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Slide Notes

Presentation for the REACT Conference at the University of Winchester 2017

Open Badges for evidence based practice

Published on Apr 29, 2017

REACT17 Conference at University of Winchester May 2017

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Open Badges

Engaging with students for evidence based learning

Presentation for the REACT Conference at the University of Winchester 2017

Photo by DëUG

What's a Badge?

Although Badges have been used across North America, Badges have, until recently, only really been used for Schools and organisations like the NHS to engage children into raising awareness. Since 2014 there has been a rise in the number of higher education institutions in using open badges. This is a short summary of what they are and how they have been used at the university of Southampton (and beyond)

Photo by ores2k

Not this...

The usual misconception is that the badge is a one dimensional object. But we have moved on from Scouts badges.

Photo by hyperdashery

But this...

Open badges offer the opportunity to share on a global scale and present evidence of activities in an authentic context. Phew! Sounds like a lot of words but in fact, its all about 3D presentations and personalised contributions. If you are awarded a badge, it enhances that individuals profile and shows what they actually did (as opposed to a static paper based certificate which only shows a generic statement

Untitled Slide

This is a useful graphic describing the structure of a badge. It is more than an image but has meta data providing a much richer picture. The most important element here and what I have focused on is that the use of 'Evidence'

Open Badge Factory

Issuing & Creating

We use Open Badge Factory (www.openbadgefactory.com) to issue and create our badges.

Pathbrite

Portfolios as a tool for discovery

We are using Pathbrite - a portfolio platform recently acquired by Cengage. The website is Pathbrite.com

Untitled Slide

Open Badge Passport is the sister company to OBF. By displaying badges in this platform, earners can see who else has their badge. Badges can be shared between organisations too.

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Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t00p5qwriQI

This is a video providing some feedback from the Badges conference held at the university in March 2016.

Features comments from Doug Belshaw
Bryan Mathers
Carla Casillli
Jane Roberts (Open University)
Deb Baff (Swansea University)
Teresa MacKinnon (Warwick)
and Me

Play Video

10.

iChamps

Existing model of Badge use

The Innovation and Digital Literacies Champions are team of students working to develop digital literacies skills at the university. They work with academics and support classroom based practice to adopt digital technologies or practice and they work with students as well as staff. All of their projects are supported with the use of badges to scaffold and evidence their work.

Photo by chrisinplymouth

11.

iChamps

Self-selecting and selected
Engaged students
Confidence
Developing digital skills
Staff and Students

The point of this slide is to highlight the types of students who volunteer for roles as iChamps or are selected by their academic.

Part of the result of being an iChamp has been the development of confidence and the feeling of being valued as a colleague.

12.

Pathways = success

Students working towards three badges = the main iChamp badge

As part of the iChamp model, three badges are awarded which lead to the main badge.

Digital Citizen
Digital Workshop
Education Enhancer

Once all three have been completed then the iChamp Badge is awarded.

All of these badges are approved once evidence has been submitted through their portfolios.

13.

iChamp badge

3 small badges = 1 overall badge

This is the iChamp badge

14.

Applying the model

in other contexts

This model (3+1) was applied to other areas of the university. In particular a module which had some challenges and was suffering from lack of engagement

Photo by garryknight

15.

Case study
GEOG1010

The Geography module, GEOG1010, essentially key skills for geographers.

16.

Untitled Slide

The model is similar to the iChamps badge pathway 3 small badges lead to an overall badge. The professional skills badge is achieved once the three smaller badges are completed

Creativity
Communication
Curiosity

These are based on the existing module

17.

Challenges

Students not ALL digitally literate
lack of relevance to the now (not looking ahead
Need motivation
Academics job is teaching not career coaches
New tech, unfamiliar

From working with this year long module last year we noticed some factors that needed addressing.

Despite their preference to use technology, it is part of their lives but not their academic life, because they either don't know how to use their personal tech for academia or they aren't encouraged to.

The tech was easy to use but it was not traditional use of tech so students don't really understand the potential. Or going to back to the first point, are not digitally literate enough to realise that they are producing content that is viewed by the world, and so its not about strategic learning but more about showcasing skills and competencies.

Photo by MTSOfan

18.

Need motivation

What we did next

Realising that not many students (comparatively) were applying for their badges, we adapted the model

Photo by Archangel27

19.

Updated approach

Issued more badges
Regular intervals
More instruction - inspiring
Range of tools
Enlisted students

We created three smaller badges and issued them along the way
Demonstration of different ways of presenting content etc
support of ichamp

Photo by ccPixs.com

20.

What we found

Issued more badges
Students more engaged (analytics)
Students got to practice
Portfolio data useful >250

Intervention was effective

Photo by University of Saskatchewan

21.

Bonus

managing digital presence

The use of pathbrite and badges has meant that the students were managing their online presence (bringing their social media together and increasing their visibility)

Photo by giulia.forsythe

22.