Potential and Pitfalls of Digital Badges for Use in College Admissions

• In Event: From Badges to Bridges: How Digital Micro-Credentials Support Collaboration, Partnership, and Learning Across Contexts

Abstract

Objective
How can digital badges be used to democratize access to higher education? The “Micro-Credentials as Evidence for College Readiness” workshop attempted to address this question. The goal of the workshop was to explore the potential of digital micro-credentials—also known as digital badges—as a part of the college admissions process.

Mode of Inquiry
The workshop convened college admissions personnel, youth-serving organizations that award digital badges, and assessment and learning researchers.

Results/Significance
A key takeaway from the workshop is the need for partnerships between organizations that award badges and colleges/universities in order to develop frameworks for making sense of badges in order for them to be used equitably in admissions. In this presentation we will share this and other major takeaways from the workshop as we work to build new infrastructures for college admission in partnership with schools and informal learning organizations.

Authors

• Barry J. Fishman, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Stephanie D. Teasley, University of Michigan

• Steven Cederquist, University of Michigan