open badges, open borders by suzanne scott
DESCRIPTION
Open Badges, Open Borders by Suzanne Scott, Borders College ALT Scotland SIG Open Education Open Scotland event, Edinburgh, 3 June 2014TRANSCRIPT
Open Badges, Open Borders
Suzanne ScottBorders College
Technology Enhanced Learning Unit
Overview
• What are Open Badges?– How do they work?– What do they look like?
• How are Borders College using them?– The journey so far– Lessons learned
• Where do we go from here?– As an institution?– Collectively?
Do you remember...
Blue and Gold Banquet by Anja Johnson
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37353087@N03/4056767466
I’m a Brownie by Sarah Joy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62559061@N06/6921282288
What are Open Badges?
• Supported by Mozilla– The Macarthur Foundation– Working to create a recognised, shared infrastructure
for badge creation and display
• Visual representations of achievements, learning, skills, interests and competencies– Complement rather than replace traditional
education practicesAll images displayed with approval from
Doug Belshaw@Mozilla
The Science bit!• An image with metadata
hardcoded into them– Issuers and Endorsers
• Stays in your dedicated Mozilla badge backpack– Can also be displayed in
various locations; Linkedin, Moodle, Mahara
www.openbadges.orgAll images displayed with approval from
Doug Belshaw@Mozilla
Open Badges
6Image by Kyle Bowen
What a badge looks like
Badges in real life @BC
• Curriculum based badges – too soon!• Moodle badges from the TEL team• CPD badges• Working with local employers• Curriculum badges – the return!
• Lessons learned along the way
June 2012 to present
• Here be dragons – JISC RSC conference – Doug Belshaw– First glimpse of Open
Badges
• Not an easy journey despite initial enthusiasm
Please turn around when possible...
• When introducing badges beware…– Greater communication with
all concerned required to ensure sense of ownership
– Importance of SMT approval– More time required to accept
change
Take the first exit...
• HNC Interactive Media– First proposal for College own
badges in the curriculum– Prime for ‘badging’
• Need for buy in from middle management– More work required to
convince staff of badge ‘value’
– Concerns over time required
You are nearing your destination...
• Moodle User Badge pilot– Different approach– Student badges to
encourage digital literacy
– Using Moodle as host– Aimed to introduce
badges ‘gently’ to staff and students
– Small pilot: 4 classes
Moodle Open BadgesStudent badges recognise/encourage:•Professional profile creation•Contribution to discussion forums •Electronic submission of assignments•Use of the VLE generally
Staff badges recognise /encourage:•Innovative use of the VLE•Greater use of tools•Time and effort invested
You will reach your destination in...
• Some concerns relating to students being able to award open badges to staff
• Work still to do!– A culture shift is required– Need to address
concerns through education and examples
Alternative routes – diversion in place
• Introducing Open Badges for CPD sessions
• Full support of HR department– Removal of paper
certificates
Staff CPD
• All staff now have at least one open badge – spread awareness
• Increase loyalty and attendance at CPD sessions
• Staff see value in CPD sessions. No longer just mandatory
Objects in the rear view mirror...
• It’s been an interesting journey!– Still positive about the
value of Open Badges– More realistic about the
work which needs to be done to convince non-believers
• SQA, CDN, Jisc RSC working group will help
Open Badge Highway Code• Badge image design is
important but time consuming
• Criteria setting is important for credibility
• Handle concerns sensitively
• Look for like minded evangelists to share thoughts and issues
• Institutional buy-in is key
• Support from RSC, SQA and Mozilla important
Future of badges at Borders• 3 year plan to introduce
Open Badges across the curriculum
• Aim to accredit prior learning and introduce bridging badges
• Considering pathways for learners /identifying badges according to career aspirations
• Working with local employers to raise awareness
Bridges (dependencies)
• “SQA supports the concept of Open Badges and is working in partnership with the Open Badges in Scottish Education Group to support the adoption of Open Badges across a range of sectors. We believe that the infrastructure promotes and supports greater flexibility for learning and the recognition of achievement.”
“Permission to Innovate!”
– adopting Open Badges as part of the recognition for teachers and appointees through SQA Academy Courses
– Exploring possibilities that Open Badges offer in terms of digital certification in the future
20
Joe Wilson, Head of New Ventures, SQA. Experimental Blog, October 2013
Open Badges Scottish Education Group
• Jisc OBSEG: – Overview and mapping
function of Open Badge developments in Scottish education
– Oversees a number of sub-groups:• Learner Progress• Staff Development• Technology and Design
– Provides a forum for discussion and the formation of connections
Diversions ahead…
• The creation of suites of subject specific badges which could be shared across the sector
• What tools should be used?– Clear guidelines for
planning, designing and issuing badges (toolkit)
• Work with schools– Empower students/pupils
to create their own badges
• Working group maintenance (OBSEG)– Funding?– Projects?
• Introducing Open Badges to employers to ensure value
• Fitting the pieces together – work is still fragmented
Interested?
You could start by looking at:• Mozilla’s Open Badges site to find
out how to use the Open Badge Infrastructure to earn, issue and display Open Badges.
http://openbadges.org
• Badge canvas and Badge Maker•http://www.digitalme.co.uk/badgecanvas/•http://badgemakerproject.com/
Further information
– Find out more about the Jisc Regional Support Centre (RSC) Scotland pilot of Open Badges. rsc-scotland.org/?page_id=2223
– Open Badges in Scottish Education Group. bit.ly/obseg
– Open Badges case studies. rsc-scotland.org/?tag=open-badges
– Open Badges blog posts. rsc-scotland.org/eassessment/tag/open-badges/
– Remember, you can always contact your local Jisc Regional Support Centre for further information: jisc.ac.uk/rsc Email: [email protected]
24
• Jisc support