Badge Issuers

All Open Digital Badges need to demonstrate they have value, both for the earner and the University. Much of that value will relate to the amount of effort that it takes to earn the badge, and that effort may not always be measured in hours.

The more the earner values the badge, the more likely they are to share their badge. The ability to share is one of the key advantages of digital badges. Often issuers are keen to see their badges shared, which is why it is important that, as an issuer, you try to make sure that the value of the badge is clear.

All our existing open digital badges have value and are valued. In order to maintain UoE badge value and quality, all new badges need to be valuable too, both to the earner and to the University.

For this reason, each badge needs to require effort to earn it, so that the earner will value the badge and be motivated to share it.  So, you probably wouldn’t want to award a badge for simply attending an event.  But, you might find a way to plan a badge that rewards the value that the earner created (for themselves or others) by attending the event.

Publicising a course will only happen if digital badge earners share their badges widely. Earners retain control over their digital badges, including when, how and where they share them. If you want earners to share their digital badges, make sure the badge is appealing and valuable, so earners are motivated to earn and share it.

Yes, though keep in mind that the most important way to achieve this will be to build an engaging course that learners want to retake.

An earner's digital badge will have the date they earned it in the metadata, which is visible when they share it.  If an earner chooses to retake the course in the future, they can earn a new badge with a new date, which will show others how recent their knowledge is.

You can also give the badge an expiry date, after which the badge will display as no longer current.  Earners would then need to retake the course to earn a new, up-to-date badge.

As with certificates, issuing digital badges involves looking at evidence and judging if it is sufficient for the award.  In most cases, issuing a digital badge will require a similar amount of time and effort as issuing a certificate.  If earners choose to use the University badge management system, it is possible for an earner to print a certificate from their digital badge.  

Prospective digital badge issuers will need: 

• A way to gather and store (or link to) any evidence from the prospective badge earner. 
• Criteria to compare the evidence against (to see if it is sufficient for awarding a badge). 
• Someone to make this comparison and decide if a digital badge should be issued.   

Prospective digital badge earners will need to know the following:

• A clear description of what it takes to earn the badge. For instance: 
  • the activities they need to take part in (and which are essential or compulsory). 
  • the evidence they need to collect (and format, if important).
  • instructions on how to submit the evidence (where to send it or who to alert to its presence). 
• Any timings involved. For instance: 
  • if they need to gather the evidence within a certain time.
  • If they need to submit the evidence badge before a certain date.
  • how long it will take between submitting evidence and hearing if they have been awarded the badge (and, if they are successful) receiving the badge.
• Someone to contact if they have questions about things like understanding criteria, meeting the deadlines or submitting evidence. 

To bring in any of your existing digital badges, requests for each would have to be submitted. The badges would also need to be made consistent in terms of look and content with other UoE BadgEd badges.

Edinburgh’s Open Digital Badges have a consistency in how they look and the kinds of information they contain, which is in the interests of earners and issuers. You are welcome to continue issuing your own badges using your own platform, if you prefer.

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Edinburgh’s Open Digital Badges have a consistency in how they look and the kinds of information they contain, which is in the interests of earners and issuers.  Using BadgEd would mean conforming to the set style. You can view the University of Edinburgh's BadgEd repository of digital badges that are currently in use in the catalogue.

 BadgeEd catalogue

Note: The catalogue is hosted by our partner Canvas Credentials. 

Alternatively, these are examples that may help as a guide to the type of information that would be displayed on the badge image and in the badge metadata.

Biomimicry in Architecture Conference 

Volunteering Experience