Alternative Credentialing Approaches: Exploring Badges in a Competency-

Based Education Framework

Anne DerryberryAssociate, Sage Road Solutions

Donald W. Reynolds Fellow, Univ. of Missouri School of Journalism

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Go to school - get a job!

Badges = digital representations

of a skill or achievement

Affordances of Badges

Recognize competence, regardless of mode of acquisitionEmphasize evidence of real-world abilitiesMicro-credentialsStackable credentials

No badge is an island.

Open badges exist within a complex ecosystem.

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

Anne Derryberry, Deb Everhart, Erin KnightPresented in “Badges: New Currency for Professional Credentials” MOOCSeptember 16, 2013badges.coursesites.com

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Badges illuminate personal learning pathways

Apprentice Assembler Engineer

Electrical ApprenticeFusion OEM

Electrical EngineerFusion OEM

Electrical AssemblerFusion OEM

- EE Degree

You have a choice.

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Learning provides a perspective for all.

Job Opening Candidate Trainer

Electrical AssemblerFusion OEM

Joe GarciaCommunity College Instructor

I train people on:

Timothy ChaseElectrical apprentice

“Timothy is a hard worker and pleasure to be around.” - Joe Hanky

Competency frameworkBadges mapped to competenciesLearning achievements documented by grades and competencies and badgesFinal course grades and competencies and badges in transcriptPortable badges for use in numerous contextsLearners choose where, when, and how to get their educationDegrees and credentials from multiple learning providers

Resume = multi-dimensional profile, with validated credentials, skills, experiences, talentsEmployer review of competencies and badges and degree– Badges stackable to map to

occupations and jobs– Evidence of learning

achievements– Job candidate to job

competency mapping and match making

EmploymentReturn on investment for educational time and dollars spent

Badges and Competency-Based Education: A New Dance in the Ecosystem

Opportunities for multiple learning paths and learner choice, taking ownership of learningPortable evidence of learning achievementsLearners’ ability to collect, reflect on, and showcase achievements from multiple sources

Opportunities for social learningHighly motivationalValue of education even without degree completionEmployers’ improved ability to see and understand learners’ achievementsBuilds on foundational principles of valuing learning outcomes

Benefits of Badges in Competency-Based Education

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Jason has a dream

24 year old security guardBarely graduated high schoolLearned auto mechanics fromhis grandfatherHasn’t been to the garage since grandfather diedReally wants to be a mechanic, open a garage named after his grandfather.

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CBE+badges => Jason lives his dream

Local garage is hiringEmployer requires certain badges (i.e., competencies)Jason learns about badge program at community collegeJason takes classes online & F2FBadges enable Jason to land a job

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Thank you!(Go Elena, Timothy and Jason!)

anne@sageroadsolutions.com@aderryberry