Open Badges

 Good Morning, 

I sit here at 6am on my first family holiday post COVID, drinking tea at the dining table of our caravan and seemingly addicted already to the challenge of completing 23 Things Digital. 

Open Badges. Now this was interesting to discover. Education, learning, no matter what shape it comes in is vital. Feed your brain, improve your cognitive ability always. I was introduced to Open Badges maybe four days ago after a Digital Champion Teams Meeting and I was instantly intrigued. 

I have learned continuously throughout my life already, and I don't just mean the motor skills or the milestone developments; I mean voluntary learning. Learning to play instruments, learning hobbies and skills, school, college, university, online courses, the lot. I even attended parenting classes when I had my second son even though I had 13 years experience already. I just love the opportunity to learn something new and improve my brain. Who wouldn't? 

So, when I heard about Open Badges I wasted no time in finding and creating an account with the SSSC. I navigated it for a while and then got stuck in. This started as 'I'll just have a quick look' while on my lunch break at work, but by the end of my shift I had applied for, and submitted evidence for, three Open Badges and been awarded the first one. That was it, I had found a new purpose. 

By day two I was on a roll, scrolling through badges and applying for everything I could, I was gathering facts and writing statements here there and everywhere. I am now on day 4 and have thus far been awarded four badges and have two applications waiting to be verified. I just can't stop. 

The principle of OB's appeal to me because they are just so neat and tidy! One link, that's all it takes and I can share a career's worth of achievements and training with anyone, it's the most sufficient way I could imagine, no folders full of certificates that no one wants to thumb through, just a scroll down a screen, and who doesn't find scrolling second nature by now? 

The thing I love most about OB is the inclusion, anyone can apply, you don't have to be some bigwig or sour faced manager, you can be anyone, it is universal regardless of your educational or professional background - or lack thereof! You complete the tasks, complete the activity, attach your evidence and boom - another badge gained, and even if you don't achieve it this time, you are supported and encouraged to try again until you do. Who doesn't want that? 

Professional development isn't the most entertaining of topics really, no-one wants to have to rhyme off the lists of annual eLearning courses they have to do, or rummage about for the dog eared certificates from all the one day training courses that they didn't pay attention to, but with OB you achieve them at your own pace, in your own time, and you have them all stacked up inside your neat little digital passport so that when you apply for that long awaited job opportunity, you can share hoards of achievements and a log of professional development with just on click. Just like that. 

I'ts modern, refreshing and impressive.