DIGITAL BADGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A THREE-PHASE STUDY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIGITAL BADGES IN AN ONLINE UNDERGRADUTE PROGRAM

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential for digital badges to support alternate learning and career pathways in formal and informal learning environments. Stakeholder groups in higher education and industry discussed how digital badges might transform current processes of admitting undergraduate students and hiring young professionals. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 stakeholders in higher education and the technology industry. Findings Interview participants expressed optimism about the potential for digital badges to make learning pathways visible to learners and external audiences and to promote equity in STEM (STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and careers. Participants noted several obstacles, largely focused on issues of credibility and logistics of working with badges across settings. Research limitations/implications Though the research approach is limited in geographic scope, the findings have broad applicability and insight for the use of digital badges in general. Practical implications Education policymakers, employers and scholars will be able to use the insights from this investigation in their efforts to find innovative ways to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, as well as support a wider range of learners than is currently supported by initiatives aligned with the school-to-workforce pipeline metaphor. Originality/value This paper directly confronts issues of real-world applications of digital badges by discussing practical implications with college admissions officers and employers. The current study fills a need for research that investigates the use of digital badges across – as opposed to within – contexts.

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The Comprehensibility and Legibility of Twenty Pharmaceutical Warning Pictograms

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129503901502 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 39 (15) ◽

pp. 974-978 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

E. L. Ringseis ◽

J. K. Caird

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Test Sample ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

Common Elements ◽

Warning Labels ◽

Phase Study ◽

Three Phase

The purpose of the reported three phase study was to test the comprehensibility and legibility of twenty prescription warning labels that were likely to have adverse effects if taken incorrectly and to redesign those that were poorly understood. The underlying message or warning did not achieve an eighty-five percent comprehension level in sixteen of the twenty pictorials. Through an analysis of errors made by first phase participants and the incorporation of common elements suggested by a diverse focus group, ten of the pictorials were redesigned. Comparisons between pre- and post-redesign comprehensibility revealed significant improvements for eight of the ten labels for a younger test sample and three of ten for an elderly sample. Participants also indicated that they preferred the redesigned labels. Discussions center on pharmaceutical pictogram design guidelines and comprehension standards.

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Are They Worth It?

Handbook of Research on Inclusive Development for Remote Adjunct Faculty in Higher Education - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-6758-6.ch011 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 140-161

Author(s):

Jamie Els ◽

Erica Jansen ◽

Stacey L. Kikendall ◽

Amber Dailey-Hebert

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Faculty Development ◽

Faculty Perceptions ◽

Communication Process ◽

First Year ◽

Digital Badges ◽

Midwestern University ◽

Faculty Input ◽

Development Center ◽

Digital Badging

Since 2011, the trend of digital badging has continued to rise among various organizations, including higher education. After gathering faculty feedback, input, ideas, and perspectives on structure and implementation, the faculty development center at a Midwestern university launched a university-wide digital badging program. The intent was to incorporate faculty input into the design of digital badges to gain faculty engagement. After the first year of implementation, a survey of faculty perceptions on digital badging received unanticipated results. Emerging themes from this survey indicate that faculty are hesitant towards digital badging; however, participant responses also suggest that faculty uncertainty of the digital badging program is connected to the communication process. Recommendations are presented to support the needs of faculty perceptions of a digital badging program.

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Development of Design Guidelines for 21st Century Socio-Cognitive Writing Technologies

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/1541931213601085 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 375-379

Author(s):

B. Benedict ◽

T. Smith-Jackson ◽

A. Bells

Keyword(s):

Phase Ii ◽

Writing Development ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

Writing Proficiency ◽

User Centered Design ◽

Support Tool ◽

Writing Technologies ◽

Phase Study ◽

Three Phase ◽

Writing Research

STEM learners are expected to be competent in both technical and interpersonal proficiencies. The writing proficiency was defined to ensure the students are prepared for continuing graduate education and/ or a career in the private or public sector. Despite the current writing research, there is a lack of effective solutions to support writing development, specifically for collegiate STEM learners. Therefore, a three phase study was conducted to address concerns regarding writing in STEM fields but this article only discusses the implications of Phase II. Phase II involved the use of a User-Centered Design approach to increase the likelihood of adoption of a writing support tool. Methods included focus group and interviews and participants were professors and students. Qualitative Analysis was conducted and the NARA framework was used to extract user requirements for a Social Media inspired educational technology.

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