Digital Badge Development

Digital badges developed for current students should augment their degrees to better position them for career readiness. Digital badges differ from certificates and degrees in that they are more narrowly focused on specific workforce-related skills. Digital Badge metadata provides verification of specific competencies in ways that an academic transcript does not. Academic and co-curricular digital badges are optional and not required to complete a degree at UNF, nor should there be any additional fees for current students to earn a digital badge.

When developing digital badges for current students, consider how the requirements will fit into already busy schedules. Consider how you can provide flexibility in delivery methods and timeframe for completion.

The skills and knowledge represented in each digital badge should be recognized not only internally but also externally by industry and professionals. As such, it is recommended to collaborate with stakeholders to formulate a digital badge concept. Consult with alumni and industry advisory groups to get feedback on the types of digital badges employers in particular fields would find valuable.

As you are developing digital badges, consider including content from professional organizations and other credible sources, such as LinkedIn Learning, that may be open and free of charge to serve as partial requirements for your proposed digital badge.

Digital badges designed for current undergraduate students should align with NACE Career Readiness Competencies.

Digital badge proposals can also identify hard skills and Lightcast provides a useful list by category which can be embedded in digital badge metadata. (Note: It is not necessary to request access, simply scroll down the page to find industry categories, click through to subcategories, and select the one closest to what you are looking for to see the associated skills.)

Continuing and Professional Education Badges are learning experiences open to the public. These badges can provide anyone with opportunities for upskilling and reskilling of specific competencies or industry certifications that will distinguish the earner in the job marketplace.

Canvas Credentials (formerly BadgrPro): The software platform that manages the creation, distribution, and sharing of digital badges and the associated documentation at the University of North Florida.

Artifacts: The documentation of learning that was undertaken in earning a particular digital credential. This can include submitted papers, reports, videos, completed assessments, and other examples of accomplishments by the earner during the badging process. Artifacts can represent either direct or indirect measures of assessment.

Digital Badge Manager: Individual responsible for managing approved digital badges. They set up criteria in the badging platform and manage issuing.

Competency-based: Digital badge award based on direct measure of knowledge, skills, abilities that are applicable in professional environments.

Criteria: A definition of the requirements for earning a digital badge; may be included as a URL.

Digital Badge: Verifiable documentation of competencies or experiences that have professional or career value. Digital badges are managed by the earner and do not appear on academic transcripts.

Direct Measures of Assessment: Direct measures use evidence to assess student learning. This may be in the form of a quiz, test, paper, portfolio, presentation, etc.

Earner: An individual that meets all requirements and is awarded a digital badge.

Earned Digital Badge: A digital badge for which a learner has completed all the necessary learning requirements and assessments and has been given access to accept and share the digital badge.

Identity: A digital badge record includes information about the identity of the earner. This information typically comprises the earner's email address.

Issuer: College, Division of Continuing Education, or other organizational unit that creates/offers digital badges and issues them to earners.

Learning Outcome: A learning outcome is a statement that clearly articulates what an earner should know, think, or be able to do upon completion of the digital badge. Effective learning outcomes contain two parts: a targeted piece of knowledge or skill and an observable, measurable action that the earner performs or demonstrates, that can be assessed.

Metadata: Data that combines with the digital badge image to produce a digital credential: includes name, description, and links to other important details like the digital badge's criteria, evidence and issuer information. This data is always linked to the digital badge and available for viewing.

Offered Digital Badge: A digital badge that has been fully approved and is available for learners to earn.

Verifiable: Confirmation that a credential is authentic, accurate and legitimate and has been awarded by an institution to a specific learner.

Wallet: Also known as a “backpack”, stores digital badge award data on behalf of recipients, making it possible for those recipients to organize and manage the digital badges they have earned. Wallets allow sharing to social media sites as a means of transmitting information about the achievements that a learner has gained. Canvas Credentials (formerly BadgrPro) generates a wallet for all digital badge earners.

A Digital Badging Task Force convened by the Office of the Provost in 2022 concluded that the development of an institutional badging program with clear organizational support and standards would offer opportunities to publicly recognize and document experiences and skill development that are not reflected in a transcript for current students, and to support post-graduate success through demonstrated upskilling of students in areas of workforce need. Based on the task force’s report and recommendations, a subsequent working group developed UNF’s badging taxonomy and recommended steering committee membership.

