10 Digital Badges Worth Pursuing

#Leadership

Advancing K12 Staff

by Advancing K12 Staff

Advancing K12 Staff Edtech Thought Leaders

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Digital badging might be fairly new, but the results are encouraging. Here’s a breakdown of 10 badges worth pursuing from the Future-Ready Teachers group—a free group on Badge List!

1) Seal of authenticity

Authentic learning (see also: authentic literature or authentic experiences) represent the desire of educators to make a “real world” impact on students. Who among us hasn’t groaned, “When will I ever use this in real life?” when faced with a sheet of algebraic equations or diagrammed sentences?

The Seal of Authenticity badge recognizes teachers aiming to show students the immediate impact they can have on the real world.

Required evidence:

Attach a picture, link, or summary of the finished assignment for student projects.
Write a reflection about the benefits of this foray into authentic learning.

2) Model Citizen

Digital, that is! Digital citizenship is on the minds of nearly every educator and parent. Careful curriculum planning helps build these skills, but a strong role model for healthy screen use, online activity, and social media surfing is even better.

Teachers who emphasize and model the importance of good digital citizenship will find this badge easy to accomplish, considering it fits right in to their typical digital routines.

Required evidence:

Describe your methods used to help students become responsible digital citizens.
Show us the model of digital presence you’re asking students to strive to by providing links to your social media, blog, or other digital portfolios.

3) Tweecher: Rookie (Level 1)

This badge’s requirements dovetail nicely with the previous entry. If teachers in your district are uninitiated in the professional development opportunities Twitter offers, share the Tweecher badge with them.

Educators can participate in themed chats (I’m looking at you, #EdFinChat), network with peers around the globe, and share the awesome stories from your district.

Required evidence:

A link to an active Twitter profile

4) Parent Engagement Practitioner (Level 1)

When communication is clear and open between classrooms and homes, students are the winners. This professional development challenge asks teachers to craft a guide for parents listing the communication options available to them.

Options include infographics, websites, posters, and letters.

Required evidence:

A copy of your communication guide

5) Mentor Maestro

Point your dedicated helpers toward this badge, designed to recognize the training, feedback, and support your district’s mentors offer to mentees. The students win when teachers work together to improve and learn.

Required evidence:

A copy of a message thanking the mentor for the help.

6) BlendEd Dabbler (Level 1)

Teachers in blended classrooms will appreciate this badge, and it’s easy enough for anyone who is just getting started. Simply choose an online resource and incorporate it into a lesson, then create a reflection on how things went. Previous examples include free apps and tools for flipped classrooms.

Required evidence:

Link to your online resource
Write a reflection of the assignment

7) Digital Media Maverick (Level 1)

(Sensing a pattern?) This badge also requires teachers to think carefully about creating a digital space for learning. In particular, teachers are asked to find safe, free, accessible resources students can enjoy and learn from in a digital space. Again, modeling behavior like this is a key part of building digital citizenship, so these badges work nicely together.

Required evidence:

Identify a platform for video editing, podcasting, and student blogging (one of each, please!).

8) BlendEd Connoisseur (Level 3)

Unlike teachers who deserve a well-earned rest, websites can be available 24/7 to answer frequently asked questions, provide copies of homework assignments, and act as a resource repository. The BlendEd badge series culminates in the production of a classroom website (suggested hosting platforms include the district LMS, Google Sites, and EduBlogs).

While actual creation of the site is the primary goal, this badge also requires some foresight applied to maintenance and enrichment.

Required evidence:

Create a website
Share some plans for how it will be maintained

9) Parent Engagement Pro (Level 2)

The concept of the Golden Minute fuels this badge. Weekly, personalized communication has been shown to reduce dropout rates by 41%. This badge recognizes teachers who are applying the Golden Minute concept in their classrooms to transform student outcomes.

To earn the badge, teachers complete one month of weekly communication with parents. They reflect on the time invested, themes, the overall approach, and the results.

Required evidence:

A reflection on the Golden Minute progress.

10) Badging Boss

Is your district fully on board with digital badging? Pass the concept on to students! Badges IRL are already cool (Scouts, anyone?). The next logical step helps students build a digital portfolio.

Teachers can scheme their own badges, create their own open group on badgelist.com, and invite students to join. They can gather evidence and award credentials. The options are limitless.

Required evidence:

Design and create a Badge List group and award some badges.
Write a reflection of the process

If you’re ready to give digital badging a try, these 10 options range from beginner level to expert, and there’s more where they come from! Join the Future-Ready Teachers group and explore all the free badges it has to offer.