Ebizon helped the Society for Science & the Public digitize their accreditation system for science competitions by developing a badge system. This allows achievements to be shared online through digital badges. It also helps keep past participants engaged and shows progression between competition levels. Ebizon implemented single sign-on with the Society's Blackbaud NetCommunity site to create user accounts and issue badges. Over 2000 badges were awarded to the first competition's winners, volunteers, and judges through the new digitized accreditation system.

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Engage Customers
Case Study
Ebizon helps Society for Science & the Public (SSP)
digitize accreditation system
Abstract
Intel and Society for Science & the Public won a joint grant for $150,000 in the fourth
Digital Media and Learning Competition, held in conjunction with the Mozilla Foundation and
supported by the MacArthur Foundation. This 12-month grant funded the development of badge
system – a system that would support and inspire connected learning. Connected learning happens in
and out of school, in physical places and in online spaces. Together with Intel, Society for Science &
the Public (SSP) envisioned a badging system to recognize achievement in its premier high school
science competitions, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) and the Intel
Science Talent Search (Intel STS).

2. Overview
Society for Science & the Public (SSP), is
a non-profit organization dedicated to the
promotion of science, through its science  Oldest non profit
education programs and publications. organization
The vision of the organization is to promote  Top reviewed non-profit
the understanding and appreciation of science by Charity Navigator
and the vital role it plays in human
advancement.  Organization has an
annual operating budget
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the of $20 million
organization works primarily to recruit more
pre-college students to pursue science, math,
and engineering fields in college.
Business Challenges
With the vision to promote the understanding and appreciation of Science, Society for Science and the Public hold science fair and
competition each year and accredit the participants, winners, volunteers and judges. However, the existing accreditation system
needed some advancement:
•Need for universal and easily visible credential that can be shared across the web: The existing accreditation system was in the
form of physical certification which had no existence on the web. There was a growing need for an electronic accreditation accessible
from anywhere. The ultimate objective was to make the learning process more competitive, making all skills and achievements
comparable on a global scale.
•Challenge in keeping the winners engaged: Society for Science and the Public organizes several competition each year but there was
no mean of keeping the winners and participants engaged once the competition was over.
•Challenge in defining the progression from one level of competition to other: Several competitions under Society for Science and
the Public are held in multiple level of progression. There was no means of informing the winners of one level of competition that what
are the next levels or competitions that they can prepare for and participate in.

3. Ebizon’s Solution
Ebizon seamlessly worked with client team to do the detail assessment of the requirement. After the in depth understanding of the
requirement and business cases, Ebizon’s technical team came up with the technical architecture and process flow of the system.
Discussing and analyzing each use case with the client, Ebizon team came up with the technical implement of the proposed system.
With the launch of badging system, client wanted to bring its users on Blackbaud NetCommunity – most powerful online marketing and
fundraising solution for nonprofits. The purpose was to have a users account on NetCommunity from where they could redirect them to
the Badging system. The challenge faced here was – users should only sign up on the Blackbaud NetCommunity and when coming on the
badging system, the account should be created on the badging system based on the information on Blackbaud NetCommunity. Ebizon
responded to this request by implementing single sign on:
Each time user clicks on the badging system link on Blackbaud NetCommunity, user is redirected to the badging system. A check is
performed if the account already exists on badging system, if yes user is logged in to his/her account. If no, account is created on the
badging system.
Ebizon designed a powerful and user friendly management interface for the admin to manage the badge allocation in the system. Users
can also manage their badges in groups in their backpack – central repository of their badges from where they can even choose to share
it socially.
In December 2012, the first set of Intel ISEF badges was issued to
volunteers, judges, and students (high school juniors) who
participated in the Intel ISEF 2012 competition. Similarly, verified
entrants, semi-finalists, finalists, and top winners of the Intel STS
2013, will receive the appropriate digital badge to reward their
achievements in independent scientific and engineering research.

4. Benefits
Awarded badges to ISEF 2012 More than 2000 badges were successfully awarded to the winners, entrants,
winners volunteers and judges of Intel ISEF 2012 within the first week of the launch.
Better publicity of learning and Recognition and better publicity to learning and skills associated with conducting
skills research as well as the invaluable service of those that volunteer in support of young
researchers.
Promotion of lifelong learning The Open Badges project is intended to help recognize skills and achievements that are
gained outside of the official school or work setting with the goal of improving academic
achievement, economic opportunity, civic engagement, and opportunities for lifelong
learning.
Increased participation Attracting more participants and volunteers by making the eligibility and criteria
available online.
Recognition of volunteers The volunteers received digital accreditation of their relentless effort in the competitions
which they could share globally.
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