Developing Networked Badging Systems

HASTAC Badges Competition Webinar

October 24, 2012

Daria Ng, Senior Program AssociateJoliz Cedeño, Program AssociateGlobal Kids Online Leadership Program

GK Badging At-a-GlanceDigital Expressions: Supported youth to recognize, talk

about, and demonstrate a range of digital media skills.

K-8 Schools: Supporting schools to implement badging

systems that align with their learning goals.

Global Kids: Developing organization-wide badges for

youth on Global Citizenship and Civic Engagement.

Hive NYC & Chicago: Supporting two learning

networks to develop both network-wide and

organization-specific badges.

GK supports the Epstein School in Atlanta to develop badges. Youth can recognize, talk about, and demonstrate different skills.

GK supports the American Museum of Natural History to develop badges on scientific literacies for their Urban Biodiversity Network.

Hive Learning Network

Mission: A community of civic & cultural

institutions dedicated to transforming the

learning landscape & creating opportunities for

youth to explore their interests.

- Currently two sites in NYC & Chicago

- Funded by MacArthur Foundation

hivelearningnetwork.orgexplorecreateshare.org

Scope & Goals of GK’s Work for the Network

• Support 21 orgs. in NYC & 7 in Chicago to use the badging system

• Reach upwards of 2,000 youth

• Support Hive members as they develop their groups in BadgeStack

• Hold trainings in both cities

• Model process with GK

badges and Youth AdvisoryGK Youth Advisory

The Process for Hive NYC

• Build off Global Kids’ experience

• Hear from members to assess needs, develop big questions, address challenges

• Have expectations for communication

(Google Site, listserve, monthly calls)

• Did not know: Social practices that would develop; when members would use the system

The Process for Hive NYC cont.

Trainings for Hive NYC consisted of:

• The what and why of badges• Six ways of looking at badging systems• Hands-on tour of BadgeStack• A guide to developing badges and missions• Summer beta examples and lessons learned• Badge integration and workflows• Member updates and questions

GK Survey on interest in Hive NYC Badging System based on 23 responses

First Hive NYC Badge Training Network members present badging work

Learning Times presents BadgeStack Members brainstorm skills & competencies

• Cross organization & Hive-sponsored programs/events

• Common content areas among orgs. in the network

• Need for network, organizational, & program-specific badges

What Came Up?

• Emoti-Con, Digital Waves Festival, Maker Faire

• Science, art, history, writing, civic engagement

• Hive NYC/Chi, GK, Hive Fashion, Game design program

Examples

BIG Questions

• How do youth participate in individual programs and also access network badges?

• Should badges primarily be motivators or retroactive rewards?

• How to avoid over-badging?

• What are pathways youth can take within the network?

• What network behaviors should be badged?

• Should network be overall badge provider?

Big Questions UnpackedWhat are pathways youth can take within the network?

•Developing user case stories to reflect different pathways.

How to avoid over-badging?

•Hive NYC will roll out one ‘Cultural Traveler’ badge for now, but there will be many missions associated with that badge.

BadgeStack screenshot for Hive NYC

What network behaviors should be badged?

•Identifying key values and behaviors. Ex: imaginative, curious, pattern finder, problem framer, experimental, collaborative, etc.

•User stories reflect those values and behaviors. Ex: “Zakia participates in a skillshare. She collaborates with other youth, demonstrates how to code, frames the problem, etc.”

Big Questions Unpacked cont.

Organization-Specific Badges

• Hive NYC organizations interested in or currently developing a badging system.

Global Kids Summer Beta• GK beta-tested the system in the summer of

2012. The next few slides are our badge constellations, student quotes, & pathways.

GK Youth Leaders & Staff, Summer 2012

GK offered thirteen badges in two summer programs. Here is a count of how many badges were earned by type. ‘Professionalism’ Badge has the highest count.

Three youth who earned the most badges each took very different pathways based on their interests.

Challenges1. Getting members to a

‘comfortable’ spot, which differs for all

2. The limitations of the system as Network social practices arise

3. Discussions on some of the big questions Hive Chicago Brainstorm

Hive Learning Network Chicago

• Work closely with Hive Leaders to develop a shared badging system that will support seven organizations in Chicago

From a working session in Chicago, an initial attempt at the process is that HIVE badges must reflect…

• a high degree of credibility

• clarity of content and intent

• a clear orientation to youth

• demonstrable relevance

• connectivity in multiple dimensions

• simplicity and ease of use

• supportiveness and inclusion

• a respect for community

• system-wide transparency

DRAFT HIVE BADGE ‘DESIGN PRINCIPLES’

Network-Wide Badges

Organization-Specific Badges

• “Once the purpose and process for participating and sharing work steps was described, the youth understood what the badges were about, and their faces, “lit up.” Overall, instructors need to be intentional when integrating badges and the Badge stack platform into their activities. Likewise, youth need to be motivated to engage and to also see value in participating in this process."

Radio Arte

Organization-Specific Badges

• Nine organizations have committed to developing a badging system for the 2012-2013 school year

The Big Questions

• How can badges best be linked across programs/organizations?

• What’s the best way to collaborate on creating multi-organizational badges?

• What’s a good process for reviewing/rewarding badges to reduce undue burden on mentors and evaluators?

• What’s the right range of ‘granularity’ to reward with badges?

• What are good ways to identify and model community norms?

DRAFT HIVE BADGE ‘DESIGN PRINCIPLES’

Relevant Reports & Studies- GK Summer Badge Report: http://bitly.com/UDBIeu

- University of Pittsburgh: See next slide

- Six Ways to Look at Badging Systems:

http://bitly.com/PtuFUu

GK Youth log on to BadgeStack for the first time

Good Badge DesignResearchers from the University of Pittsburgh studied the Epstein Badging System (EBS) and interest-based learning.

They wrote an exploratory case study that includes five key aspects of student interest that are relevant when designing a badging system.

Contact Us

Website: www.globalkids.org

Blog: http://olpglobalkids.org

Twitter: @globalkids

@wocildocil (Daria)

@jolizevette (Joliz)

Email: daria@globalkids.org

joliz@globalkids.org