Scheduled Seminar Discussions

Sylvia,

Thanks for this summary set of questions... and to think they all came from one 50 minute lunch-n-learn.

I look forward to participating in there discussion...

Peter

Sylvia,

Thanks for pulling all these questions together. Let me provide my responses to them...remember this is my view of things formed via all the reading I do in this area combined with my view of meta-cognition and self directed learning.

But what do these badges lead to?

Badges could lead to anything where learning occured, skills or knowledge were acquired. I had a discussion with some people a while back and we discussed whether a badge should stand on its own (pedagogically speaking, it represents the complete learning of something) or can badges only exist within a system of badges. I am of the mind a badge can only exist within a system. What the system (curriculum?) looks like is either; up to the learner(s) themselves or the organization / institution creating the badge. When the learner creates the system they really are creating their own personal curriculum and they could cobble together a whole lot of badges from different sources and create a representation of their knowledge/learning.

Who will recognise these badges?

I believe the social network, employers, friends, CoP, etc. will increasingly recognize badges.

Do badges need to lead to something, or can they identify a person's passion?

Both... I see this as the wonderful thing about badges. They can be implemented by anyone for any reason. I particularly like how they could be used outside of traditional learning.

Does anyone else do a 'backpack' idea - ie apart form 'mozilla' ?

Every badge issuer has a place they store the badges they have issued (or more accurately a record of). I do not know of any organization creating a backpack, or equivalent, where badge earners can store badges from multiple different sources.

But if badges don't lead to anything, why do I need them?

I believe badges are more representative of things, rather than leading to anything. Well they could lead to someting... I see it as more of a journey than a destination kinda thing.

Does this promote extrinsic motivation rather than intrinsic motivation for learning?

I think it provides a vehicle to represent the learning that someone is intrinsically motivated to complete. But this leads more into my personal learning, personal curriculum mapping, etc... bent.
http://criticaltechnology.blogspot.ca/2012/01/personal-curriculum-mapping-pcm.html
http://criticaltechnology.blogspot.ca/2011/06/personal-learning-ecology.html

Does Khan work with LinkedIn?

I don't believe Khan badges can be embedded in LinkedIn.

But don't you also want to be able to display badges you earn on your own site?

With open badges you can use an opensource tool to generate the HTML or JavaScript to embed the badges in your own site. http://badgewidgethack.org/

LinkedIn displays credit for skills right now, based on peer feedback...I haven't seen any badges? Anyone else?

Given we can nominate each other for the badges within this seminar series... this could be peer feedback. The badges within stackexchange and OERUniversity are based on contribution and peer evaluation. I believe this is one of the strengths of open badges... peer based or working within a CoP.

Still thinking about Jenny's question about badges and extrinsic motivation versus intrinsic motivation for learning. Both?

I think the flexibility of badges allows for both.

Hoop jumping can help get them into deeper learning, no? as opposed to only 10% of completing a MOOC.

Hoop jumping can be good, particularly if you design and develop your own hoop. Badges could be used within MOOCs... MOOCs have bigger pedagogical fish to fry ;).

I have connected and learned in different ways and have had some deep learning happen "outside" of set activities. …How do you get badges for that? Competency based?

Develop your own badge, see where it takes you. The badge image design will prompt further reflection. Then when you have to define the criteria and evidence. How do you then define competency? How would it be recognized for awarding of the badge. All good!

Would there be a way of using badges as recognition of prior learning without having to redo the work?

I always thought if you could resurrect the evidence of prior learning... why not be awarded the badge.

…Maybe use badge to link to eportfolio if you want to share with others?

Absolutely! I think badges and ePortfolios could be closely tied.

But what about students who want to have employers recognize their learning?

There are projects within the DML competition exploring this...