Badges
WHAT IS COASTAL COMPOSITION COMMONS?
This online learning platform was designed by Alan Reid and Denise Paster to accompany first-year composition courses at Coastal Carolina University by adding a fourth credit hour to ENGL 101 and ENGL 102. Using an open badge program, students engage with individual 'modules' at the direction of their instructors. Upon completion of the module, learning is recognized with a digital badge that certifies skills. This initiative digitally distributes course content across the first-year composition program to support the development of students' academic reading and writing skills; Coastal Composition Commons, or CCC, is meant to help the English faculty create a systematic way to celebrate and mark students' mastery of critical skills.
WHAT ARE DIGITAL BADGES?
Digital badging is a relatively new and innovative way to enrich learning. A digital badge is a "validated indicator of accomplishment, skill, quality or interest that can be earned in many learning environments" (HASTAC). Currently, Mozilla is developing an online infrastructure that allows learners to earn, collect, and share digital badges, much like a social media tool connects users.
"Badges are not assessment in and of themselves. They are the recognizer after some learning and assessment has occurred."
Erin Knight, Mozilla Open Badges Infrastructure (OBI)
HOW AM I BEING GRADED?
There are eight badges, six of which you are expected to earn over the course of the semester. Each badge accounts for between 3 and 4% of your final course grade (18–24% of your overall course grade). When you submit the assignment required of each badge, your instructor will view the submission and either approve or deny it. If approved, you will be notified via email that you have earned the badge. If denied, your instructor may allow another submission of your revised assignment. Always check with your instructor for unique policies and procedures. Also be aware of the grading rubric attached to each badge.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH BADGE TO COMPLETE?
Your instructor will specify the type of badge and its due date. This will vary across course sections and instructors. If you have questions, refer to your course syllabus or contact your instructor. Notice that all badges have a consistent design, but the banner across the front indicates the specific name of the badge.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH BADGES I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED?
Once you have submitted the work for a particular badge, it must be reviewed by a faculty member. Once your work has been approved, you will be notified via email that you have been awarded the badge. Also, on the Coastal Composition Commons site, you can view your earned badges by clicking the + symbol at the bottom of any page. (Note: You must be logged in to view your earned badges). Additionally, you may navigate to the "Submissions" link located in the upper right hand corner of the page. This page will display a list of accepted, denied, and pending badge submissions. You also may choose the "My Achievements" page (located under the "Badges" tab) to view your earned badges.
WHAT DO I DO WITH THESE DIGITAL BADGES?
You can share your digital badges on social media sites to demonstrate your achievements. You may also wish to include earned digital badges on resumes and job applications. Did you earn a badge that demonstrates proficiency in research-writing? Include it on your resume. Proficient in a certain technology? Show us the badge! Coastal Carolina University is a (soon-to-be) verified institution, which means these badges are certified by a reputable source. Coastal Composition Commons also utilizes the social media site Credly to design, create, and launch our verified badges. We encourage you to create a profile on Credly and to advertise your earned badges on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn as indicators of your success.
CONTACT US
Denise Paster, Ph.D., Associate Professor, dpaster@coastal.edu
Alan Reid, Ph.D., Associate Professor, areid@coastal.edu
