learning affordances of badges (or.. can we afford not to badge?

Learning Affordances of Learning Affordances of BadgesBadges

Learning Affordances of Learning Affordances of BadgesBadges

(or: Can we afford (or: Can we afford

not to not to badge?)badge?)

(or: Can we afford (or: Can we afford

not to not to badge?)badge?)

Barry FishmanBarry FishmanThe University of The University of

MichiganMichigan

Barry FishmanBarry FishmanThe University of The University of

MichiganMichigan

@barryfishma@barryfishmann

@barryfishma@barryfishmann

“Common Core”

We’re Having a Moment

ResourceConstraints

MOOCs(open ed)

MakersConnectedLearning

Games

Accountability

The Great Unbundling•The unbundling of education is underway

•OBI-like infrastructure is catalyzing the change:

• Increases the transparency of accomplishments

•Gives learners control over self-presentation

•Opens up access to “deep” evidence behind claims of accomplishment

•But perhaps most importantly...

No Course is an Island•Without the infrastructure of OBI (or something

like it), it is nearly impossible to realize the potential of badges in instruction

•Badges depend on individual instructors to employ them in specific leaning contexts, but...

•Education functions as a system and if the badges earned in one context don’t have value in others, we get no traction

•We require ubiquitous (or at least shared) ways to communicate across contexts, both geographic and temporal

No Learner is an Island•Without the infrastructure of OBI (or something

like it), it is nearly impossible to realize the potential of badges in instruction

•Badges depend on individual instructors to employ them in specific leaning contexts, but...

•Education functions as a system and if the badges earned in one context don’t have value in others, we get no traction

•We require ubiquitous (or at least shared) ways to communicate across contexts, both geographic and temporal

Badges are Not New•The A-F grading system is literally an “old school”

badging system

•But it is a lousy badge system that emphasizes extrinsic motivation, privileges too few learning goals, and has narrow communications bandwidth

• Instructors can’t rely on prior grades as reliable indicators of prerequisite knowledge

•We know nothing of what students bring in from outside formal education

•Transcripts are essentially exercises in branding

So What Is New?•This cannot be a conversation about “adding”

badges to education; it must be a conversation about improving education to create engagement

•The current crop of badge thinking is built upon improved motivational design:

•Emphasize mastery over performance

•Encourage progress towards goals

•Support autonomy, belonging, competence

• The Usual

•Lack of (perceived) control

•Instructor chooses focus (one size fits all)

•Learners receive grades

•Disincentive to stretch

•High-stakes evaluation

•Incentivize avoidance

“Old” vs. “New” Assessment Systems

The The UNusualUNusual

•Self-determinationSelf-determination

•Student chooses Student chooses focusfocus(different strokes...)(different strokes...)

•Learners Learners earnearn badges, etc.badges, etc.

•Encourage risk-takingEncourage risk-taking

•Lowered cost of Lowered cost of failurefailure

•Incentivize Incentivize progressionprogression

Isn’t this just “Gamification”?

•Badges are strongly associated with gaming

•Many people think games in education = gamification

•Mere “gamification” leads to weak designs

•If we just use badges as grades or resort to purely extrinsic motivations, we’re doing it wrong - putting new wine in old bottles

“Gamification is bullshit.”

-Ian Bogost, Georgia Tech

A tool to:•Conceal•Impress•Coerce

Source: gizmodo.com

Affordances of Badges

Amplified by Technology•As Assessments

•As Instructional Tools

•As Instruments for Personal Growth

•As Signals

Badges as Assessments•Formative assessments

• Communicate progress towards goals

•Feedback and guidance

• Indicate what has been accomplished so far, against the backdrop of possibilities

•Summative assessment

• Provide an overview of accomplishments related to a particular project/assignment/course

Badges as Instructional Tools•Manage instructor expectations

• Better info. about what students know and can do

•Communicate detailed goals to students

• Set expectations about potential outcomes

•Scaffold complex learning

• Provide indicators of steps along a pathway

•Motivate student action

• Help orient student energy and reward progress (and maybe even lighten things up a bit)

Badges as Instruments for Personal Growth•Agency & Goal Setting

• Support multiple pathways toward goals

•Identity formation

• Try out different paths

•Self-determination

• Support self re/presentations of accomplishment

Badges as Signals•Recognizing learning/Credentialing

• As a replacement for “thin” transcripts

•Communicating social status

• “Nerd cred,” like “lettermen” jackets of yore

•Coordinating collaboration & teamwork

• To promote skills to others who might need them, or to aid search for needed skills

Quit waiting to get picked; quit waiting for someone to give you permission....

Stand up and say, “I have something to say. I know how to do something. I’m doing it.”

“If you want me to do it with you, raise your hand.” -Seth Godin

Source: http://www.sethgodin.com