More
colleges and universities are turning to digital badges as a means to help
students—including returning graduates—demonstrate their mastery of specific
skills to potential employers, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Badges are
intended to enhance degrees, not replace them. In the Illinois State University
honors program, students can earn digital badges for both coursework and for
related hands-on experiences. “That could include academic achievements, like
seminar course or biology lab work, or noncollege skills learned through
internships or volunteer work,” wrote Paul Fain in the article.
The honors
program determines the criteria for each badge and may require faculty and/or
students to provide documentation or work samples. Students can decide which
badges are viewable, so they can tailor their profile for the type of jobs
they’re seeking.
Some badges
provide official verification that a student did indeed serve in a certain
capacity, such as being a campus peer mentor, or participated in a project or
activity.
Other
institutions are using badges to designate specific technical skills attained
by students, such as information technology or advanced manufacturing.