Digital Badges

Micro-credentialing is a way to recognize competencies or skills acquired through a variety of learning experiences or at a more granular level than is captured by transcripts or degrees. Micro-credentialing also allows academic staff, graduate students, and staff to document their professional development. Users have the flexibility to select their own learning experiences and set their own personal learning pathway.

Badges are digital icons with embedded information about when, where and how they were earned. This information, or metadata, includes the name of the issuer, the date issued, and the criteria for earning the badge. Badges provide a visual record of achievement, and can be combined with a portfolio to allow users to demonstrate their learning in ways other than traditional credit course work.

Dyjur, P., & Lindstom, G., (2017). Perceptions and uses of digital badges for professional learning development in higher education. TechTrends, 61(4), 386-392. doi: 10.1007/s11528-017-0168-2. Retrieved fromhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-017-0168-2 

Lindstrom, G., & Dyjur, P. (2017). From student to instructor: Reflections on receiving and issuing digital badges for educational development. Transformative Dialogues, 9(3). Retrieved from http://www.kpu.ca/sites/default/files/Transformative%20Dialogues/TD.9.3.5_Lindstrom%26Dyjur_From_Student_to_Instructor.pdf 

If you have any questions about digital badges and micro-credentialing, please contact:

Lin Yu
Learning and Instructional Design Specialist
lyu@ucalgary.ca