Brilliant Badging Beyond Borders!

Well I have made it to blog item 2. Phew!

This time I am considering Open Badges. This is something I kinda thought I knew about. On reflection I was aware of Open Badges but really knew nothing about the history of them or how they worked. It's just as well I have now embarked on a digital learning journey. I watched the SSSC video on Open Badges and read an article on the site too and discovered a much longer history for Open Badges than I suspected. It turns out the history goes back ten years and is international in its scope.

So what about badging in social care-I suppose I thought that Open Badges were a nice idea but they didn't really represent that much-someone has a badge-cute.  But what does it mean? Finding out that there are technical specifications that define the requirements for what a badge represents for both issuers and earners is a revelation to me and a reassurance. Here is something that is worth something and it is a definable something that employers can quantify and understand. If I recruit this worker it means they have verifiable knowledge and skills and I know there is effort and commitment behind the achievement. More than cute.

I had never considered before that earning Open Badges was something that would translate internationally but I am now aware of 'Badge the World'-cool slogan, but it does really mean something useful and tangible-a global skills currency. This is significant for social care because our workforce is truly international, now more than ever. For workers from around the world to be able to carry a virtual backpack of academic and skills assessment with them to a new employer in a different country could be a game changer. In terms of learning and development time and how quickly someone can be operational I believe this is a real boon. It also means that learning programmes for workers can be more personalised as we are building on the skills and knowledge that folk already have. I suppose that poses the question do we have to slavishly following a pre ordained organisational programme of learning? A certain amount of mandatory learning and development activity will always be a good thing, but maximising the credit for prior learning and attainment I think can only be the way forward.