Presentation for the JISC RSC Yorks+Humber Annual Conference. #RSCOnline13

1. Open Badges: Using 'Lightweight'
Rewards and Credentials to Increase
Motivation and Participation
Dr. Ian Glover
Senior Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning,
Sheffield Hallam University
i.glover@shu.ac.uk
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

2. What is a badge?
Visual representation of achievement, experience, affiliation
and/or interest - ideally distinctive and understood within a
community.
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

3. What is a badge?
Visual representation of achievement, experience, affiliation
and/or interest - ideally distinctive and understood within a
community.
Some examples:
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

4. “Badges mean nothing in themselves, but they mark a
certain achievement and they are a link between
the rich and the poor.
For when one girl sees a badge on a sister Scout’s arm, if
that girl has won the same badge, it at once
awakens an interest and sympathy between
them.”
- Juliette G. Low,
Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

5. Why 'Open' badges?
•
Badges increasingly being used to encourage continued
'brand engagement' online
– e.g. Four Square, Quidco,
•
Also used to represent achievement within a domain
– e.g games (XBox, Playstation, Steam [PC])
•
However, all separate
•
'Open Badges' allows badges from multiple sources to be
gathered together
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

6. Why the buzz about Open Badges for
Education?
•
Growing recognition that lots of learning happens outside
the classroom
•
Grade transcripts hide the 'truth' about learning
•
Strong links with current trends such as MOOCs,
Gamification, Mobile Learning
– but can be used independently of these
•
Significant motivational potential in some situations
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

7. "What's my motivation?"
•
Intrinsic Motivation
- Personal
- Strong
• Extrinsic Motivation
- External factors
- Weak (usually)
• Mixed motivations
common
- e.g. interested in the topic,
but also want to gain
recognition from peers.
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

8. Research conducted at City University London
•
Aim to identify perceptions and possible
value of Open Badges
•
Semi-structured interviews with staff
–
Whole institution
• Focus groups with students
–
•
Health Sciences and Engineering
None had prior knowledge of badges in
HE
–
but some were aware of other uses
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

9. Findings related to student motivation
•
Badges would act as a motivator
–
–
•
would push students to go beyond the minimum
would support both individual and competitive goals
Why?
– To stand out when apply for jobs
– To help students monitor their progress
• personal and relative to peers
– To recognise effort in formative tasks
•
But, important not to issue too many
– each badge must represent a genuine achievement
•
Other findings in research paper

10. Open Badges at Sheffield Hallam University
•
Current and completed uses
– International students' engagement in cultural / orientation
activities
– Course representatives
– Reflective Practice module
• Planned / proposed uses
–
–
–
–
Information skills
Graduate Attributes
Staff Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Professional skills for International MBA students
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

11. Share your uses / ideas
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

12. Places to earn/display Open Badges
•
'Educational' platforms introducing badges:
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
Moodle
Blackboard
Mahara
PebblePad
Wordpress
Drupal
Central, common 'backpack'
(https://backpack.openbadges.org)
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

13. Getting started
•
Image creation
– OpenBadges.me (http://openbadges.me)
– Online Badge Maker (http://www.onlinebadgemaker.com/)
•
Badge creation and issuing
– badg.us (http://badg.us)
•
All-in-one systems
– Credly (http://credly.com)
– Mozilla BadgeKit (http://badgekit.openbadges.org/) - April 2014
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

14. Additional information
•
From me
– Investigating perceptions and potential of open badges in formal
higher education
– Open Badges: a visual, learner-centric approach to recognising
achievement
– Slideshare Presentations (several on Open Badges)
•
From other people
–
–
–
–
–
7 things you should know about Badges - Educause
Digital badges for professional development - Educause Review
So What Are Open Badges? - JISC RSC Scotland
Open Badges Google group
Projects from Mozilla Mozfest
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

15. Contact
Dr. Ian Glover
i.glover@shu.ac.uk
http://blogs.shu.ac.uk/telteam
@irglover
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013

16. Claim your Badge!
http://badg.us/en-US/badges/claim/3jvwhu
JISC RSC Online Conference 2013 (#RSCOnline13) - 5th December 2013