2. Visual representation of achievement,
experience, affiliation and/or interest - ideally
distinctive and understood within a community.
Some examples:
3. “Badges mean nothing in themselves, but they
mark a certain achievement and they are a link
between the rich and the poor.
For when one girl sees a badge on a sister
Scout’s arm, if that girl has won the same
badge, it at once awakens an interest and
sympathy between them.”
- Juliette G. Low,
Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA
4. Link to criteria and evidence for award
Add security and verification
can check whether a person was actually awarded a
specific badge
Have the credibility of the awarding body
Allow sharing of 'badge clusters' from different
sources with others on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
Essentially, an image + embedded information
6. Growing recognition that significant amounts
of learning happens outside the classroom
Grade transcripts hide the truth about
learning
Strong links with current trends such as
MOOCs, Gamification, Mobile Learning
but can be used independently of these
7. Surface the learning 'hidden' in a transcript
Encourage students to undertake co- and extra-
curricular activities
Helps recognise informal learning
Enables students to differentiate themselves
from classmates
The rise of the Informal University?
(MOOCs + Badges) * Awareness = Degree-equivalent?
9. Showing competency in a skill,
e.g. nursing students taking blood samples
Recognising extra-curricular activity
e.g. a music student participating in an orchestra
Representing co-curricular development
e.g. participation in Students' Union activities,
such as chairing society meetings
10. Identifying common themes in a programme
e.g. showing all modules that develop debating skills
Getting businesses and professional bodies
involved
e.g. co-creating badges that meet workplace skills, or
professional attributes
Build toward specialism badges
e.g. students get badges that relate to their learning
journey, by reflecting their optional modules
11. Are there skills that students use and
develop?
Do you have extra-curricular activities to
encourage?
Do you want to draw links between learning
and skills demanded by
employers/professional bodies?
14. For greatest effect:
Make them as professional-looking as possible
Issue cross-module badges
Badges should push students to go beyond the
minimum
Tell businesses/professional bodies about them
Link badges to 'real-world', desirable skills
Each badge must represent a substantial and
meaningful skill or experience
