Open Badges is an online system for creating and linking awards and achievements to BU students and BU staff.   Examples of badges include awards for working as a PAL leader, being a SUBU rep, attendance at events or workshops, participating in conferences, blogging, contributing to BU, achieving a new skill etc.

Badges and their criteria are created by each institution to reflect their specific need and goals.  BU could therefore create badges or a hierarchy of badges around the PAL system to reward the many students who participate.  Many institutions co-create the badge system with students.

The badges earned are stored in an electronic backpack.  Badges can be collected from a number of sources and, like Mahara profiles, can be used after university.

People who earn badges can advertise them on social media and there are many case studies of students and staff using the badges to demonstrate their skills and experience in employment and development situations.

BU is looking at how and where open badges might be able to be used.

Click here to learn more about the Mozilla Open Badges system.

Read Doug Belshaw’s blog on the effectiveness of badges and gamification.

Where do you you think open badges would be helpful in BU?