It's a badge of honor...sort of

 

Digital badges - if you're in the world of learning, human performance, training, etc. these things are everywhere right now. Go to a conference, or demo a particular learning management system and you will inevitably see some type of learning pathway associated with a digital badge. The concept is simple enough - complete some particular task/assignment, and receive a badge. But not just any badge...a digital badge! 

So what's their point? Do people even like these things? What do you do with them? All good questions, and depending on who you ask you may get different responses. 

To start, the point of badges is pretty simple. Similar to a Boy Scout's badge he may receive for learning how to light a fire with a stick and his shoelace, someone in a corporate office might also accomplish some task. Say, learning how to reconcile an accounting budget. Boom! Here's your Budget Badge!

To the second question - do people like them? Well, again responses may vary. In my experience people sort of fall on both sides of spectrum. For some, they don't really have any thoughts about them one way or another. The badge is secondary to what they're really after - better knowledge of the job task, and thus easier access to a possible promotion or increase in pay.

Yet, to others there's more meaning. It's a digitally tangible (is that a thing? something you can sort of almost touch, but you can't obviously because it's on a screen...what am I going for here??) object that can show your accomplishments. Like a certificate, but in a smaller form with a cool little design. Those that hang up all of their work certificates in their office - you know the ones...that half day workshop on how to create a Pivot table in Excel - might really like these. It's a source of achievement and pride.

And for everyone else in between, what do you actually do with them? Well, again it depends. You can slap them on a resume, and display your credentials in a different manner than simply listing them out. You could, I suppose, show them off to your coworker just to remind them you have 3 more badges than they do. "Hey, Susan, check it out!" as you casually call them over to look at your superior badge collection.

For those in training, it provides an incentive. Having a hard time keeping your group of accountants glued into your riveting online training series. Slap a badge at the end and watch them perk right up!

But in all seriousness, the uses and results of incorporating them into a learner's pathway are extremely varied. And at the end of the day, they just might provide some type of benefit for those who earn them, and for those who might seek to hire them. So let's not shy away from using badges. 

In fact, you get a badge just for reading this blog entry. Congratulations!