Awero team
Four themes to take away from the Badge Summit 2024
19 Aug, 14:09
Partners from the Cities of Learning Network attended the Badge Summit 2024 at the University of Colorado Boulder sharing our expertise in Open Badges, and learning from international colleagues.
The summit brought together a whole host of innovators all working in the field of Open Badges, with non-profits, businesses, educators and many more represented. Here you can find four of our team’s reflections following the summit.
Similar transatlantic aims, but different development stages
Throughout the summit, it became apparent that there was a recognition of the need to agree shared credential standards across US states, chiming with what EU countries are trying to accomplish in Europe.
Here in the EU, we may be somewhat more advanced on a policy level - for example, the European approach to micro-credentials - but there is a lot of catching up to do when it comes to technology. However, through the European Digital Credentials Infrastructure (EDCI), it's expected that there will be a huge leap forward. The Cities of Learning Network expects the EDCI to have technical solutions to host digital Open Badges in future. You can read more about our position on the European approach to micro-credentials here.
It was useful to hear about how the process of non-formal recognition between sectors is developing in the US, helping to inform similar initiatives in the Netherlands. There, we’re building bridges between the youth work sector and other sectors including formal education, career field and government, but this cross-sector collaboration is still new and comes with challenges to be overcome.
Our platforms offer learning providers the functionality to issue digital badges, which earners may want to include in their digital portfolios, and badges issued through our platforms are already aligned with the European Classification of Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO).
Higher education and the impact of micro-credentials
Much of the summit featured Higher Education institutions and discussion of micro-credentials. One inspiring thought we heard which chimed with our team, was the idea that universities and colleagues should be rethinking their mission in education and society, moving from being merely providers of 3-4 years education to becoming life-long learning providers.
Already Cities of Learning partners support higher education institutions and VET schools in embracing exactly this sort of transformation. For example, Marlijn Academie in the Netherlands runs the Praktijkleren Loont platform which enables learners to acquire qualifications while learning on job placements for their entire study time. Meanwhile, Mykolas Romeris University in Lithuania, offers micro-credentials through the credentials platform for courses completed by professionals who need upskilling and further professional development.
Badging beyond education
One of the most prominent themes was the growing emphasis on understanding the needs of all stakeholders within the learning ecosystem. It’s no longer sufficient to view digital Open Badges through a singular lens; the perspectives of educators, learners, employers, and credentialing bodies all play a crucial role in shaping how these tools are developed and deployed. Another significant takeaway was the need to develop a deeper understanding of employers’ perspectives on credentials. Through discussions at the summit, it was encouraging to hear from other participants about which industries are most invested in the growth of digital badges at present, and this dialogue highlighted the importance of continuously monitoring and adapting our approaches to meet the evolving demands of various sectors.
And, while higher education has widely adopted micro-credentials and digital badges (for example the badging programmes at Kaunas University of Technology and Vilnius TECH University), there remains uncertainty about how these tools are utilised outside of academia. This recognition of learning in sectors beyond higher education seems to be a critical gap that needs addressing.
Already the Cities of Learning Network and platforms are supporting the use of digital Open Badges in a variety of different learning contexts, and we have many examples of good practice which can be learnt from.
The need for networks, and shared expertise
Conversations with other summit participants also sparked some reflections on our work with Awero and Cities of Learning. Drawing inspiration from the early success of Cities of Learning and LRNG in the US, we built a wide network of cities dedicated to creating local learning ecosystems.
It’s disheartening to note, however, that many of these initiatives have disappeared in the US. This reality strengthens our resolve to offer our platforms and share our seven years of expertise in building effective learning ecosystems, learning playlists and badging systems. We believe that these tools can play a vital role in recognising all forms of achievement that matter to learners, ensuring that learning is both visible and valued in every context.
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