Evolving suggestions for loosely coupled solutions for authentic graduate outcomes and employability

1. Open Badges, ePortfolios
and Co-Curricular Records
Suggestions for loosely coupled
solutions for authentic graduate
outcomes and employability
August 23, 2014
Don Presant
Deprecated
See new Slideshare deck at:
bit.ly/openbadges4ccr

2. Co-Curricular Records
Right problem, wrong solution?

3. Vision of Co-Curricular Records
http://bit.ly/ePIC2014_CCR1

4. What Problem are We Solving?
• Student Engagement ≈ Student Success
• Value learning outside the classroom
– Track, measure & authenticate:
• Leadership, community service, athletics, special interests,
specialized skills and knowledge
• Evidence-based support for further goals:
– Academic
• Scholarships, awards, bursaries, transfer to senior college
(community college to university) graduate school…
– Employment
• WBL, internships, placements, permanent jobs

5. What Problem are We Solving?
• Student Engagement ≈ Student Success
• Value learning outside the classroom
– Track, measure & authenticate:
• Leadership, community service, athletics, special interests,
specialized skills and knowledge
• Evidence-based support for further goals:
– Academic
• Scholarships, awards, bursaries, transfer to senior college
(community college to university) graduate school…
– Employment
• WBL, internships, placements, permanent jobs
“when they are going out to search for
a job, they are able to submit their co-
curricular record along with their
transcript and show their whole,
overall student experience.”
University of Calgary

6. Employability (Trent U 2013)
“Employer Responses to the Co-Curricular Record”
• Top Skills or Qualities
– Problem Solving Abilities, Adaptability/Flexibility,
Enthusiasm/Dedication, Communication (Written & Verbal), Personable
Nature, Ability to Learn, Reliability
• Types of activities
– Longer-term commitments demonstrate a greater level of student
investment; leadership roles are valued.
bit.ly/TrentU_CCR

7. Three Pillars of the CCR
• Build a database of eligible elements
– Volunteer activities, events, awards, non-formal learning
– Provided & validated by campus organizations
– Selected & tracked by students
• Connect experience to learning
– Linked to competencies, outcomes
– Self-reflection prompts, checklists: “achievement statements”
• Produce the (paper) record
– Database report
– Institutional branding
– Security features
http://www.collegequarterly.ca/2013-vol16-num01-winter/elias-drea.html

8. Example
Carleton University

9. Good for Campus Organizations
Features and Benefits
• Community of microsites for digital footprint
• Communications
– Pages, galleries, newsfeeds, news letters, forums, social media
• Membership
– Member management, self-service
• Events
– Management, calendar consolidation, room bookings…
• E-commerce, budgeting tools
• Integration with other systems:
– Academic, work placement, career, etc.
• Choice
– CollegiateLink(UM-CCR), Orbis (UM-CC), Org Sync, Data 180

10. Good for Student Recognition?
Issues with Co-Curricular Records
• Only “approved” (campus) activities
– No academic service/experiential learning, research
– No off-campus employment, community service
• Portal-generated, mostly time-based
• Little/no reflection, evidence, integration
– Few tools or opportunities, especially after upload
– No ePortfolio integration
• Summative, “one time ”paper report from a
database
– A “laundry list”: linear, siloed, inflexible, archaic
(NB: some variation in functionality between platforms & product suites)

11. Employability (Trent U 2013)
“Employer Responses to the Co-Curricular Record”
• Top Skills or Qualities
– Problem Solving Abilities, Adaptability/Flexibility,
Enthusiasm/Dedication, Communication (Written & Verbal), Personable
Nature, Ability to Learn, Reliability
• Types of activities
– Longer-term commitments demonstrate a greater level of student
investment; leadership roles are valued.
• Interest in CCR as a document: minimal
– “Students should use the document as a tool for reviewing their co-
curricular experiences and reflecting on what skills/learning
achievements were gained from each.”
– “Any relevant co-curricular experiences should be incorporated into the
resume, and potentially referenced in the cover letter.”
– “Reference the skills identified in the job posting….accuracy and
conciseness are valued in applications.”
bit.ly/TrentU_CCR

12. Why Such a Narrow Scope?
Academic
Transcript
Co-
Curricular
Record
Approved
Co-Curricular.
Activities
Personal Life
Experience
-past
-currentWork
Experience
-past
-current Accredited
Experiential
Learning
Unapproved
Co-Curricular
Activities Courses
Thesis /
Capstone Project
PLAR/RPL
Experienced
Learning
Formal
Learning

13. Other Approaches
• Université de Sherbrooke:
“Plan de développement individuel” (PDI)
– Online tool, choosing self-assessment over
authentication (16 skills)
– Used for WBL (work on 3 skills on work term, with
employer participation
• Université de Laval: “Webfolio”
– Optional eportfolio, certified by university
placement counsellor
– Support for CV & letter
http://bit.ly/UA_CCR

