Supporting learners’ STEM-oriented career pathways with digital badges

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential for digital badges to support alternate learning and career pathways in formal and informal learning environments. Stakeholder groups in higher education and industry discussed how digital badges might transform current processes of admitting undergraduate students and hiring young professionals. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 stakeholders in higher education and the technology industry. Findings Interview participants expressed optimism about the potential for digital badges to make learning pathways visible to learners and external audiences and to promote equity in STEM (STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and careers. Participants noted several obstacles, largely focused on issues of credibility and logistics of working with badges across settings. Research limitations/implications Though the research approach is limited in geographic scope, the findings have broad applicability and insight for the use of digital badges in general. Practical implications Education policymakers, employers and scholars will be able to use the insights from this investigation in their efforts to find innovative ways to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, as well as support a wider range of learners than is currently supported by initiatives aligned with the school-to-workforce pipeline metaphor. Originality/value This paper directly confronts issues of real-world applications of digital badges by discussing practical implications with college admissions officers and employers. The current study fills a need for research that investigates the use of digital badges across – as opposed to within – contexts.

Design principles for creating digital badges to support learning

“…Pairing activities in one badge or pathway of badges, impacts who will want to participate. The badge system, as a structure, can create opportunities for youth to engage their developing interests across different settings, showcasing their accomplishments to multiple stakeholders (Pitt et al , 2019), such as connecting with others in the community or sharing and teaching of newly acquired skills. In this way, badges act as boundary objects, helping youth communicate their learning from one context to another (Davis and Singh, 2015; Halavais, 2012; Pitt et al , 2019).…”

“…The badge system, as a structure, can create opportunities for youth to engage their developing interests across different settings, showcasing their accomplishments to multiple stakeholders (Pitt et al , 2019), such as connecting with others in the community or sharing and teaching of newly acquired skills. In this way, badges act as boundary objects, helping youth communicate their learning from one context to another (Davis and Singh, 2015; Halavais, 2012; Pitt et al , 2019). Examining badge criteria and badge systems as tools that introduce, support and sustain youths’ developing interests can help identify different types of badge criteria and systems that afford learner choice.…”

“…However, there are documented issues that can adversely affect learners’ experiences within programs that incorporate badges (Filsecker and Hickey, 2014). In this section, we narrow our focus to two of these critical areas of digital badge design: the value and meaning of badges outside of their original context (Casilli and Hickey, 2016; Hickey and Willis, 2017; Pitt et al , 2019); and factors, such as badge type and platform functionality, that impact badge design decisions and subsequent learner experience (Hickey and Willis, 2017). …”

“…the value and meaning of badges outside of their original context (Casilli and Hickey, 2016; Hickey and Willis, 2017; Pitt et al , 2019); and…”

Connected Learning, Collapsed Contexts

“…While badge systems have a great deal of potential for making learning visible across contexts, badges have run into issues of credibility and utility, as they have only come into public consciousness in recent years [71,77]. Another issue is the broader problem of implementation and uptake of such technologies, which involves some specific challenges in informal learning environments [76].…”