Open Badges

Open Badges are digital badges that can be used to recognize and verify learning, skills, and achievements. They are designed to be flexible and portable, so that they can be easily shared and displayed on a variety of online platforms, such as websites or social media profiles.

Open Badges consist of a digital image file that contains metadata about the badge and the learning or achievement it represents. The metadata may include information such as the badge issuer, the criteria for earning the badge, and the evidence required to demonstrate mastery of the learning or skills.

Open Badges can be issued by a variety of organizations, including educational institutions, employers, professional organizations, and non-profits. They can be used to recognize a wide range of learning and achievements, including formal educational qualifications, professional certifications, skills development, and community service.

Overall, Open Badges are a useful tool for recognizing and verifying learning and achievements in a digital context, and can help to provide evidence of skills and abilities that may be difficult to demonstrate through traditional methods.

The Open Badge Specification was formed via IMS Global working with the W3C Credentials Community Group

Technically, an Open Badge is a digital image file that contains metadata about the badge and the learning or achievement it represents. The metadata is encoded in the badge image file using a standard called the Open Badges Infrastructure (OBI).

The OBI allows badges to be easily shared and displayed on a variety of online platforms, as the metadata can be read and interpreted by different systems and software.

To issue an Open Badge, an organization (such as an educational institution, employer, or professional organization) must first create the badge design and specify the criteria for earning the badge. The badge issuer can then use a badge-issuing platform, such as the Open Badges Platform, to create and issue badges to individuals who have met the specified criteria.

Individuals who receive an Open Badge can then display the badge on their own websites or social media profiles, or share it with others. When someone clicks on the badge image, they can access the metadata about the badge, including information about the issuer, the criteria for earning the badge, and any relevant evidence or documentation.

Overall, Open Badges work by combining a digital image file with metadata encoded using the OBI, allowing badges to be easily shared and displayed on a variety of online platforms and providing information about the badge and the learning or achievement it represents.