The document describes the design and implementation of six types of digital badges in an undergraduate educational technology course. The badges were created to motivate students to complete assignments thoroughly and on time, engage in class discussions, and participate in independent learning activities. A survey found that while some students felt badges were meaningful and motivating, others viewed them as redundant or only beneficial for younger learners. The subjective badges for best performance and excellence had the most positive responses. Overall, badges may only motivate 30-40% of learners, while many feel ambivalent toward them.

1. DESIGNING DIGITAL BADGES FOR A COLLEGE
COURSE
AECT 2016 • LASVEGAS, NV
Dr.Vanessa Dennen
Professor of Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies, Florida State University
vdennen@fsu.edu @vdennen
Jiyae Bong
Doctoral Candidate in Instructional Systems & Learning Technologies, Florida State University
jb11ab@my.fsu.edu
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2. OVERVIEW
Designing digital badges for a college course:
¡ Six different types of badges developed in an undergraduate course on Educational Technology and awarded
through a different process
Topics covered
¡ Course
¡ Design and development process for badges
¡ Implementation of badges
¡ Evaluation focusing on learner attitudes and motivation
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3. DIGITAL BADGES
¡ Digital badges have been adopted in higher education contexts as an alternate form of acknowledgement and
assessment
¡ The use of digital badges in higher education settings has potential at multiple levels.
¡ Course level: monitoring individual progress and providing feedback
¡ Program level: supporting the development of competencies across classroom and extracurricular experiences
¡ University level: initiating intra-university collaboration among disciplines
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4. ABOUT THE COURSE
¡ Undergraduate educational technology course
¡ 3 credit hours, Spring 2016
¡ Offered to pre-service teachers
¡ Multiple sections of the course
¡ A team of instructors following a common syllabus and course design
¡ Teaching strategies: readings & lectures, discussions, demonstrations
¡ Assessments: problem-based projects, skill-based practical tests, and reflective blogs.
¡ Hosting system: Blackboard Learning Management System (built-in badging system)
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5. PROJECT RATIONALE AND INITIAL DESIGN
Badges were introduced to this course to motivate students in three ways:
¡ Complete all assignments – even small ones – thoroughly and on time
¡ Be actively engaged in the class community, helping and providing feedback to each other
¡ Engage in independent, extracurricular learning related to the course topic
The first iteration of the badge system was designed and implemented in Spring 2015.
The system continued to be refined based on feedback from students and instructors.
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6. BADGE DESIGN PROCESS
Analysis
(exploration of
context)
Determining types of
badges
(e.g., recognition of
milestone achievement,
excellence,)
Establishing
performance objectives
(types of learning)
Selecting or designing
learning activities
Identifying types of
evidence & planning
assessments
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7. SIX TYPES OF DIGITAL BADGES FOR THE COURSE
-DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION-
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8. 1. EXCELLENCE
IN COURSEWORK
BADGES
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9. 2. BEST IN SHOW
BADGES
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10. 3. GOLD STAR BADGES
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¡ Gold Star badges were awarded at their instructor’s discretion for
outstanding performance on an assignment in any capacity throughout the
semester.
¡ There were no specific guidelines for earning this badge.Their instructor
told the recipients specifically what they did to earn it.
¡ A total of 8 assignments were selected for this type of badge.

11. 4. EXCELLENCE
BADGES
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¡ Excellence badges were awarded to the students who show the best
performance on the selected assignments (Gold Star badges).
¡ Students who earned Gold Star badges could only choose if they want to
share their work and participate in the process to earn the Excellence
badge.
¡ Instructors provided feedback on their Gold Star work and students
could revise before submitting to the Excellence badge committee (all
course instructors).
¡ The committee chose the best one to award the Excellence Badge.
¡ The recipients' work was shared with the other students and used as an
example for future classes.

