open digital badges systems

A fascinating new trend is taking shape and gaining momentum. Open Badges are verifiable, portable digital badges with embedded metadata about skills and achievements. They comply with the Open Badges Specification and are shareable across the web.

Each Open Badge is associated with an image and information about the badge, its recipient, the issuer, and any supporting evidence. All this information may be packaged within a badge image file that can be displayed via online CVs and social networks. Thousands of organizations across the world issue badges in accordance with the Open Badges Specification, from non-profits to major employers to educational institutions at all levels.

Anyone can receive and give open badges, depending on the topic and skill they provide or want to receive. Over 3,000 organizations already issue Open Badges to nurture talent, build capability and recognise achievement, providing direct connections between earners and issuers.

I just earned a basic badge. 🙂

Visit the Open Badges site at https://openbadges.org/get-started/

connected learning

This is a great resource for teachers and for nonprofits. The Connected Learning Alliance was launched by the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub of the University of California Humanities Research Institute with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Media and Learning initiative. The Connected Learning Lab at UC Irvine is its current steward.

Their vision is “a world where all young people have access to participatory, interest-driven learning that connects to educational, civic and career opportunities.”

CLA

They have some excellent resources and creative ideas on reaching millennials.

New UX terms

  • Calm Technology is a new term in UX.

Calm technology or Calm design is a type of information technology where the interaction between the technology and its user is designed to occur in the user’s periphery rather than constantly at the center of attention. Information from the technology smoothly shifts to the user’s attenthion when needed but otherwise stays calmly in the user’s periphery.  (Wikipedia)

  • Circular Design

Circular design comes from circular economy. It helps innovators create more elegant, effective, creative solutions for the circular economy. “Solutions that are invaluable for people, give businesses a competitive advantage, and are regenerative for our world.” It helps one “explore new ways to create sustainable, resilient, long-lasting value in the circular economy – giving [one] the creative confidence to redesign the world around [one].”