digital-badges

4 steps to bolstering digital badges in higher education


As the demand for digital badges increases, so does the need for policies and processes surrounding them.

digital-badge-steps“Digital badges allow students to turn competencies and achievements to marketable credentials,” said Susan Manning, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Yet, unless clearly defined management processes are put into place, this potential may not be realized.

This was the main discussion part of a recent panel, “Digital Badges in Higher Education,” hosted by The New Media Consortium, which not only stressed the importance of students earning more digital badges for employment, but what must be done to help propel the digital badge and credentialing movement.

“Digital Badges in Higher Education” was the latest webinar in the NMC Beyond the Horizon series, and featured insight from moderator Jonathan Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Credly, Susan Manning, a teacher at the University of Wisconsin, Stout, and Diane Singer, the Curriculum Developer and Project Manager at Brandman University.

Making the Case

Panelists, which also included Jonathan Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Credly, and Diane Singer, the Curriculum Developer and Project Manager at Brandman University, said that many people have more skills and talents than the typically opaque college transcript gives them credit for, often rendering the college transcript all but useless after a person has been in the workforce for awhile. Finkelstein estimated that more than 90 percent of skills gained in the workforce do not make it onto a resume or transcript.

Panelists made sure to emphasize that rather than being some fleeting trend, demand for verified skills and credentials is real and growing. Currently, 1 in 4 adults have an alternative credential of some sort, and panelists mentioned research showing those with digital certifications generally receive 6 times as many profile views on social media job sites like LinkedIn.

Additionally, the availability of alternative credentials will double over the next 5 years, they agreed. At least 400 institutions reportedly have competency-based digital badge programs in development, which would bring the total to about 750 in 5 years.

(Next page: Outlining a digital badge “Management Lifecycle”)

Outlining a “Management Lifecycle”

According to Finklestein, propelling digital badges and credentialing forward means outlining a management lifecycle.

First, a competency must be defined to test students after their identity is verified, and the digital badge will be issued upon sufficient evidence of skill has been displayed.

Second, users need to be able to directly receive their digital badges online and be able to manage them easily. This allows them to share and display their digital badges through online profiles and company interfaces in an easily viewable and storable way.

Third, digital badges need to be tracked and analyzed, with earners and employers sharing their analysis of what a badge means in order to best contextualize its importance. Increased prevalence of digital badges means employers should be able to track current and past earners of a badge, allowing them to find and recruit talented individuals.

Fourth and finally, digital badges should lead to a more interwoven community of learners, with those who earn a similar credential able to suggest or discover what other digital badges exist in their field to fully take advantage of the digital credential opportunity. Even in situations where showing off a student of professional’s digital badges to a prospective employer is not applicable, they can still select their most relevant badges and showcase endorsements from brands they value and trust, noted the panelists.

But are there any direct benefits to institutions? According to the Manning and Singer, offering digital badges can greatly benefit colleges and universities  by attracting students eager for alternative credentialing options, as well as better helping students find employment post-graduation.

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