Creative Communities - BC Library Conference 2015

Libraries can support lifelong learning, not only by providing resources but by facilitating the creation of communities that learn together. This talk will look at how digital icons known as Open Badges can be used to facilitate connections within a learning community. Open Badges are issued in recognition of an accomplishment or skill, and their value differs from other forms of recognition because they are “Open” which means they can be transmitted from the issuing website to a social media site like LinkedIn. To ensure that no contextual meaning is lost when the badge is taken out of the issuing website, badges have metadata embedded into them. This typically includes the name of the organization that issued the badge, the name of the person who earned it, and what they had to do to earn it. This session will explore badge programs that foster a tightly-knit learning community. We will examine badge programs where the visibility of earned badges, community recognition of online participation, and the complexity of criteria for badge earning have helped to build a community with a shared focus and engagement in learning outcomes. We will also discuss the possibilities open badges have to further lifelong learning and community development in a library environment. This presentation will also encourage participation and collaboration through a hands-on component. Using a toolkit provided by the presenters, participants will work in groups to create a badge for a specific learning community. They will share their creation with the rest of the audience and explain how they tailored their design to facilitate learner engagement.