Piloting digital badges at the Australian National University Katharina Badge Trouble
A team effort! Dr. Inger Mewburn Director of Research Dr. Katharina Freund Senior eLearning Emily Rutherford Trainer, Information
What are badges? Micro-credential that represents learning or achievements Image with metadata on how it was achieved Portable, displayed in portfolio Can be a guide for learners
Context The ANU as a research institution Our scope: Limited pilot of co-curricular and professional development badges for research studies Joint project between Library, Research Skills, and Digital Learning Teams
Badges for research education Badges could: Show clear co-curricular benchmarks to support students in research degrees Make research degrees more accessible to employers Help international students communicate their skills outside of Australian context
Badge Process… in theory
Disruptive technology Alternative modes of assessment and credentialing don’t easily fit within existing systems Badges designed to be mobile and visible externally Existing systems not necessarily integrated or open to external access Complex legal issues around student privacy Issues of verification, trustworthiness, and security
“We don’t want people to think it was fun studying at ANU.” - PhD student in focus group “Web Designer” badge, Chicago Summer of Learning
Actor-network of badges (Law 2004, Latour 2007)
Research culture IT Marketin g Legal Moodle Steering & Govern- ance ANU Online Brand Social Media Privacy Reputatio n Manage- ment Public percep- tion Students Policy Library Research Student Support Third-Party Service (Credly) Digital Learning Project Con- sent
Process for Changing LMS 1.Formal request with business case 2.If approved, to LMS Reference and User groups 3.If approved, resource implications and business analysis to LMS Steering Committee 4.If approved, request for funding to University ICT Committee 5.ANU Online conducts analysis and investigation 6.Legal consultation required 7.If approved, vendor development time required 8.Move from development to staging to production 9.Limited pilot release with targeted academics 10.General release
(Estimated time to completion) 2 years minimum
Our pilot outcomes 93 badges delivered via 3 rd party service Credly Out of 584 eligible for badge, or 16% uptake Feedback indicated students were unsure how Credly related to ANU or of what to do with badges Badge ecosystem still immature: no institutional portfolio space or widespread education
Current status of badges Project team submitted white paper with recommendations to LMS Reference Group Directed to create a working group to make recommendations to Steering Committee Major college stakeholder for enterprise-wide badges has withdrawn Comp Sci student start-up creating independent badge system
Key issues Significant, but dispersed, interest in badges Competing priorities across university Lack of senior management endorsement Process for implementing new technologies not agile or responsive to change Conflict between public engagement/open and secure/closed
Conclusions? Badges are potentially very useful and can have widespread application Significant and serious issues need to resolved before badges can be used Education around badges, quality control, legal & privacy, policy, branding Clearer pathways for innovation and piloting new technologies essential
Questions are welcome. Thank you!