2. Why are we here?
3. Session overview
4. Bluffer’s guide to badges
5. How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Many images CC BY-ND Bryan Mathers of

https://visualthinkery.com

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Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

You can think of a digital badge as an image with data stored inside. It’s a bit similar to the EXIF data stored in a digital photo (except more secure)

Example of issued badge

Example of issued badge (with evidence field)

How the Open Badges Infrastructure works in practice

Smaller credentials can help create a richer picture of an individual.

CC BY-ND Bryan Mathers

Curriculum as algorithm

CC BY x6e38

1. Continuously-curated learning content and activities
2. Formative feedback
3. Multiple pathways to diverse goals
4. Flexible accreditation

Curriculum as algorithm

We Are Open Co-op set up Badge Wiki (https://badge.wiki) to collaboratively collate information relating to Open Badges.

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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Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

There are 25+ certified systems for issuing digital badges in alignment with the Open Badges standard.

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Here are the ones I’ve used the most:

• Badgr
• Moodle
• Open Badge Factory
• OpenBadges.me
• Participate

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Also look at:

• https://badge.wiki/wiki/Badge_platforms
• https://site.imsglobal.org/certifications

https://blog.weareopen.coop/10-platforms-for-issuing-open-badges-f249cf609d42

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https://badgr.com

Pathways allow you to create stackable digital credentials in a way that balances rigorous outcomes with user / learner choice

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https://info.badgr.com/pathways.html

https://www.futurelearn.com/info/the-common-microcredential-framework

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Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

Google Drive link to PDF

https://remixer.visualthinkery.com/a/badgebloom

Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Slides: http://bit.ly/WITbadges

DO

✅ Call them digital credentials (or whatever works in your context)

✅ Add value to existing projects to help recipients

✅ Align with existing standards

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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

https://web.cvent.com/event/d7e9d56a-0d6c-4f6d-89d9-a353430eca8e/summary

Library

For the last couple of years, We Are Open Co-op has been sending out a newsletter predominantly about digital credentials. What follows are some of the most relevant links for those new to the field to read up and find their feet.

https://learnwith.weareopen.coop

Library

General

• Key lessons for creating effective digital credential projects
• 7 Things You Should Know About Digital Badges
• What is a Microcredential?
• There’s a badge for that! (video)
• Digital Credentials: A Better Way To Capture And Communicate Learning

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Library

Quality & assessment

• Badges Need Rigor! (Or do they really?)
• There Are 700K+ Credentials — and Counting. Which Ones Are 'Quality'?
• Digital badging - The need for assessment framework
• US Department of Labor O*NET and Industry Model Competency Frameworks in the Credential Registry

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Library

Formal and distance education

• How the Value of Educational Credentials Is and Isn't Changing
• Stackable Credentialing: Redefining the Modern Community College
• Badging, Program Mapping, and Careers
• Recognising Achievement with Badges and Blockchain in a Connectivist MOOC
• Making competences visible with Open Badges
• Could micro-credentials compete with traditional degrees?
• How educators benefit from micro-credentialing systems
• Exams are fundamentally flawed - let's try something new
• 6 Reasons Why Online Course Creators Should Use Digital Badges

Library

Formal and distance education (2)

• Can Badge & Certification Programs Accelerate the Post-COVID-19 Recovery?
• The Role, Implementation and Impact of Digital Open Badges on a Civil Engineering Degree - Open Research Online
• Dr Wayne Gibbons' research on digital open badges
• How To Use Digital Badge Credentials in Education
• Alternative Digital Credentials: Have Your Say on the Changing Academic Landscape
• 7 pillars for quality education online

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Library

Professional development

• Digital Credentialing for Professional Development Organizations (PDF)
• Micro-credential whitepaper by Participate
• Keeping up with (and verifying) digital badges and credentialing
• Preparing professionals for a rapidly changing workforce
• The Institute of Leadership & Management Build Essential Member Engagement with Digital Credentials

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Library

Business

• Do digital badges really provide value to businesses?
• Amazon, Google and other tech companies expand their postsecondary credential offerings
• Digital Badges, the Upskilling Crisis, and the Gig Economy Law
• Google Cloud Debuts Certification Learning Paths, Skill Badges
• IBM awards its three millionth digital badge (and disrupts the labor market in five big ways)
• The Future Of Work: How Digital Credentials Are Now More Impactful Than Ever

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Library

Other

• 7 Arguments for a National approach to Open Badges in education (PDF)
• Introducing — BadgeBot: The World’s First Open Badges Issuing Twitter bot
• Building the digital credential infrastructure for the future (PDF)
• Increasing the Visibility of Community Participation Opportunities through Open Badges
• COVID Immunity Badges
• ASCB receives grant to develop tools for curation of scientific literature
• Open Badges Assessment Extension 1.0 IMS Candidate Final
• Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange Badges
• Create and award digital publicly verifiable badges in Teams

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Session overview

• Welcome
• Why are we here?
• Session overview
• Bluffer’s guide to badges
• How does this affect us?

----- BREAK -----

• Badge issuing platforms
• Designing your first badge
• Would this work?
• Next steps
• Q&A

Survey link:

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https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NSS202021

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Select ‘034. Dr Doug Belshaw – Getting Started with Digital Badges’ in the dropdown list

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Spare slides

blockcerts.org

https://marketoonist.com/2011/09/trojan-horse.html

(Illustration by Elizabeth Beier)

https://whatsthepont.blog/2013/11/10/trojan-horses-are-not-trojan-mice-5-questions-to-spot-the-difference/

https://whatsthepont.blog/2013/11/10/trojan-horses-are-not-trojan-mice-5-questions-to-spot-the-difference/

https://whatsthepont.blog/2013/11/10/trojan-horses-are-not-trojan-mice-5-questions-to-spot-the-difference/

5 types of trojan mice

1. Obvious ⁠— try things you think will work
2. Oblique ⁠— try something from left field
3. Naive ⁠— try asking the ‘daft’ question
4. Conflict ⁠— try something opposite to the obvious ‘good’ idea
5. Failure ⁠— try something you think will fail

https://whatsthepont.blog/2013/11/10/trojan-horses-are-not-trojan-mice-5-questions-to-spot-the-difference