As I am working on something very similar right now for teachers and leaders in DPS, I thought this post was a wonderful introduction to the concept. It also provides a great template in Google Drawings to get started with creating the visual side of the badge. Nice work, Robert Schuetz.
Nocking the Arrow: Digital Badges for Teacher Professional Development
Many teachers readily acknowledge the importance of personalization of learning for students. Shouldn’t professional development experiences offer the same promise? Ask a typical teacher to describe their PD experiences in a single word and you will likely get responses such as irrelevant or boring. Besides personalization and relevance, digital badges provide opportunities for teachers to discuss the skills and knowledge that support educational best practice, and professional growth. These conversations support the form and function of professional learning communities. Teachers that earn badges gain recognition for specific knowledge, accomplishments, or abilities. Teachers working for badges are provided opportunities to reflect, self-assess, and then engage in learning that supports steps towards clarified, teacher-driven, targets.
