Why Badges in School?

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For the past few weeks, and for the next few weeks, the YALSAblog is talking about badges. This week our focus is on the positive impact of badge programs in school environments.

An example of a school-based badge program is the New York City Department of Education’s course called DIG/IT. This course prepares students for life after high school. “The DIG/IT course provides a context that empowers and encourages learners to develop new real-world skills and knowledge that advance life goals, while engaging with others in a social give-and-take that builds community credibility and connections. Fun, motivating badges demonstrate to the world what the learners know and can do, and how others value their contributions.” Read More →

The Future of Badges, Resumes, and Professional Credentials

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In our ongoing series of blog posts on badges, this week we thought it would be interesting to gaze into our crystal ball and look at what experts are saying about the future of badging and professional credentials. What will happen to resumes, college transcripts, and other traditional forms of credentialing in a world of badges? Read on to find out.

  • Dr. Martha Kanter, Under Secretary of Education at the U.S. Department of Education, believes badges are very valuable and have great potential as “microcredentials.” In a podcast interview with Jonathan Finkelstein, founder of LearningTimes, and director of BadgeStack project, Kanter spoke about employers moving from looking at paper to learn about the skills and knowledge of potential employers to reviewing digital information about what a potential employee is capable of. Her comments focused on the fact that badges are an excellent way, in this new environment, to document and demonstrate what someone knows and can do. Read More →

How to Have a Good Badge Experience

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Over the next several weeks we’ll continue to post on the YALSAblog about what is going on in the world of badging, how organizations like YALSA are integrating badges into their initiatives, and how badges can be used in educational settings.

Last week we posted on how badges can enhance professional development. As you think about participating in a badge program, you might wonder, what should I look for in a good badge experience? Two things to keep in mind:
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Showing What You Know With YALSA Badges

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Over the past few months you’ve probably heard about the association’s new Badges for Lifelong Learning project. As YALSA develops badges that you’ll be able to earn online to demonstrate your knowledge and skill related to the association’s Competencies for Serving Youth in Libraries, we thought it would be helpful to regularly provide information on how badge programs support adult learning. To achieve that, this is the first in a regular series of posts on badges that will appear on the YALSAblog.

You know about YALSA’s badges, but you might be asking how will earning badges help me? Or, you might wonder, can I further my own professional development through badges? Check out the three resources below for answers to those questions. Read More →