Madison College is implementing digital badges, which are recognized indicators of skills and accomplishments that can enhance lifelong learning and career opportunities. The badges, associated with micro-credentials, aim to cater to the growing trend of skills-based hiring and provide a means for individuals to demonstrate verified competencies to employers. The college also emphasizes the need for educational programs to align with labor market demands and evolves its curriculum based on industry validation.

1. Kathleen Radionoff
Dean of Continuing Education
Madison College
kradionoff@madisoncollege.edu
(608) 258-2309
Lesley Voigt
Digital Badge Director
Madison College
lvoigt@madisoncollege.edu
(608) 616-1044

2. • A digital badge is an information rich,
validated indicator of accomplishment, skill,
quality, or interest that can be earned in many
learning environments and shared through
online outlets.
• A digital badge can represent attained
knowledge, specific skill, set of skills,
certificate, etc…
Getting Started: Understanding terminology

3. Getting Started: Understanding terminology
• A Micro-Credential is a small chunk of
learning or learning that has been
broken into bite-sized pieces with each
piece focusing on a specific skill,
knowledge or ability.
Many individuals interchange the terms
Badge and Micro-Credential, though
badges can represent just about anything.

4. FORMAL BADGES INFORMAL BADGES
Issued for K S A attainment
that is formally assessed
VS.
No assessment component
Issued by a recognized third
party
Not verified
Resume-worthy
achievements
Examples: event attendance,
volunteer, peer-to-peer
recognition
Getting Started: Understanding terminology

5. • An individual is part of the Workforce for 40-
50+ years; not just after they graduate with a
degree
Getting Started: Understanding our Students/Workforce

6. Getting Started: Understanding our Students/Workforce

7. • 60% believe that employers will move to
skills-based hiring
• 57% said employers will place more value
on non-traditional credentials
• To facilitate this, it is believed that
microlearning—content delivered in small,
specific segments—will see the most growth
among learning technologies in 2017
(LinkedIn Learning’s Insider Survey, 2017)
Ask Yourself: Why Badges? Why Now?

8. • Students with IBM digital badges will be able to apply
their badges toward Northeastern academic credit.
(Elearning Inside News, 2017)
• California proposing new online, competency-based
community college that will offer only certificates and
badges… with a focus on “short bursts of learning”
that can take place outside the traditional academic
calendar (Inside Higher Ed, 2018)
• Candace Thille, a pioneer in learning science and open
educational delivery, has taken a leave of absence
from Stanford University for a position at Amazon
(Inside Higher Ed, 2018)
Major Shifts in Education Underfoot

10. Broadcast Achievements
Signals skills and achievements to
peers, potential employers and others
Motivate Participation
Provides instant recognition for
achievement;
Engagement and Retention
Working harder to earn badges = better
grades and engagement
Develop Personal Brand
Displays verified achievements across
the web. Improves social connections
with peers, employers and clients
Up-Skilling/Life-long Learner
Older degrees can be enhanced with
new credentials, as needed basis
Increase Engagement/Retention
Badges directly linked to Institution;
micro-credentials encourage
continuation to the next credential
Enhance Brand
Significant social media benefit:
thousands of brand marks flooding
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, blogs and
company websites
Increase Recruitment
Viral social media exposure;
opportunity to earn extra credentials
allows students to stand out among
similar programs
Up-Skill Workforce
Micro-credentials allow individual who
already hold degrees the opportunity
to enhance their skills
Verified Skills
Provides a trusted “seal of approval”
for employers validating existing talent
or potential hires
Candidate Selection
Provides an easy way to identify
candidates to hire or promote; reduce
HR time
Improved Company Performance
Motivates employees to drive their
own development and improve the
performance of the organization
Employee Retention
Allow the employer to align candidate
with job that exploits already proven
skills/interests
Value Proposition: How does badging convert to real value for everyone?
Badge Earner Institution Employer
How does Badging translate to real Value for everyone?

