The document discusses a study on the perceptions of achievements and badges in higher education. It summarizes feedback from 43 educators and 187 students on their views of gamification and badges. Both educators and students saw potential benefits in using badges to motivate learning and recognize achievements, but had concerns about proper implementation and ensuring badges remain relevant to learning outcomes. The study found curiosity towards badges but a need for careful consideration of design, criteria, assessment and sharing of any badge system used in higher education.

1. BROACHING BADGES
The Perception of Achievements and Badges in Higher Education
Lauren Hives, eLearning Applications Administrator
Bond University
Connect with me on Twitter @AshLauH

2. tinyurl.com/
badgebroach

3. ABOUT ME
I’ve worked in L&T in higher
education for around 15 years.
My background is in Multimedia
Design
I am a current student
I have at least 10 max level World of
Warcraft characters… o.0

4. Y E P… I WA S A B R OWN I E

5. O K… WE L L I N E V E R S A I D I WA S
GOOD AT IT!

6. ABOUT THE RESEARCH
 Games Culture student
paper
 Perception of Gamification
 Perception of Badges
 Application in Education
 Minimal prompting
 Educators and Students,
Gamers and Non-Gamers
 43 Educator responses and
187 Student responses
 77 Males and 108 Females

7. ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS
Students
 60% 18-24
 90% <5 years
 More but less
frequently
Educators
 74% 40+
 85% >5 years
 Less but more
frequently
Digital Australia 2014
(Brand et. al.)
Average age of gamers
in Australia is 32 with
47% female and 76%
over 18

8. WHY PLAY VIDEO GAMES?
Students
 60% 18-24
 90% <5 years
 More but less
frequently
Educators
 74% 40+
 85% >5 years
 Less but more
frequently
Digital Australia 2014
(Brand et. al.)
85% of Gamers say
games reduce
stress
FUN
MENTAL
RELAX RELAX

9. Audience feedback
WHAT IS GAMIFICATION?
I S I T A BAD WORD?

10. GAMIFICATION BACKLASH
 Confusion and theory vs. practice
 Common implementations a topping rather than a key ingredient
 Focus on rewards (not challenges, problem-solving and mastery)
 Not just behaviour modification through rewards

11. Just add
points?

12. GAMIFICATION IN EDUCATION?

13. FEELINGS IN HIGHER-ED?

14. FEELINGS IN HIGHER-ED?

15. Audience feedback
WHAT IS A BADGE?
PHY S I CAL VS . DIGI TAL

16. WHAT IS A BADGE?

17. SHORTCUTS & BAGGAGE
History of Badges –Military & Authority
“A Genealogy of Badges” by Alexander MC Halavais
Representation of what?

18. BENEFICIAL TO STUDIES
STUDENTS
60%
14% Uncertain
EDUCATORS
33%
35% Uncertain

19. A C H I E V EME N T S WO U L D…
 Motivate me to do more
 Improve my learning
 Reduce my ownership
 Be a reward
 Change the peer dynamic
 Acknowledgement of own learning
 Are inconsequential to learning
 Make learning more interesting
 Make me feel vulnerable or exposed
 Fill a gap in recognition of skills and
traits
 Are another form of assessment
 Help set and achieve learning goals
 Help me identify learning outcomes

20. 1. Difficulty
2. Relevance
3. Challenge
4. Type
5. Issuer
SIGNIFICANCE
1. Challenge
2. Difficulty
3. Type
4. Issuer
5. Usefulness employability

21. SHARING
Who would you share with?
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Peers
4. Prospective employers
No one - 6th
Who should they share with?
1. Colleagues
2. Peers
3. Prospective employers
4. Friends
No one – Tied last

22. BENEFITS AND CONCERNS
Benefits Detriments/Concerns
 Motivation and engagement
 Improved learning through multiple means,
simulation and application
 Enhanced recognition & feedback
 Anti-boredom or fun
 Motivation through competition
 Stress reduction
 Increased creativity
 Distraction / focus off content
 Anti-reality / bad habits
 Dis-incentive for students who prefer intrinsic
motivation
 Relevance to content and learning
 Over-competiviteness
 Forced participation
 Issuer, Criteria, Evidence, Assessor
 Time-consuming or waste
 Negative emotions eg. depression, isolation

23. SUMMARY
• Curiosity
• Willingness to explore the
possibilities
• Concern about implementation
• Able to apply learning theory to
understanding of gamification
and achievements and its
potential in higher education

24. “100 read email achievement unlocked – woo-hoo, tick
that one up on the resume”
IMPLEMENTATION

25. BADGES FOR DESIGNERS
Is there some sacrifice required?
Is it meaningful and relevant?
Is it a challenge?
What does it signify in context?
What does it signify out of context?
Is it overpowering?
Does it require a learning process?
Are there ethical considerations?

26. BADGES FOR INSTITUTIONS
Who is issuing the badge and what
does that mean?
Who can see it?
Who can interpret it?
What is the criteria and is it evident?
Is there an expiry?
Who is assessing it?

27. BROACHING BADGES
The Perception of Achievements and Badges in Higher Education
Lauren Hives, eLearning Applications Administrator
Bond University
Connect with me on Twitter @AshLauH