EdMedia World Conference Presentation https://academicexperts.org/conf/edmedia/2015/papers/46035/ June 22, 2015 Sondra Smith, EDUCAUSE

1. http://www.editlib.org/
Smith, S. (2015). Lessons Learned in Launching an Award‐Winning Digital Badging Program.
In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Media and Technology 2015 (pp. 170‐
177). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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4. EDUCAUSE is a non profit association for IT professionals in higher education
Our programs and services focus on analysis, advocacy, community building, professional
development, and knowledge creation to support the transformative role that IT can play in
higher education.
EDUCAUSE helps those who lead, manage, and use information technology to shape
strategic IT decisions at every level within higher education.
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5. We serve 1800 educational institutions, associations, federal and state agencies, system
offices and other organizations and 300 corporations.
Our core domains are:
• Teaching & learning
• Enterprise IT
• CyberSecurity
• IT management and leadership development
In all of these we research, publish, and provide extensive professional development
opportunities.
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6. Membership in our association is by institutions or corporation. When individuals create
(free) profiles they join a professional network nearly 100‐ thousand strong with 68
thousand active profiles and join participants representing 50 countries around the world.
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11. Badging is an exciting new platform for our community. Digital badges are a highly visible
way to document incremental, life‐long learning. They can also be used to recognize
professional engagement and achievements.
As a non‐profit association of higher education professionals, we award badges in 5 badge
categories closely aligned with our professional development and community engagement
portfolios:
Communications;
community service;
leadership development programs;
leadership awards; and
subject matter development.
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12. We ran badging pilots in 2013 and launched a full program in 2014. We issued 2,654
badges in 2014, 42% of which were accepted (overall average). This was a 6% increase
over the 2013 badge pilot average acceptance rate of 36%, which was an encouraging
signal.
Acceptance rate is the best metric we currently have ‐‐ but it’s not perfect. Acceptance rate
is influenced by marketing and communications, and education or community, which may
vary widely.
One of the downsides to being an early adopter is the lack external comparative data by
which to help assess our program. As the field of badging matures, so will the metrics and
analytics that can help direct badging program development.
Please keep in mind that program data are preliminary and for a rapidly emerging field.
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13. Badge activity is another metric available to us. EDUCAUSE badge activity is defined as the
total number of times a badge is seen, clicked, shared or viewed across Credly and all Open
Credit enabled apps and sites. It is a metric for badge impact; a measure of impressions
made.
Badge activity increased from less than 24,000 in February 2014 to more than 359,000
badge impressions by June 15, 2015. During that time, quantity of badges issued also
increased on a much smaller margin (from 1,300 in 2013 pilots to nearly 5,000, mid‐2015).
EDUCAUSE badge activity in professional networking space (i.e. LinkedIn) increased from
74% to 88% in that same time frame.
We don’t rely on this metric as an indicator of program success but we do monitor it and
consider the potential for brand recognition.
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14. Here are a few sample badges from our constellation. You’ll see six distinct “containers” –
clockwise, from upper left:
Community service,
Communications,
Leadership awards,
Subject matter development, and
Leadership development.
Each badge carries our brand, sub‐brand (ELI or ECAR), or is co‐branded with a partner.
Each displays the badge title and year of issue.
We use simple artwork to distinguish the achievement.
Clicking into the badge leads to more descriptive details unique to each.
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16. In April 2015, the Center for Association Leadership (ASAE) awarded EDUCAUSE the Gold
Circle Award for New Product/Service Launch Campaign for the digital badging program.
ASAE represents more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners
representing more than 9,300 organizations.
EDUCAUSE was selected from among 193 entrants to the competition. Judging criteria
included program strategy, execution, results, a call‐to‐action and creativity.
The award is important recognition for a successful program launch at a time when very
few associations were implementing badging for members.
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18. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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19. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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20. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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21. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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22. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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23. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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24. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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25. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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26. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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27. Lessons unpacked here –
http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10‐lessons‐learned‐award‐winning‐digital‐badging‐
program
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28. So there you have it: ten lessons learned in launching our program. I hope you found them
helpful.
Obviously, the field is rapidly evolving and has exciting potential if also a few challenges for
early adopters.
Our experiences suggest that badging has tremendous potential to motivate, engage, and
acknowledge achievements, accomplishments, and competencies.
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29. http://www.editlib.org/
Smith, S. (2015). Lessons Learned in Launching an Award‐Winning Digital Badging
Program. In Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Media and Technology
2015 (pp. 170‐177). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
(AACE).
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