1. Digital Badges for Professional Development: An Overview
Tammy Macek
November, 2015
Learning Module
EDCI 575

2. What is a Badge?
Our working definition of a badge: “a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc.” (Dictionary.com)
A Badge depicts something earned such as a/an:
Achievement
Accomplishment
Credential(s)
Honor
Knowledge
Merit Award(s)
Skill(s)
Winning (i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd place)
Badges were typically issued as physical tokens of that achievement
Retrieved from:
The key word is a token of something learned and something earned – I
Though we have all worn name badges for the purpose of identification, we are not including that in our working definition.

3. Badges History Thousand year history First appeared in 1782
Metal shield
Coat of arms
Boy Scout Merit Badges in 1910
Cloth Merit Badges earned
Displayed on a Badge Sash
Military Badges
Identify personnel by rank and role
Competition and achievements
Image References: (2015) Collecting Merit Badges The ISCA Getting Started Collecting Series, p Retrieved:
(2015) Vanguard insignia. Retrieved:

4. What are Digital Badges?
“Digital badges are an assessment and credentialing mechanism that is housed and managed online. Badges are designed to make visible and validate learning in both formal and informal settings, and hold the potential to help transform where and how learning is valued” (2015, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation) 
A badge is a digital credential that represents an individual’s skills, interests, and achievements (August 2013, the Alliance for Excellent Education)
What is a Badge?
This definition of Digital Badges was developed by the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation in conjunction with Mozilla Open Badges and the Alliance for Excellent Education conducted a study of Digital Badges and how they can be used to improve education and expand learning opportunities at all ages.

5. What are Open Badges
Badges that are issues using Mozilla’s Open Source software developed in in conjunction with a competition sponsored by the The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Badges have issuer information, skills, credentials built into the metadata.
Open Badges are issued by an organization and be compatible with Mozilla Open Badges.
Learners can earn open badges from various organizations, and collect them in their Mozilla Open Badges Backpack.
Learners can display their badges across the web - i.e. on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook
(2013)

6. Badge Tools and Badge Systems
Tools to Create Badges
Tools to Display Badges Badge Systems
CanvaBadges
Passport (Purdue) passport/
Credly
Badgr
Makewaves
Open Badge Designer
Mozilla Open Badges and Backpack .org/backpack/login
BadgeOS

7. Earning a Badge - Process
Who Issues Badges?
Educational Institutions
Professional Organizations
Corporate Trainers
Community Organizations
Online Learning Spaces
Learners Display Badges
Mozilla Open Badges and Backpack g/backpack/login
BadgeOS
Learners Earn Badges for:
Achievements
Skills
Games
Competition
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
WordPress Blog

8. Earn a Badge for Professional Development
Who issues Badges? Here are some examples:
MOOC’s – CanvasNet, Udemy
Lynda.com
Quality Matters
College or University class or continuing education
Conferences
Example: Center for Teaching Excellent at LCCC kicked off the Badges in a Professional Development workshop.

9. Collect your Badges in your Mozilla Backpack
.org/backpack/login

10. Demonstration Earning a Badge in a Prof Development Course in Canvas
The Badge is issued in Canvas and Displayed in Mozilla Backpack

11. References http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/badge
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (2015) Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Retrieved Nov. 24,
Digital Badges image retrieved from: help-young-people-adults-demonstrate-skills/
Boy Scout Merit Badge Image: (2015) Collecting Merit Badges The ISCA Getting Started Collecting Series, p Retrieved:
Navy Badge Image: (2015) Vanguard insignia. Retrieved: badges/air-crew