11. What our Badge Earners are Saying…
I’ve had a lot more
people reaching out
to me on LinkedIn
that are looking to
fill positions
I’m glad I worked hard to
pass the class because
besides passing the class,
I earned a badge! It feels
good to know that I
accomplished something.
The badge has encouraged
my employer to take an
active look into the programs
that award them.
Knowing I could receive a badge -
proof I can display of my knowledge
– gives added value to Madison
College programs in comparison to
other educational programs.
“After posting my achievement on social
media, some colleagues and friends
shared congratulations. What surprised
me was some even inquired further
about what was involved in the course
and seemed genuinely interested in my
achievement and possibly looking into
further education themselves.”

12. Credit Badges VS. Non-Credit Badges
Courses transcripted (A, B, C…) Courses transcripted (Unsat/Satisfactory)
Earn at “Exceptional” level across
all assessments
Earn an 80% or above within course and
on assessments
Multiple skills/badges possible
within one course
Each course = One badge/skill
Students may need to submit
evidence/apply for digital badge
By taking the course, students are
eligible to earn the digital badge
Within all classes (Credit/Non-Credit), students can still pass the
class without having earned a badge.
Developing the Badge: Credit vs. Non-Credit

13. All badged curriculum must
be reviewed
Verify rigor
within the
course
curriculum
Align learning
outcomes with
State/National/
Employer
Standards*
Define badge
tasks that are
measurable
Developing the Badge: Non-Credit Badges

14. Developing the Badge: Non-Credit Stacked/Certificate Badge

15. Employers validated the
value of the skills
Utilized skills
already existing
within
curriculum
Researched
job descriptions
& personnel
evaluations
Faculty identified
13 technical/4
soft skill badges
Developing the Badge: Credit Badges

16. • Created from industry validated “needed skills”
• Participation from 17 different School of Health
Education (SoHE) programs
• Broad enough to work across health care
disciplines
• Piloted within Medical Assistant program for
2016-17
• Implemented into other SoHE programs Fall
2018
Developing the Badge: SoHE Soft Skill Badges

17. Badge Alignment: To Existing Course Content

18. Badge Alignment: Within Existing Rubrics

19. Badge Alignment: At the Badge level

20. CAAHEP accreditation requires 100% of all medical
assistant graduates to pass 100% of all competencies.
In addition to passing 100% of all competencies, to
earn this badge a student performed diagnostic
coding and procedural coding at an exceptional level.
Additionally the student successfully completed the
psychomotor, affective, and cognitive domain
assessments at a 93% or above.
Employer Advisory Board Direct Input

21. Viewing the Badge: External Perspective

22. Viewing the Badge: External Perspective

23. Viewing the Badge: Credential Registry

24. Every badge we issue includes dynamic labor market data to show real job
market opportunities from employers to salary ranges
Viewing the Badge: Dynamic Labor Market Data

25. © 2013 IBM Corporation25 © 2016 IBM Corporation
 Total Badges Issued
 Total Badges Accepted
 Total Badges Pending (Unclaimed)
 Total Badges Rejected
 Total Badges Revoked
 Badge Sharing Stats (Social Media)
Badge issuers have access to analytics data for each badge offering:
Export Analytics Data: Badge analytics data can be exported to a CSV file, adding further flexibility in
how badge reporting data is managed and used
Reporting from the Badge: Analytics Data

26. 1. It is necessary to educate audiences to
increase acceptance.
2. It is not always the same students earning
the badges.
3. We are able to develop interest profiles on
individual students.
4. Badges can help define interests within a
broader degree program.
5. Employers can use these badges to help
determine candidate paths to leadership
possibilities.
What We’re Learning…

27. Madison College is partnering with IMS Global
to create a first of it’s kind
Digital Credential Institute
Sneak Peek: What’s Next!

28. Kathleen Radionoff
Dean of Continuing Education
Madison College
kradionoff@madisoncollege.edu
(608) 258-2309
Lesley Voigt
Digital Badge Director
Madison College
lvoigt@madisoncollege.edu
(608) 616-1044