Digital badges are ways for learners to display the skills they have obtained from courses and can be part of a greater gamification design. Digital badges enable instructors to identify new competency areas and recognize mastery or demonstration of those competencies. Badges signal to peers and to instructor’s active learning, engagement, and ongoing development. Badges are motivating, promote community, encourage critical thinking and rewards participation in formative assessment activities. This presentation hopes to provide instructors a creative tool to identify competency and Mastery, recognize success, and increase interaction with learners. A digital badging program can help to address issues such as low student motivation, community development in the classroom, issues in developing critical thinking in the online classroom, and promotes incremental learning.
Thomas Dyer is an associate professor at Grand Canyon University. Thomas teaches in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He has more than 13 years of experience in higher education and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Arizona State University, a Master of Education Administration and a Master of Psychology from Grand Canyon University. He is pursuing his Doctorate degree in General Psychology with an emphasis in Integrating Technology. Thomas is currently writing a dissertation focused on full-time online faculties perceptions of social presence literacy. His professional interests include research to examine student engagement and participation in the online learning platform, academic integrity, online proximity and social presence, technology integration, and faith integration.
Jacob Aroz has worked in higher education for more than 15 years and has been a full-time online faculty member at Grand Canyon University for the past 9. He teaches several courses for new students, focusing primarily on academic scholarship and writing. His Master’s is in Adult Education and Training and his passion is working with adult students in an effort to meet their unique learning needs and goals