Digital badges are an online assessment and credentialing mechanism that can validate skills gained both inside and outside the classroom. Badges make learning visible and can be customized for anything from classwork to clubs to standardized tests. Multiple websites make it easy for teachers to create badges and for students to display badges they earn in an online "backpack." While still not widely used in K-12, some companies and organizations are starting to recognize badges as legitimate credentials. Supporters hope badges will eventually transform education and the job market by providing alternative credentials to traditional certificates and degrees.

1. Badges: You’ve Earned It!
How we can use Digital Badges in Education

2. ● Digital badges are an assessment and credentialing mechanism that is
housed and managed online.
● Badges are designed to make visible and validate learning in both formal
and informal settings, and hold the potential to help transform where and
how learning is valued.
● Basically Badges are given to students to show skills they have
acquired/mastered.
What Are Badges?

3. ● Digital Badges make it easy to:
o Get recognition for the things you learn.
o Give recognition for the things you teach.
o Verify skills.
o Display your verified badges across the web.
Why Badges?

4. ● Make Badges for anything!
o Fully customizable.
 Clubs, Class Accomplishments, Standards, State Tests, and much
more!
● No Training Necessary!
o Very easy to use.
o Start basic then create more advanced badges.
Create Your Own Badges!

5. ● Multiple sites available to make your own badges.
o OpenBadges is one of the more popular sites.
 Easy to use!
Create Your Own Badges!

6. ● There is a strategy called “Gamifying Badges.”
o Builds Currency.
 This gives value to the Badges.
 Makes students in the class want to earn badges
● Ex. on a 4 Badge system the first 2 Badges are easy to attain
by the majority of the students in the class. The top 2 Badges
are more difficult to attain and require more time and/or
skill, thus are desirable.
Give Badges Meaning

7. ● Badges can be given for almost anything!
o Works well with Common Core (Standards).
● Examples:
o Words Per Minute
o 6 Minute Mile
o 2 Work Samples Passed
o Robotics Maker
o Club Achievements
o Anything!
When Would I Give a Badge?

8. ● A Badge Backpack
o Every student needs to set up a “backpack” where all their badges
earned are stored.
o A Backpack can be set up through multiple sites.
 Mozilla Backpack
Badge Backpack

9. ● Teachers can issue Badges through multiple sites.
o Once a Badge is created and a student meets the requirements of the
Badge, just type in their email address and BAM! Badge issued.
o Once issued, the students keep their Badge in the Badge Backpack.
Give a Badge

10. ● As you create more and more Badges to issue your students you will need
some place to store them.
● Sites such as Credly and Mozilla OpenBadges allow you to Create AND
Store your Badges.
● This is useful for both Teachers and Students.
Badge Land

11. ● Currently used sparingly in K-12 settings.
● Quality Assurance is a big issue.
o Who is qualified to give a Badge?
o What meaning does it have?
o Badge inflation.
Present State of Badges

12. ● Companies are starting to use Badging!
o Microsoft uses a Badging system to show employee masterings of
different computer systems.
o Intel uses Badges to show Projects employees have worked on.
o Other larger businesses are accepting Badges as verification of skills.
Present State of Badges

13. ● Immediate- Hard to say for sure. But Badging proponents hope:
o Widespread Badging programs throughout K-12.
o Employers start recognizing Badges as legit.
o Community Colleges and Trade School start issuing Badges instead
of certificates.
Future of Badges

14. ● Long Term- Really hard to predict. But Badging proponents hope:
o Hundreds or Thousands of companies start accepting Badges as
legitimate credentials of specific training and skills acquired.
 If this were to happen we might see the drastic fall of the
traditional college system.
Future of Badges

15. ● Be an Early Adopter!
● Administration is on board!
● We have the Technology!
● Start marketing Badges to students!
Join the Badge Life