Why (or Why Not) Badges?

The Argument FOR Badges

Provides students motivation

Can provide an opportunity for students to chart goals and visualize progress in multiple areas

Can represent a more detailed picture of learning

Can build toward a certificate or even a degree

Students can earn in steps, providing multiple pathways with more freedom in deciding their own curriculum

Badges can be portable from one system to another

Badges can be saved in a 'repository' and accessed by potential employers, community groups, and faculty

May promote lifelong learning and demonstrate personal initiative and investigation

The Argument AGAINST Badges

Creates extrinsic motivation for learning that can be counterproductive

If too many badges are earned, individual badges may lose their meaning

Curriculums may have to be totally redesigned to incorporate the use of badges

Without a tangible benefit, badges by themselves don't have much meaning

There is a potential for badges to be "de-valued" depending on how they are earned and issued

Younger students do not have resumes or social media to display/present the badges they've earned.

Not all companies will recognize badging systems until they have been widely accepted and badges learners learn may expire by that time

Quality control may become a major issue