Peer-Awarded Merit Badges for Encouraging and Recognizing Disciplinary Engagement in Online Courses

• In Event: Transformative Research in Online Graduate Programs

Abstract

This paper describes one cycle in an extended program of design-based research using situative theories of learning to foster broad learning in online college courses. A new feature was introduced to more directly foster productive forms of disciplinary engagement within threaded commenting on student-generated “wikifolios.” Drawing from current research using “digital badges,” disciplinary engagement was encouraged and recognized via peer-awarded “merit badges” for particularly productive comments and threads. The 1880 comments and 181 badges issued in one graduate education course were analyzed to study the nature and impact of merit badges. This data and the content of the badges suggest that this simple and scaleable extension to online interaction can indeed foster productive forms of disciplinary engagement.

Authors

• Daniel T. Hickey, Indiana University

• Andrea M. Rehak, Indiana University