Badging
Description
Badging involves a feedback for concepts and skills gained, which lends itself to classroom application. Badges provide a tangible and familiar way to reward and incentivize learning.
Purpose
Increase student engagement
Provide extrinsic rewards for intrinsic achievements
Involve the pleasure center of the brain
Foster community
Provide instant feedback of progress
Process to implement badging
1) Determine which skills are going to be represented with specific badges
Some suggestions: attendance, commenting on posts, sharing resources, leading a group, creative solutions, presentation skills
2) Design a digital badge for each skill using either a badge design site or (if you want to get creative) software such as Photoshop or Illustrator
3) Decide on a deployment system (class web page, LMS, badging site, stickers)
4) Define for students the steps necessary to receive each badge
5) Award badges as students acquire skills
Considerations
It can be hard to find a balance between ease of achievement and value
There are some concerns with leaderboards and FERPA
Time commitment
Moderate to High – in setup (5) and in upkeep (3)
Terminology
Badges – Tangible reward for acquiring specific skills
Leveling Up – Moving from one level to the next (e.g. Apprentice to Journeyman, Journeyman to Master, etc.)
Resources
- “7 Things You Should Know About Badges.” EDUCAUSE Homepage. <http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-badges>.
- “7 Things You Should Know About Gamification.” EDUCAUSE Homepage. <http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-about-gamification>.
- “9 Reasons Why Badges Are Better than Degrees – ECampus News.” ECampus News.
<http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/digital-badges-degrees-324/>. - “Achievements.” Credly. <https://credly.com/>.
- “Blackboard and Mozilla Digital Badges Could Have Role in MOOCs – ECampus News.”ECampus News.
<http://www.ecampusnews.com/top-news/blackboard-and-mozilla-digital-badges-could-have-role-in-moocs/> - “OpenBadges.me.” OpenBadges.me. <https://www.openbadges.me/>.
- “Six Ways to Look at Badging Systems Designed for Learning.”Online Leadership Program. <http://www.olpglobalkids.org/content/six-ways-look-badging-systems-designed-learning>.
