Hi Sylvia,
I'm glad to be able to listen in. I'm looking forward to learning how things develop. I was a very enthusiatic Wikieducator, but lost my way when the OER university initiative began as it opened doors for universities, but closed doors for me as an independent educator. I will be lurking if that's acceptable as I don't represent a university.
Jeffrey, You may find Passport by Purdue of interest.
I'm glad to be here. I have been following the sessions since the first day, but only started responding today. I guess I didn't feel the need to introduce myself until now.
I have come across digital badges in a Joomla website I managed a few years ago and on Wikieducator.
Thank you for sharing your Boy Scouts experiences, Stephen. They bring back a lot of memories of summer camp. I was very proud of my swimming and cannoeing levels. We had to sew the bages on our swimming suits. I would be so motivated to go back to camp, so I could get the next level. It was such a treat to go from one level to the next and to finally reach the top advanced level. I knew in advance what was required of me and practiced the skills needed to reach the levels, so I could get those badges. Maybe, it wasn't so much the badges as it was the stages that I had to follow.
I am very competitive with myself so badges and levels are great ways to get me to do things. I was scared to death as I stood in front of over 1000 people in grade 8 just so I could get a badge in a public speaking contest. Badges and certificates work for me. I love the initial feeling of getting the certificate, but it only lasts for a few seconds and then it's gone. It doesn't last for long for me. I need to get the next one to sense that feel of accomplishment once again. I'm considering doing another PhD because I lost the feel for the first. Some people run after money. I run after badges.
Sounds like a great course. I wish I could afford it, but the tuition for this workshop is $995 USD. Non-profits and international NGOs pay $795. Full time students pay $595.