12. 5. GOOD CITIZEN
BADGES
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13. 6. INDEPENDENT
LEARNING BADGES
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14. BADGES EARNED (ACROSS ALL 6 SECTIONS)
¡ Excellence: 20-39 per area
¡ Best in Show: 3-5 per assignment
¡ Gold Star: 2-21 per assignment
¡ More on creative assignments
¡ Excellence: 0-1 per assignment
¡ Good Citizen: 14 Tech Helper; 16 Community Builder
¡ Independent Learning: 66, 64
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15. EVALUATION
FOCUSING ON LEARNER ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATION
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Survey
Participants: n=59
• N=49, 83.1%: Education major
• N=52, 88.1%: First or second year in school
• N=55, 93.2%: Female
• N=55, 93.2%: not familiar with the concept of digital badges
• N=56, 94.9%: no digital badges earned in any context

16. SURVEY RESULTS – PART I
FOCUSING ON LEARNER ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATION
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Attitudes towards the use of digital badges

17. ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE USE OF DIGITAL BADGES
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¡ Overall, the reactions towards the badges were mixed.
¡ “Badges are a great way to reward someone on a project they worked really hard on.” (Student
A)
¡ “It would probably be more useful for younger children who need rewards for their work other
than a grade.” (Student B)

18. ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE USE OF DIGITAL BADGES (N=59)
¡ A subset of students had positive attitudes toward badges
¡ Personally meaningful (47.5%)
¡ Motivational (33.7%)
¡ Generate pride (56.0%)
¡ Increase satisfaction in coursework (55.9%)
¡ Some students reported they would undertake actions for badges:
¡ Devote more time to work (44.1%)
¡ More likely to complete work (20.3%)
¡ Do extra work (16.9%)
¡ Others are a balance of neutral and disagreement with the positive attitudes / extra actions
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19. SURVEY RESULTS – PART II
FOCUSING ON LEARNER ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATION
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Attitudes towards the use of each type of badges

20. EXCELLENCE IN COURSEWORK BADGES
¡ Incentive for 30.5% of students to complete work at a high level and submit it on time
¡ 25.6% students reported being unaware of these badges
¡ 39% felt they were redundant with the grades they already earn
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21. SUBJECTIVE BADGES:
BEST IN SHOW, GOLD STAR, EXCELLENCE
Honor to receive
¡ 59.7% - Best in Show (peer award)
¡ 59.7% - Gold Star (instructor award)
¡ 64.9% - Excellence (competitive across instructors)
Motivated to excel
¡ 38.8% - Best in Show
¡ 33.2% - Gold Star
¡ 37.8% - Excellence
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22. GOOD CITIZEN BADGES
¡ Honor to earn: 67.4%
¡ Motivated to be helpful and/or interact with classmates: 28.6%
¡ Nominating classmates is a good way to recognize them for their contribution: 81.7%
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23. INDEPENDENT LEARNING BADGES
¡ Pushed to do something new: 63.1%
¡ Actually learned something new: 70.1%
¡ Enjoyable to complete: 38.9%
¡ Difficult to decide what to do: 43.8%
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24. DISCUSSION
¡ Our badge system worked as an add-on to the current grading system.
¡ The badge systems could be differently designed and used with diverse approaches within the particular context.
¡ The badge system can also be used to solve instructional issues based on different instructors’ intentions, within
the particular context.
Practical issues we had:
¡ New workload associated with badges.
¡ Cultural change from a course-based system to an integrated course and competency-based system.
¡ Traditional assessment system can conflict with the badge system.
¡ A more thorough facilitation was needed.
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25. CONCLUSION
¡ Badges may only motivate 30-40% of learners
¡ Many people feel ambivalent toward badges
¡ The presence of optional badges does not harm students who are not motivated by them
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26. THANKYOU! ANY QUESTIONS?
Contact:
Vanessa Dennen - vdennen@fsu.edu - @vdennen
Jiyae Bong – jb11ab@my.fsu.edu
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