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Digital Badges at CU Denver
The Basics
What is a badge?
Digital badges are a kind of microcredential. Other examples of microcredentials at CU Denver are certifications, licenses, endorsements, and PDUs/CEUs. These artifacts serve as a verified recognition of the skills, knowledge, or competencies that a learner has acquired as a result of their completion of our programs. To learn more about microcredentials at CU Denver more broadly, please visit our page on Microcredentials at CU Denver.
Digital badges contain detailed meta-data about the educational program and the learner's achievements, including such information as who earned the badge, the issuer, required criteria, associated learning outcomes, and the means by which competency in the relevant skills was assessed. In this way, digital badges complement our programs by specifying the skill students gain in a way that employers can easily understand and learners can easily share.
CU Denver's digital badges will be hosted in Credly; available badges from CU Denver may be found on our organizational site from Credly.
What types of badges are available at CU Denver?
Two types of badges will be available based on the characteristics of the awarding program: Skill Badges for programs in which the skill, competency, or knowledge is corroborated through some form of assessment, and Recognition Badges for programs with unassessed learning activities or to be used for awards or other recognitions of achievement or service.
Here are the badge graphics and an overview of the available options for both Skill Badges and Recognition Badges:
Skill Badges
| Skill Badge: General | Skill Badge: Industry Partner | ||
 | This badge is earned for completion of microcredential programs that are open to all qualified learners. |  | This badge is earned for completion of microcredential programs that are designed for specific industry partners. |
| Foundational | Intermediate | Advanced |
 |  |  |
| Meta-Badge | |
 | This badge is available to signify multiple skills or competencies. These Competency/Meta-badges can be earned through compiling multiple single-skill badges or through other evidence of acquiring a larger set of skills. Again, the number of skills required to earn a meta-badge is not prescribed here, but it is expected to be a number worthy of distinction from a badge earned for a single skill or small number of related skills. |
Recognition Badges
| Participation, Achievement, and Service Recognition | |
|---|---|
 | These digital recognitions will be available for awarding to learners who participated in a learning activity in which the skill was not assessed. Examples are attending a workshop or conference. They would also be available to recognize accomplishments or service. Examples include recognitions of academic achievement or of service in support of the institution or community. |
Should my Program Award a Skill Badge?
The Badge Working Group recommended that guiding principles be provided to help determine whether programs and activities are badge-eligible. Skill Badges are meant to be awarded for a demonstrated competency, skill, or knowledge acquired through the learning activity. In order for CU Denver to stand behind a badge, the skill it recognizes does need to be corroborated through evidence of learning.
Although badges are motivational to learners, motivation alone is not sufficient reason to award a Skill Badge. Skill Badges are a tool for highlighting and verifying skills that have value for the earner's career and/or professional growth. As such, Skill Badges should be both motivators for students and of meaningful value to a current or future career.
The following examples of evidence are intended to help faculty and other program leaders make decisions about badge-worthiness:
- Linking to or reinforcing professional standards
- Basing badges on skills that are known to be needed in the job market, such as through market data or employee surveys
- Addressing skills needed to advance along a specified professional pathway
- Basing badges on student and/or industry partner feedback
Examples of Activities that can Award Badges
Proposing a Digital Badge
One of the recommendations from the Badging Working Group is to "establish clear and consistent processes for badge proposal, administration, and maintenance that ensure high quality and valuable badges." Addressing this recommendation is central to the work in Fall 2023. We are actively seeking volunteers for testing and are improving the proposal and awarding processes and supporting documentation during the launch period. If you are interested in proposing a digital badge or would like to learn more, please reach out to Jeremy Lingle, Director of Microcredentials (Jeremy.lingle@ucdenver.edu) for the latest information on the proposal process.
FAQ
What are the data privacy and security policies for Credly?
Credly is FERPA compliant, providing earners with "control over the use of their information and access to adjust privacy settings on their credentials at any time" (see https://info.credly.com/data-security-privacy).
Who should I contact with questions?
If you have additional questions, please reach out to Jeremy Lingle, Director of Microcredentials (Jeremy.lingle@ucdenver.edu)
Resources
Badging Working Group and Report
Microcredential Working Group and Report
Market Intelligence at CU Denver
Microcredential Program Development Field Guide [COMING SOON]
Join the Community of Practice at CU Denver [COMING SOON]