Learning Centre

Gamers and users of “check-in” apps like foursquare and GetGlue, may already be familiar with the concept of earning digital badges for their online activities. Now, the Department of Education is partnering with Mozilla and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to develop a system for recognizing learning with digital badges. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said of the initiative:

The Digital Media and Learning Competition challenges major organizations like NASA, Microsoft, as well as other designers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to develop and implement badges and badge systems. Badges would be housed in an online platform developed by Mozilla that could be accessed by any user, school or other organization and would represent a sort of “digital backpack… showcas[ing] the skills, knowledge and competencies [users] have gained.”

For younger students, this could mean that they earn badges for mastering concepts in school, learning multiplication, for instance, or being able to identify the parts of speech. For older students and adults, the badges might recognize life experience, or skills learned on the job, as well as academic accomplishments. In addition to sharing accomplishments, the badges may represent a better gauge of users’ skills, potentially leading to real-world academic and employment opportunities.

What do you think of the digital badge initiative? Do you think earning badges would be effective in motivating you/your students to learn?