• Deb Miller, Assistant Vice President, Digital Learning
• Edythe Abdullah, Dean of Continuing Education
• Marie Smith-East, Assistant Professor, Faculty Association Academic Standards Committee
• Linda Howell, Director, General Education
• Chad Learch, University Registrar
• Michele Moore, Dean of the Graduate School
• Amanda Kulp, Assistant Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness
• College Representatives
  • Michele Boling, Associate Dean, BCH
  • Karthik Umapathy, Associate Professor, CCEC
  • Kristi Sweeney, Associate Professor, COEHS
  • Amy Bishop, Director of Graduate and Executive Programs, CCB
  • Natasha Christie, Associate Dean, COAS
  • Denise Monti, Instructor, Hicks Honors College
• Kendall Wheeler, Assistant Director, Enterprise Applications, ITS
• Erin Richman, Associate Vice-President, Student Success
• Scott Curry, Senior Director of Industry Engagement, Career Center
• Chadwick Lockley, Director of Academic Programs
• Maria Castro, Director of Student Government
• Jessica Wingate, Assistant Director, Marketing and Comms
• Johnny Grosso, Student Government President
• Trudy Abadie-Mendia, Director of Digital Programs
• Sarah Moukhliss, Assistant University Librarian
• Jessica Murray, Director of Continuing Education
• Matthew Ohlson, Executive Director, Taylor Leadership Institute

UNF DEFINITIONS

• Digital Badge: Verifiable documentation of competencies that have professional or career value. Digital badges are managed by the earner as they are not credit bearing and do not appear on academic transcripts. 
• Issuers: Institutional units that award approved badges to earners, e.g., Brooks College of Health, Division of Continuing Education, Career Services.  

Visit the Glossary of Terms to view additional definitions.

GOVERNANCE

Academic Affairs oversees the administration of digital badging and facilitates governance through a University-wide steering committee. The Office of Digital Learning provides a centralized support system for digital badges to ensure compliance with University policies. Departments, Colleges, Centers, or Units may develop digital badges. The Digital Badge Steering Committee (DBSC) is responsible for reviewing and approving digital badge proposals. The digital badge issuer is responsible for awarding the digital badge and documenting records.

STANDARDS

UNF badges should be substantive and provide verifiable evidence of a significant experience, completion, or achievement. An earned digital badge should be relevant and valuable to the earner in demonstrating the skills and knowledge needed in the job market.

UNF TAXONOMY OF BADGES

Academic Digital Badges are markers of competency-based skills acquired during a program of study, based on the completion of academic coursework and additional requirements completed by the digital badge earner.

Co-curricular Digital Badges are gained through learning experiences outside the classroom and showcase distinct skills and abilities that have been validated.

Continuing and Professional Education Badges are designed to reskill and upskill the workforce and assist industry in equipping employees for changes in the workplace.

PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

• Proposals must follow the process outlined in UNF Digital Badge Proposal Guide and Worksheet developed by the Digital Badging Steering Committee.
• The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) has first right of refusal over non-credit, fee-based, programs (certificates, badges), as per Section III.a in Policy 2.1090P. 
• Digital badges that involve the academic colleges (faculty or students) and/or are intended to articulate with for-credit courses/programs are vetted through the DBSC.  
• Digital badges customized for DCE clients and not intended to engage with academic colleges/programs can be created directly by DCE. Those include direct contracts as well as programs created with 3rd parties, eg. Fullstack Bootcamps, Cannabis certificates. 

EXTERNAL PARTNERS

Documented third-party agreements are required for digital badges created with external partners as described in the UNF Digital Badge Proposal Guide and Worksheet.

ADMISSIONS, ELIGIBILITY, & COST

• Academic Badges: Learning experiences that require UNF coursework and participants to be an active UNF student or apply for and be granted admission as a non-degree seeking student. Students may not be assessed any additional badge-associated fees.
• Co-curricular Badges: Learning experiences that are open to active UNF students or those granted admission as a non-degree seeking student. Students may not be assessed any additional badge-associated fees.
• Continuing and Professional Education Badges: Learning experiences open to the public. Participants register through the badge issuer's office, such as the UNF Division of Continuing Education. The cost for each badge is determined by the Issuer.

After receiving the badge proposal submission, a review committee will convene to review the submission. The timeline will depend on the complexity of the badge.

Yes. Please contact Trudy Abadie-Mendia (trudy.abadie.mendia@unf.edu) if you would like to change or revise a badge after it has been approved.

There is a UNF Digital Badge approval process to complete prior to creating and disseminating a badge. Once a badge has been created in the platform, the badge issuer may issue the verified badge.

You can guide students on how to add their digital badges to platforms like LinkedIn, personal websites, or in their resumes and cover letters.

UNF Digital Badging Initiative aims to enhance the competitiveness of UNF graduates entering the workforce and provide opportunities for all learners for upskilling and reskilling. It also aims to strengthen industry partner relationships through strategic engagement and leverage the badging initiative to increase UNF’s profile.

Engage learners by creating opportunities to earn badges that align with their career goals and industry needs.

Badges are offered to students at no additional fees. Any cost associated with developing and implementing the badge should be discussed with the Dean or AVP of the college/unit prior to seeking approval.

You can promote digital badges through your website, social media, and faculty. Showcase the benefits of badges in enhancing employability.

Leverage existing industry and stakeholder relationships to generate badge ideas and align badge criteria with industry needs. It is also important to engage employers in recognizing the value of digital badges.