14. Broader Scope for Recognition
Collect, Select, Reflect, Connect
• Catalogue your lifewide learning experiences
• “De-silo” your compartmentalized skills and
knowledge:
– Evaluate, compare, integrate, transfer
– Align to goals, contextualize, support
– Rehearse, edit
• Rince, repeat…

15. Sound familiar?

16. Learning ePortfolios
Electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) are collections
of digitally represented artifacts that:
•document practice
•include reflection
•integrate experience
•map to goals and/or standards
•promote deep learning and knowledge transfer
Tracy Penny Light, CAPLA 2013

17. Research Says…
“It Takes More than a Major”…
• Findings of 2013 survey of 318 employers for AAC&U:
– 93%: candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think
critically, communicate clearly, & solve complex
problems is more important than their
undergraduate major
– >80%: an electronic portfolio would be useful to
them in ensuring that job applicants have the
knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their
company or organization.
bit.ly/AAEEBL13_AACU

18. What about ePortfolio as a
Co-Curricular Record?

19. One Simple Approach
Hacking the CPD Module in Mahara
Video: youtu.be/RXBOWg6Bkm4
Page: bit.ly/Goshen_CCReP

20. University President’s Vision 1
Alan Davis, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
BC RPL Summit presentation March 2013

21. ePortfolio Use in HE
Informal Carleton survey
• Ontario
– Carleton, Brock, Guelph, McMaster*, Guelph,
Mohawk, OCAD, OISE, Ottawa, Queens, UOIT,
Toronto, Windsor, Western, Wilfrid Laurier, Waterloo*
– Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, College
of Medical Radiation Technologist of Ontario, De
Souza Institute (Nursing)
• Outside Ontario
– Athabasca, Alberta, Saskatchewan
• More prevalent in UK, AUS, NZ

22. Critical mass in the US
52% US undergraduates use ePortfolio
Campus Computing 2013 (n=451)

23. ePortfolios: Not a Magic Bullet
Questions that need asking
• Is an ePortfolio just another way of getting a grade?
• Is ePortfolio just another way of “reporting up”?
• If ePortfolios are used for learning assessment, are you
prepared to assess for prior learning?
• If it is a tool for transition:
– What happens when a student brings an ePortfolio to your
institution, say from high school?
– Will your students want to keep their ePortfolios after they
graduate?
– If they do, can they? Is this a favour from your institution, or a
deliberate strategy?
• Are ePortfolios really student-centred?

24. Potential Institutional Reach
Constellation of Possible ePortfolio Stakeholders
“Documenting Learning with ePortfolios: A Guide for College Instructors”
Penny Light, Chen, Ittelson 2012
Continuing
Education,
Professional
Development

25. What about Open Badges?

26. What are Open Badges?
Brief introduction
http://www.savvyfolio.net/user/don/overview-open-badges

27. A digital representation of an accomplishment,
interest or affiliation that is visual, available
online, and contains metadata including
trusted links that help explain the context,
meaning, process and result of an activity.
As an open artefact, the earner can present the
badge in different contexts from which it was
earned.
• Clear progress markers
– Motivating learners, supporting advisors
• Flexible learning pathways
– Granular, incremental, multi-source,
laddered, remixable
• Visual branding
– Issuers and learners
• Online trust system
– Demonstrate skills & capabilities
– Proof of performance
– Backed by issuer
What is an Open Badge?
Micro credentials - modular record of learning

28. Open Badges
An growing ecosystem
http://openmatt.org/

29. Open Badges and MOOCs
Massive Open Online Courses
engineering.edx.org/author/bporter/
www.slideshare.net/sproutfund/serial-announcement

30. Career & Technical Education (CTE)
National Occupational Competency Testing Inst. (NOCTI)
www.nocti.org/pdf/badges/Digital%20Badges-Are%20You%20Ready.pdf

31. High stakes credentialing
Professional Examination Service
http://bit.ly/ProExam_M-C

32. Formative, self-directed learning
Financial Services Competency CPD in the UK
openbadges.tumblr.com/post/94723877999/open-badges-community-project-call-august-13-2014
...It’s more important to find out
what you don’t know (not what
you do know) as that is where
the risks to your business lie.

