[Edu-sig] Use of "badges" to encourage learning

[kirby urner]

On Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 7:17 AM, Andre Roberge <andre.roberge at gmail.com>wrote:
There seems to be a trend on various websites to award users "badges" to
keep track of progress.  Other than the rationale that "everyone is doing
it this days so it must serve a purpose", do any of the edu-sig readers
have experience with using "badges" or similar tricks to encourage learning
when it comes to programming beginners?
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We discussed it at work recently, the sociology of badges.

Mozilla is into badges.

http://openbadges.org/

Having recently attended an Eagle Scout induction ceremony, I was reminded
of the importance of badges within scouting.

As a reminder that badges are earned in technical areas, I link to this
picture from the ceremony program:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirbyurner/9003955894/in/set-72157634062648346/lightbox/

Once you factor in GPS / GIS as a kind of computing, the overlap with
existing scouting badges is way more than just Robotics or Electronics.

Given we now have in Portland a "Code Scouts" (codescouts.org) and given
"Bar Camp" and "Foo Camp" have always used this "camp" metaphor, I think
there's a undercurrent whereby badges would be carried forward within the
geek community, within open source especially because that's where you find
a lot of interest in ethics, codes of conduct etc. -- similar, again, to
scouting.

That's in the mode of a sociological analysis.

As a distance education company (oreillyschool.com), our collective thought
seemed to be that any advantages to our students have to do with the weight
badges would or would not have with prospective employers, and that,
culturally speaking, badges haven't mattered at that interface.

"Rank" on the other hand, has some bearing.  Like when you become an Eagle
Scout, you may get letters from quite a number of organizations who somehow
arrange to get that mailing list (I found this out talking to one of the
dads, who joked about his son's getting letters from the Illuminati).

"Rank" is more what you get with larger chunks of work.

I'd say badges are a more like internal local variables that might well be
further adapted within a code learning setting.  They're somewhat esoteric
and help with bonding.  Stamps in one's passport have a similar status.  In
a less formal sense, T-shirts and other swag play this role of signifying
"I was there" or "I am aware of this technology".

However it doesn't logically follow that academic institutions should
embrace the badge system, since they already have their own systems of
"credits"  and a credentialing system based on diplomas and certificates,
schools supported (as student, as faculty, as alum) and so on.

"Job title" has a more "rank" smell (I guess there's a pun there) and in
writing a resume or c.v., the listing of details under each job may have a
"badge like" quality.  That's where you show off your particular blend of
Kung Fu (see below).  Then there's the military itself -- of course -- with
a kind of badging historically embroidered directly into the uniform, along
with rank.

http://www.vanguardmil.com/  (ribbons, patches, decorations...)

Geeks go with name tag paraphernalia, other swag, stickers on the laptop
also important.  Tattoos?

geekytattoos.com

paulmullins.wordpress.com/2013/05/26/geek-ink-geek-tattoos-and-consumer-culture

I predict a further blending of aesthetics along this interface, but with a
more Chinese / martial arts flavor (more "Asiafied").

The idea of white, yellow, brown and black belt has some currency, along
with the thought that each person cultivates a blend of practices, stays in
shape in different ways (a different blend of Chi's and Fu's ("cheese and
foos")).  Entered into evidence:  chifoo.org

CHI:
http://www.odditycentral.com/videos/old-chinese-man-moves-objects-with-qi-chi-energy.html
(chi relates to energy or vital force)

FU:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_guardian_lions
(aka Fu Dog or Foo Dog -- as in "what blend of foo dog are you?" or "what
temple do you guard?" (i.e. what worthy lineage do you serve / protect?))

The martial arts approach provides a good blend of "school" and "rank" and
is consistent with a Pacific Rim economy (including Silicon Valley and
Forest) that sees itself as pioneering in high technology.

Kirby
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