Governance of Co-Curricular Badging

Badging Overview 

Digital badges are an easy method to create a verifiable evidence of a significant experience, completion, or achievement.  Badges can give employers increased confidence the information listed for employment is accurate by providing verifiable information.  Badges can be easily displayed on electronic portfolio’s, LinkedIn, or social media sites.  Badges contain descriptions experiences and outcomes, as well as who issued a badge at an organization.   

East Carolina University (ECU) is using Canvas Credentials for badge recipients whereby badge recipients can choose whether they keep their badges private or public.  The account will belong to the badge recipient even when they leave ECU.  The recipient can upload any badge earned from other open badges platforms to the ECU software tool.  In the event, badges are being issued without requirements being met – the badge can be revoked by the badge issuer and the institution.  The integrity of the badges is the responsibility of the departments and individual issuing the badge.  

Purpose

The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to specify the processes used to develop and manage digital badging at ECU.  This includes the design, implementation, issuing, and monitoring of badges, as well as the development of the badging oversight process. 

Scope

Employees considering badges are required to consult with the committee in advance of development.  Badges awarded in context of an ECU employees duties are covered by this SOP to ensure ECU can provide institutional standards and oversight.  This SOP applies to all employees at ECU who wish to develop and/or issue badges for co-curricular activities. All issued badges must be substantive and used to certify a significant experience, completion, and/or achievement.  Since badges represent the institution, they must be approved by the ECU Badging Governance Committee. All badges issued at East Carolina University are co-curricular only. ECU will not issue badges for curricular courses, competencies in a course, or other or badges that are not co-curricular in nature. Gamification and engagement badges are available within Canvas for faculty use.  More information can be found at badges.ecu.edu.   

Badging Governance Committee

A badging committee is appointed to oversee the development and issuing of badges at the institution.  The committee will provide oversight of the design, implementation, issuing, and monitoring of badges is a best practice.  An electronic submission and approval process will be developed by the committee.  

  • Academic Planning & Accreditation, Director 
  • Digital Learning & Emerging Technologies, Director 
  • Academic Affairs (e.g., OFE) 
  • Badging Administrator 
  • Continuing Studies & Academic Outreach 
  • Creative Services 
  • Faculty Senate  
  • EPCC Chair or Representative 
  • Two faculty representatives elected by the Committee on Committees 
  • Human Resources 
  • Health Sciences 
  • Institutional Planning & Research 
  • Research Division 
  • Student Affairs  

ECU Badging Requirements  

Co-curricular Badges 

All badges issued for co-curricular activities must meet the following criteria: 

  • Badges may not use the university image or branding without explicit approval in writing from Creative Services (brand.ecu.edu). 
  • All badges will have an accompanying webpage at badges.ecu.edu where badge criteria are listed.    
  • The badge design must be professional and follow approved standards. 
  • All badge issuers must attend an orientation.  Issuers are asked not to add evidence to ensure privacy. 
  • Badge submissions must be reviewed by the Co-Curricular Badging Governance Committee which will meet twice per semester.  
  • Badge requests can be submitted at badges.ecu.edu 
  • Badge requests require unit head approval at time of request.  

Requirements for Co-curricular Badge Webpages

All approved co-curricular badges will be published with the approved criteria at badges.ecu.edu.  

The following will be part of the form submission for approval, contained within the badge, and viewable at badges.ecu.edu:  

Badge Title – Badges should contain a short title that clearly indicates what the badge represents. Limit the title to 70 characters. 

Badge Image – Approved badge image is required and should include alternate text and descriptive text metadata.  

Badge Description – This is a short 2-5 sentence description of the badge.   

Criteria –  

  • State the requirements to receive this badge and list the conditions in a bulleted list. For example, contact hours, completion of a test, completion of an online module, or other criteria.  The required or estimated time to successfully earn the badge must be listed.  
  • Describe and list all of the following that may be applicable to your badge such as actions completed, content covered, the experience of the badge recipient, expected proficiencies and abilities, and/or if the badge required a passing score on a test of xx% to receive the badge.   

Tagging – Provide tags used for searching for badging (i.e., Canvas, Volunteer).  Tags should be less than three words, short in length, and descriptive. 

Issuer Information – This section is the same on all ECU issued badges. It will contain the ECU logo, a URL to ECU.edu and a statement about the validity of the badge.