33. Open Badges & Social Media
Curated in ePortfolio…
Interactive criteria…
LinkedIn Profile…
Facebook timeline…
Pulled from Backpack…

34. Badges for Leadership
http://www.leaderamp.com/node/57

35. Pearson Acclaim (VUE)
If Pearson is getting into badges.…
Acclaim’s unique
approach…is to work with
academic institutions and
high-stakes credentialing
organizations to offer
diplomas, certificates and
other professional
credentials as Open Badges.
blog.youracclaim.com/

36. Pearson Acclaim (VUE)
Breaking news…
bit.ly/1nJFBaY

37. Small pieces…loosely joined
Personal Learning
Environment Social Media
Backpack
(Passport)
Badge
Platform
Outside
Community
Institution
LMS, SRS
ePortfolio Badge
Claim
Story
Story
Badge
Badge
Badge
Badge Badge
Badge
Badge
Artefact
Artefact
Badge
Badge
With assistance
from @szerge
Campus Portals
CCRWIL
•Other institutions
•Trainers
•Open learning
•Employers
•Volunteer organizations
Badges
Careers

38. Benefits
Open Badges, ePortfolios &“Badge Passports”
• Flexible content
• More sources and types of learning valued
• Flexible presentation and framing
• Online or hard copy; presented face to face or by
self-serve link
• Meaningful re-arrangement, alignment to goals (e.g.
jobs, post-graduate schools):
• Add evidence, reflection and other context
• Presented in full ePortfolios, or in “badge passports”
(micro-portfolios)
• Student centred

39. Why not the whole story?
Academic
Transcript
Co-Curricular
Record
Personal Life
Experience
-past
-currentWork
Experience
-past
-current
PLAR/RPL
Experienced
Learning
Formal
Learning
ePortfolio
(Badge Passport)
Accredited
Experiential
Learning
Unapproved
Co-Curricular
Activities
Approved
Co-Curricular.
Activities
Open
Courses,
PD
Degree
Courses
Thesis /
Capstone Project

40. MATURE
ADULT
YOUTH
Open Badges: Lifelong, Lifewide Learning
LOW
STAKES
HIGH
STAKES
Volunteer
Experience
Work
Placements
After
School
Programs
Classroom
Engagement
Workplace
Engagement
Personal
Learning
MOOCs
Co-Curricular
Record
Workshops
P/T &
Summer Jobs
Admission to
Higher Ed
Admission to
Post Grad
Schools
Hiring
Conferences
Recognition
of Prior
Learning
Employability
Portfolio
Career
Transition
Promotion
Communities
of
Practice
Memberships,
Affiliations
Awards,
Achievements
Team
Building “Hard”
Credentials
“Soft”
Credentials
Red Cross,
Cadets,
Scouts,
etc.
E-learning
Courses
Formative
Feedback
Awards,
Achievements
Continuing
Education

41. Emerging Research
• Digital Badges: An Annotated Research Bibliography v1
Curated by HASTAC
• Badges for Learning Research
HASTAC blog
• DML Design Principles Documentation Project
Digital Media and Learning; 30 funded projects
• Remediating Assessment
Blog: Daniel Hickey et al, Indiana University
• Do badges work?
Internal badge system in Peerwise (n>1000)
• Open University (Simon Cross)
Upcoming journal article, Slideshare

42. Badge Solution: Open Badge Factory
Cloud-based badge management & interoperability
bit.ly/ePIC2013_Rousselle

43. Features and Benefits
openbadgefactory.com
• Currently:
– Centralized cloud service with Open API: manage badges in one
place, issue in many (LMS, HR, etc.)
– Controlled access for organizations
– Controlled roles within organizations
• Creator, Issuer, Administrator
– Detailed reports
– Badge applications (requests)
– Milestone badges (meta-badges)
• Coming soon:
– Multi-lingual badges
– Badge Passport (c. October)
• Private/public badges, badge collections, mobile display

44. Open Badge Factory
Centralized Detailed Reports

45. Open Badge Factory
Badge Applications (request forms)

46. Open Badge Factory
Milestone Badges (metabadges)

47. Open Badge Factory
Getting Started
• Free in 2014
• Subscription model starting in
2015
– Basic 250€, Premium 600€,
Enterprise 1500€
– Badge Passport as additional option
• Request account at openbadgefactory.com
• More info at Getting Started: Open Badge Factory

48. Options to explore
CCR, ePortfolio, Open Badges
• Publish digital CCRs, display in ePortfolios
– Enhance with Open Badges, other evidence, curation,
reflection
• Get CCR platform to publish modular co-curricular
records as Open Badges
– Internally (like Moodle, Bb) or (better):
– via API to, e.g. Open Badge Factory
• Generate Open Badges in parallel to CCR (hmm...silos)
• Replace CCR with ePortfolio/Open Badges (?)
– Need to find substitutes for other functionality: student
community micro-sites, work placement, career, etc.

49. Final thought
The future is already
here; it’s just not very
evenly distributed.
William Gibson
Creative Commons http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Gibson

50. New service: savvyfolio.net
Multi-institution ePortfolio community
University
College
Adult Learning Centre
Professional Body Workplace Trainer
Employability Agency
Employer Industry Sector Body

51. don@learningagents.ca
Web: learningagents.ca
Twitter: donpresant
ePortfolio: donpresant.ca