Digital Badge Issuance Regulation

Regulation for Digital Badge Issuance Policy

1. Purpose

   1. Purpose. The following regulation (“this regulation”) or guideline is designed to provide consistency and clarity regarding implementation of the Policy on the Issuance of Digital Badges.

   2. Among the goals of the policy and this regulation are to define types of digital badges offered by the university, as well as roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders.

2. Definitions

   1. Credential – Official recognition by an authorized body of completion of a learning experience that includes measurable learning outcomes, learner engagement, and assessment. Traditional credentials recognized by institutions of higher education such as associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees are awarded for completion of a program of study defined by minimum credit hours and a set curriculum that includes theoretical and practical content and skills. These traditional credentials are typically represented by the conferral of a diploma.

   2. Alternative Credential – Official recognition of learning that results from a learning experience that differs in duration, format, or competency basis than those typical of programs leading to a traditional credential. Alternative credentials can be awarded for credit bearing and non-credit bearing learning experiences, and are represented by certificates, certifications, digital badges, and other physical or virtual tokens. At UNCW examples of alternative credentials include non-credit certificates of completion. This policy applies to non-credit programming only.

   3. Microcredential – Official recognition of completion of learning that results from a learning experience that is shorter in duration than a traditional credential program. Microcredentials can be represented using a variety of physical and digital tokens including certificates, certifications, and digital badges. Microcredentials can be awarded for learning that results from credit-bearing or non-credit bearing programs. This policy applies to non-credit programming only.

   4. Stacking and Stackable Pathway – A process by which a learner can earn multiple microcredentials that lead through accumulation to a higher-level credential.

   5. Clock-hour – Unit of instructional time defined by the duration of instructional contact in a synchronous face-to-face or online setting or the equivalent needed to meet educational objectives in an asynchronous online setting.

   6. Continuing Education Unit (CEU) - Consistent with UNC System Policy 400.1.9[G] one CEU is awarded for each ten clock-hours of instruction. Fractional CEUs may be awarded for clock-hours that are not evenly divisible by ten.

   7. Digital Badge – A shareable digital representation of an achievement, skill, or competency that can be displayed online, shared on social media, and included in digital portfolios. Digital badges carry metadata that identifies the issuing body, learning experience, and learning outcomes achieved.

   8. Badging System – An online platform for designing, issuing, and transcripting digital badges.

   9. Requesting Program – Curricular or co-curricular unit desiring to issue digital badges for specific experiences and learning outcomes.

   10. Approval Authority – Person or persons charged with reviewing and approving alternative credential program proposals.

   11. Approval Criteria – Set of minimum standards that define types of alternative credentials.

   12. Learning Experience – An identifiable unit of structured learning offered by curricular and non-curricular bodies. Structured learning experiences include measurable learning outcomes, standardized content offered in face-to-face, online, or hybrid settings, and assessment of learning outcomes.

   13. Learner – any authorized person (student, faculty, staff, community member) who participates in an approved learning experience and completes the requirements of the alternative credential.

   14. Learning Outcomes – Specific knowledge, skills, or abilities that students are expected to demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience.

   15. Assessment – The process of evaluating learner performance against predefined criteria.

   16. Requestor– Requesting Program personnel who validate that the learner has completed all requirements and requests issuance of the alternative credential.

   17. Issuing Office/Issuer – Personnel tasked with issuing the badge to the learner using the badging system. Also tasked with assisting requesting program to design and develop metadata for badges.

3. Badge development and approval

   1. The Issuing Office is the Office of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE). The designation of another unit to serve as Issuing Office is at the joint discretion of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.

   2. Requests for digital badges can originate with any academic or non-academic unit at UNCW. Requests should be properly formatted using forms and templates provided by CPE.

   3. Completed requests are forwarded from CPE to the Digital Badging and Microcredential Committee (DBMC) for review. The DBMC meets monthly to consider properly submitted requests.

   4. Requests for digital badges that are approved by the DBMC are forwarded to CPE for implementation. CPE will work with the requesting program to create digital badges using the tools provided in the badging system and in accordance with the UNCW Brand and Identity Guide (BIG). UNCW’s badging system is Canvas Credentials.

   5. CPE will also enter the approved metadata (learning outcomes, description of the learning experience, clock hours, associated CEUs, assessment).

   6. After the badge is created and all metadata recorded, CPE will display the badge on the badging system.

4. Badge issuance and recording

   1. Issuance Process: Once an alternative credential is approved and its digital badge with appropriate metadata is recorded in the badging system, it is the responsibility of the Requesting Program to deliver the learning experience outlined in the proposal. The Requesting Program is required to verify that all learners have completed the learning objectives through appropriate assessments, and digital badges are requested only for those who are verified as complete.

   2. The Requesting Program periodically submits the names and identifying information of learners to CPE. For programs tied to the academic calendar, names of completers should be submitted to CPE at the end of the appropriate academic term. For programs that are continuous or follow an ad hoc schedule, the Requesting Program should consult with CPE on an appropriate submission schedule.

5. Digital Badging and Microcredential Committee (DBMC)

   1. Membership – The DBMC is comprised of ten members including two members from the Division of Student Affairs, one member each appointed by an academic college, a representative from the designated issuing office, the Executive Director of Student Life (co-Chair) and the Associate Provost for Graduate Continuing and Lifelong Education (co-Chair). Each unit is responsible for appointing their representatives using processes defined within each division.

   2. Co-Chairs – The co-Chair from the Division of Academic Affairs is the Associate Provost for Graduate, Continuing, and Lifelong Education. The co-Chair from the Division of Student Affairs is the Executive Director for Student Life. Co-Chairs are responsible for organizing regular meetings of the DBMC and administration of the approval process for alternative credentials represented by digital badges.

   3. Responsibilities:

      1. Administer the approval process for use of digital badges.

      2. Report on the use of digital badges by campus constituents to university administration, as appropriate.

      3. Ensure that all alternative credentials represented by a digital badge meet minimum criteria for learning outcomes, assessment, and contact hours.

      4. Periodically review and update policies and procedures for developing and administering alternative- and micro-credentials and issuance of digital badges.

6. Badge Display

   1. Earners can display their digital badges on social media sites (e.g. LinkedIn), resumes, e-portfolios, personal websites, and other digital media.

   2. Badges must be linked to the badging platform in which they were issued to provide evidence of achievement, transparency and credibility.