The presentation provides an introduction to the Open badges concept - working from the basic concept of badges, then digital badges and final open digital badges. Then looks at how the Open Badges concept has led to its adoption by various Professional Development groups around the world thus putting into context the current efforts by TESOL Arabia’s Education Technology sig to realize the same. The presentation’s prime purpose is to share these efforts and to invite participant feedback and involvement. It seeks to first explain how such a strategy can promote professional development pursuits by EFL educators, encourage them to share those efforts with EFL educators in the region, and to have those efforts formally recognized so that they stimulate networking amongst those same EFL educators. That appreciation may extend beyond one’s immediate peers, to include the community of EFL educators in the region plus school administrators, and potentially even ministry officials and future employers. It outlines the current state of the TAEDTECH sig’s efforts to realize Open Badges. It notes important hurdles discovered to date; hurdles that will need to be addressed if the implementation of the concept is to be realized and successful. It concludes by inviting participant input / feedback on the matter and offers suggestions on how individuals can contribute to help realize or shape the concept.

1. Recognizing “your” PD
via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to
promote & recognize PD in TESOL
Arabia
Jim Buckingham
TACON 2014, Hyatt Regency Dubai
14 March 2014

2. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Jim Buckingham
TACON 2014, Hyatt Regency Dubai
14 March 2014
Jim (James) Buckingham
Technologist / Instructor
Zayed University
Abu Dhabi, UAE
auh.jimb@gmail.com
@buckinsand
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbuckingham
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia

3. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Jim (James) Buckingham
Co-ordinator
TESOL Arabia’s Education Technology “SIG”
@edtechsig@gmail.com
http://www.taedtech.ning.com
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Jim Buckingham
TACON 2014, Hyatt Regency Dubai
14 March 2014

4. Outline
Introduce the Open Badges concept
• badges
• digital badges
• open digital badges (????)
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
• promote Professional Development
• stimulate networking across the Gulf region
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia

5. Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
• badges earned
• badges posted
• current obstacles (????)
SolicitYour feedback
• promoting PD with badges
• overcoming obstacles
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Outline

6. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
• badges
• digital badges
• open digital badges (????)
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
• promote Professional Development
• stimulate networking across the Gulf region

7. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

8. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

9. Scout “Merit” Badges
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

10. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

11. ... so what does a badge show?
• rank (status)
• competency (skill)
• affiliation (community)
• special interest / accomplishment (community)
• reputation / recognition (community)
• military & police)
• First Aid & Scouts
• affiliation ( Knitters
• Scouts
• reputation / recognition (community)
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

12. ... so how do you earn a badge?
earned for doing something
to be earned = your evidence is assessed
earned by evidencing what you did
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

13. ... so how is evidence assessed?
assessed by standards
by whose standards?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

14. ... so what is a digital badge?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

15. ... so what is a digital badge?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

16. ... so what is a digital badge?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

17. ... so what is a digital badge?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

18. http://www.hastac.org/digital-badges
http://www.macfound.org/programs/digital-badges/
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so what is a digital badge?

19. http://www.hastac.org/digital-badges
http://www.macfound.org/programs/digital-badges/
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so what is a digital badge?

20. ... so what is an open digital badge?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

21. ... so what is an open digital badge?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

22. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
http://youtu.be/_051cGs6n8w
duration - 3:35 min
Key Questions
• What problems are Open Digital Badges being
presented as a solution for?
• Do you think OD Badges are relevant to you as a
teacher, parent, life long learner? Why or why not?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

23. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
http://youtu.be/_051cGs6n8w
duration - 3:35 min
Reflect on these questions now
• What problems are Open Digital Badges being
presented as a solution for?
• Do you think OD Badges are relevant to you as a
teacher, parent, life long learner? Why or why not?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept

24. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
Free and open:
Mozilla Open Badges is not proprietary.
It’s free software and an open technical standard any
organization can use to create, issue and verify digital
badges.

25. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
Transferable:
Collect badges from multiple sources, online and off,
into a single backpack. Then display your skills and
achievements on social networking profiles, job sites,
websites and more.

26. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
Stackable:
Whether they’re issued by one organization or many,
badges can build upon each other and be stacked to
tell the full story of your skills and achievements.

27. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
Evidence-based:
Open Badges are information-rich.
Each badge has important metadata which is hard-
coded into the badge image file itself that links back
to the issuer, criteria and verifying evidence.

28. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

29. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?
Current Problems(?)

30. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

31. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

32. The Possible Solution?
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
... so why an open digital badge?

33. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

34. Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

35. Passport by Purdue University: Digital Badges for Learning
http://youtu.be/O41-BWJ_VE0
duration - 0:51 min
Key Questions
• How has Purdue University opted to use Open
Digital badges?
• Why might Purdue University be choosing to this
option?
Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

36. Reflect on these questions now
• How has Purdue University opted to use Open
Digital badges?
• Why might Purdue University be choosing to this
option?
Passport by Purdue University: Digital Badges for Learning
Passport by Purdue University: Digital Badges for Learning. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O41-BWJ_VE0
Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

37. (Canada)
https://collaborate.uwaterloo.ca/connect-it/node/314
Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

38. (USA)
Mozilla Open Badges - introduction
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Introduce the Open Badges concept
... so why an open digital badge?

39. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
• promote Professional Development
• stimulate networking across the Gulf region

40. credly.com
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
promote Professional Development

41. http://www.trainingmag.com/credentials/?ID=38080
credly.com
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
promote Professional Development

42. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
promote Professional Development

43. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
promote Professional Development

44. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
promote Professional Development

45. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
promote Professional Development

46. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Open Badges and TESOL Arabia?
stimulate networking across the Gulf region
#taedtech

47. • badges earned
• badges posted
• current obstacles (????)
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work

48. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

49. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

50. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

51. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

52. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

53. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

54. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges earned

55. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges posted

56. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges posted

57. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges posted

58. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
badges posted

59. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
current obstacles ???
Key Question
• What are the critics saying?
Over reliance on extrinsic motivation
A type of extrinsic motivator that competes with an
individual's intrinsic motivation for accomplishment
and mastery
Gives out rewards for things that individuals or
students should already be doing; take away the
badge.. and the desired behaviour disappears

60. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
current obstacles ???
Key Question
• What are the critics saying?
Not student centered or driven
Badges reward tasks that are not inherently
interesting to badge recipients because they are
created to promote behavior that aligns with the goals
of the badge issuer and not necessarily the badge
recipient (Dave Cormier)

61. Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Demonstrate how Open Badges would work
current obstacles ???
Key Question
• What are the critics saying?
Validity / Security
Performance is not directly observed so there could
be some difficulty in making sure that the badge is
awarded to the person who completed the
assignment

62. • promoting PD with badges
• overcoming obstacles
Recognizing “your” PD via Mozilla Open Badges
Exploring the use of badges to promote & recognize PD in TESOL Arabia
Solicit your feedback

63. • open digital badges .... in education• open• open digital badges .... current criticism
Open Digital Badges - what you want to know
My purpose?
To provide you with a quick introduction to Digital
Open Badges and the potential being seen in them by
TESOL Arabia for recognizing skill and Professional
development.
Thank you
Jim Buckingham
TACON 2014, Hyatt Regency Dubai
14 March 2014

64. • open digital badges .... in education• openPartial References
Open Digital Badges - what you want to know
Blackboard Learn Quick Hit Video -- Achievements. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr6DKgx4sH8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
dwallace. (2013, July 10). Digital Badges: tracking our “horizontal” skills. University of Waterloo | Groups | uWaterloo Connect IT. Retrieved from https://
collaborate.uwaterloo.ca/connect-it/node/314
Edmodo. (n.d.). Edmodo. Retrieved December 14, 2013, from https://support.edmodo.com/home
Educational Gaming Commons. (n.d.). Educational Gaming Commons. Retrieved December 10, 2013, from http://gaming.psu.edu/
Foursquare - How to get the Barista (Starbucks) Badge? (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2013, from index.html
Khan Academy. (n.d.). Badges | Khan Academy. Khan Academy. Retrieved December 10, 2013, from https://www.khanacademy.org/badges
MacArthur Foundation. (2013). Digital Badges. MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.macfound.org/programs/digital-badges/
Manufacturing Institute. (2013). Skills Certification System. Manufacturing Institute. Retrieved from http://www.themanufacturinginstitute.org/Skills-Certification/
Skills-Certification-System.aspx
Mozilla. (n.d.). Mozilla Backpack. Mozilla. Retrieved from http://backpack.openbadges.org
MozillaWiki. (n.d.). Badge/Issuers. MozillaWiki. Retrieved from https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/Issuers
Opensource.com. (n.d.). Points and badges. opensource.com. Retrieved from http://opensource.com/points-and-badges
Passport by Purdue University: Digital Badges for Learning. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O41-
BWJ_VE0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Put your training to work for you. (2012). Badges for VETS. Retrieved from https://badgesforvets.org/badges.html
Resnick, M. (2012, February 27). Still a Badge Skeptic. HASTAC. Retrieved December 3, 2013, from http://www.hastac.org/blogs/mres/2012/02/27/still-badge-
skeptic
SLANZA. (2013, July 21). Badges created by SLANZA. badg.us. Retrieved from http://badg.us/en-US/profiles/profile/slanzawiki
Training Magazine. (2013). Training Magazine Digital Credential. Training. Retrieved from http://www.trainingmag.com/credentials/?ID=38080
TripAdvisor begins handing out badges to reviewers. (n.d.). Tnooz. Retrieved December 14, 2013, from http://www.tnooz.com/article/tripadvisor-begins-handing-out-
badges-to-reviewers/
What Is A Badge? (2013). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgLLq7ybDtc&feature=youtube_gdata_player