USING DIGITAL BADGES TO PROMOTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Micro-credentials or Digital Badges represent the result of acquiring a new skill or competency in a specific discipline. It is the digital collection of these skills that is recognized beyond the traditional degree that distinguishes the development of key skills that are valued in both industry settings and in higher education. The formal and informal acquisition of this knowledge has become a collection of digital credentials that become part of a learning network or ecosystem. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current ways that digital badging is being used to track the professional development of faculty, students, and staff and to explore other ways to use the badges in the future to promote better communication, learning and growth opportunities for employees. This paper explores the literature around micro-credentials and digital badges and the roles that these credentials play while moving into the future of open education. Also discussed are the challenges of collecting knowledge along with the balancing of the needs of traditional education with the trends of modern society.