Abstract:

This paper presents the process of introduction of open badges and certificates into the UniCampus open online platform, dedicated to 13 online courses developed in the Digital Culture educational programme dedicated to adults from the creative industries sector from Romania, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Lithuania, UK and Ireland. The main impediment in the adoption of fully digital credentials is proving the authenticity of this information. Images (collections of pixels) can be very easily manipulated and forgeries of official documents are a legitimate concern. But with the help of a central recognized authority (or a distributed ledger technology such as Blockchain), some of these concerns have begun to fade and online-only credentials are being adopted at an increased pace. One such area concerns learning and proof of studies or competencies acquired. Officially recognized diplomas (especially in nationally or internationally accredited programs of study) must still exist in physical form, however they are increasingly paired with digital documents in order to facilitate their storage and use. This ease of use has led to the emergence of micro-credentials, the practice of recognizing smaller parts of skills and competencies (compared with a multi-year accredited study program). They can be issued by virtually any entity, and potential employers can choose to recognize these documents, according to the reputability of the endorsing body. The concept of Open Badges was introduced as a standard for the delivery mechanism of micro-credentials, and while it is not the only solution (digital certificates issued by reputable institutions of study or MOOCs platforms are equally well-regarded), it is the preferred way to obtain and manage proofs of competencies acquired. This training program comprises 13 different courses, each with its own Badge that can be obtained upon completion of said course and successful final evaluation of the skills and competencies that the learners acquired. The Badges are contained in a backpack that can be synchronized with Badgr, and from there they can further be used in many public profile sections, such as LinkedIn and the DigiCulture open badges had connected information and validation through the course activities and actions. The badge certifies basic level training in {competencies} according to the European Digital Competence Framework DigComp 2.1

Keywords:

Digital culture, open badges, MOOCs, OERs.