The Digital Badge in the
Responsible Conduct of Research
An example of a collaborative alternative learning pathway.
CONULT&L2019
Dr Aoife Coffey, UCC Library

Overview
What is a digital badge?
What are the benefits
 For the participants?
 For the Library?
The RCR badge
The process
Progress so far ……
Next Steps
CONULT&L2019

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What are Digital Badges?
• Old Concept reinvented with New technology
• Launched in 2012 by Mozilla
• Online representation of a skill you’ve earned
• Free and open
• Embedded with metadata, built in audit trail
• Stackable
• Transferrable
Properties of Open Badges by @bryanMMathers is licenced under CC-BY-ND
Open Badges (P.S. there’s data inside…) by @bryanMMathers is licenced under CC-BY-ND

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What are the benefits for learners?
• Puts the user in control of their own learning pathway
• Democratises the learning opportunity
• Rewards practical skills
• Learn at their own pace
• Recognition learning outside of traditional pathways
• Opportunity for co-curricular learning
• Transferrable skills
Credentials big and small… by @bryanMMathers is licenced under CC-BY-ND

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What are the benefits for Libraries?
• Credential their teaching offerings
• Can be offered to staff and students
• Directly addresses the UCCs strategic goals for learning and teaching
• Key tool identified for the delivery of the Graduate Attributes Program
• Respond quickly to the needs of students and faculty
• Link with wider university community
• Provide more flexible learning options

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• Changes in National Policy
• National Framework on the Transition
to an Open Research Environment
• Changing expectations internationally
• FAIR
• Open Science
• Funder requirements
• Mandated DMPs
• Data Sharing
Changes…….

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Our Response

Me,
Research Data Coordinator,
UCC Library
Dr Brendan Palmer,
Associate Statistician,
Clinical Research Facility-Cork
Dr Louise Burgoyne,
Research Officer,
Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation
CONULT&L2019
Assemble
The A team by @bryanMMathers is licenced under CC-BY-ND

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Concept Development
January 2019
Application to DBSC
Committee
Timeline

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Quality assurance standards every UCC Digital Badge must meet
Communicates
credibility and
value
Is aligned to
University’s
vision and
strategy
Has clear
ownership and
accountability
Reflects
relevant and
robust learning
1 2
3 4

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Digital Badge in the Responsible Conduct of Research
A tailored and blended learning course on the Responsible Conduct of Research. This DB
was developed to embed and foster the key elements and core skills of Research
Integrity in UCC researcher community.
Target Audience
• Researchers at all levels and career stages from PhD. to PI. It provides a unique
opportunity to address a significant gap in their skills portfolio.
Course Content
• Research Integrity
• Epigeum
• FAIR Principles
• Data Management
• Reproducible Research

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Badge Content
Responsible
Conduct of
Research
Research
Integrity
FAIR
Principles
Reproducible
Research
Research
Data
Management

CONULT&L2019
Concept
Development
January 2019
Application to
DBSC
Committee
Content development
Launch June
2019
Timeline continued…….

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How the badges are issued.
Delivery of the
DB content by
the issuer
Request
approval for
admin to issue
the badges to
validated
earners
The DBSC
formally
approve
before
recipients
receive their
badges
Badge Issued

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Progress so far………
78Individual researchers have
completed the workshops
82% Would recommend
to a colleague
77% Felt they could apply some element
to their own work

Next steps
• Canvas
• New Library based badges
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Thank you for listening
CONULT&L2019