Badges Defined/Described: According to the MacArthur Foundation, digital badges are an assessment and credentialing mechanism that is housed and managed online. Badges are designed to make visible and validate learning in both formal and informal settings, and hold the potential to help transform where and how learning is valued (http://www.macfound.org/programs/digital-badges/). PLU’s badge program is built with many of these values. It is designed to “make visible and validate” learning that includes the typical learning in a program of study, but builds beyond the normal capacity in a specific area.
Badge Requirements and Process: To obtain a badge at Pacific Lutheran University, students must:
- Address the competencies listed for the desired badge. Students may use anything from their classes, from their own study, from their own practical work, or from any other source.
- As students address the competencies, assemble a portfolio of evidence for faculty evaluation.
- Develop a rationale for each competency explaining how the evidence gathered demonstrates the competency.
- Enroll in one credit of continuing education course.
- Submit the final portfolio with rationales for faculty evaluation.