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<section begin="summary" />{{RoadmapSummary
<section begin=summary />{{RoadmapSummary
|icon=Hackasaur.jpg
|icon=3ea2d817e92ac6e2e4e69bf9e9290d4f bigger.png
|pagelocation=Drumbeat/Batucada/Roadmap
|pagelocation=Open Badges
|pagetitle=Hackasaurus Project Page
|pagetitle=Mozilla Open Badges
|owner=Atul Varma, Jessica Klein
|owner=Erin Knight, Carla Casilli, Sunny Lee, Emily Goligoski, Chris McAvoy, Brian Brennan, Mike Larsson, Jess Klein, Chloe Varelidi, Atul Varma, Meg Cole, Jade Forester
|updated=Feb 2011
|updated=March 2014
|status=Draft
|description=Mozilla's Open Badges make it easy for anyone to issue, earn and display badges across the web through a shared infrastructure that's free and open to all.
|description=Hackasaurus helps kids hack.
}}<section end=summary />
}}<section end="summary" /> __NOTOC__


== Project Tools  ==
__NOTOC__


*'''web site''': [http://www.hackasaurus.org/ hackasaurus.org]
== What is a Badge? ==
*'''HTML Pad''': Create your own web page in seconds: [http://htmlpad.org/ htmlpad.org]
*'''X-ray Goggles''': See what the web is made of: [https://secure.toolness.com/webxray/ https://secure.toolness.com/webxray/]<br>


----
badge [baj]: a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of
allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc. (Source: [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/badge Dictionary.com])


*'''Drumbeat project page:&nbsp;'''https://drumbeat.org/en-US/projects/hackasaurus/
A badge is a symbol or indicator of an accomplishment, skill, quality or interest. From the Boy and Girl Scouts, to PADI diving instruction, to the more recently popular geo-location game, [https://foursquare.com/ Foursquare], badges have been successfully used to set goals, motivate behaviors, represent achievements and communicate success in many contexts. A “digital badge” is an online record of achievements, tracking the recipient’s communities of interaction that issued the badge and the work completed to get it. Digital badges can support connected learning environments by motivating learning and signaling achievement both within particular communities as well as across communities and institutions. (Source: [https://wiki.mozilla.org/images/5/59/OpenBadges-Working-Paper_012312.pdf Erin Knight White Paper])
*'''wiki page:''' https://wiki.mozilla.org/Drumbeat/Hackasaurus
*'''mailing list''' (working group; daily): [http://groups.google.com/group/hackasaurus Google Group]  
*mailing list (announce list; occasional): ''coming soon''<br>
*planet hackasaurus blog: ''coming soon'''''<br>'''
*'''twitter''': [http://twitter.com/#!/hackasaurus @hackasaurus] [http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23hackasaurus #hackasaurus]
*'''facebook''': http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Hackasaurus/140459162682866
*'''photos &amp;&nbsp;visual assets '''(tag = hackasaurus)''':''' http://www.flickr.com/groups/hackasaurus/ <br>
*'''issue tracker''': http://hackasaurus.lighthouseapp.com/projects/66492-hackasaurus/overview
*'''source code''': Github: https://github.com/hackasaurus'''<br>'''
*'''theory behind the project: Hacker Literacy''': http://ietherpad.com/wXmjT3Zes1'''<br>'''
*'''presentation deck '''(draft only; in progress): http://mzl.la/hQ2h62
*chat room (IRC): ''coming soon''
*roadmap:&nbsp;''coming soon''<br>
*community calls: ''coming soon''


== Get involved now <br>  ==
== Digital Badges vs Open Badges ==


#'''Meet up with us''' at the [http://dmlcentral.net/conference2011/schedule/day Digital Media &amp;&nbsp;Learning conference] in Long Beach (Mar 3 - 5).
A digital badge is an online representation of a skill you’ve earned. Open Badges take that concept one step further, and allows you to verify your skills, interests and achievements through credible organizations and attaches that information to the badge image file, hard-coding the metadata for future access and review. Because the system is based on an open standard, earners can combine multiple badges from different issuers to tell the complete story of their achievements — both online and off. Badges can be displayed wherever earners want them on the web, and share them for employment, education or lifelong learning.  
#'''Attend an '''[[#Hackasaurus Hack Jams|upcoming hack jam]]'''. '''Or organize a hack jam in your community'''. We're looking to spread to new cities beyond New York and Chicago. Get in touch through our [http://groups.google.com/group/hackasaurus?pli=1 mailing list]. <br>
#'''Start hacking with Hackasaurus tools''' like [http://htmlpad.org/ HTML Pad] or [https://secure.toolness.com/webxray/ X-Ray Goggles].
#'''Share your own ideas, tools and resources'''. Through our [http://groups.google.com/group/hackasaurus mailing list] or on [http://twitter.com/hackasaurus twitter].
#'''Become a Hackasaurs partner'''. We're looking for learning centers, libraries, media centers and other partners to help design, develop and host Hackasaurus. Get in touch through our [http://groups.google.com/group/hackasaurus?pli=1 mailing list].
#'''Help develop the Hackasaurus tool set'''. Through our [http://hackasaurus.lighthouseapp.com/projects/66492-hackasaurus/overview issue tracker] and [https://github.com/hackasaurus Github].


== About this project  ==
'''Open Badges are:'''


*'''The project in 5 sentences''':
*'''Free and open:''' Mozilla Open Badges is not proprietary. It’s free software and an open technical standard any organization can use to create, issue and verify digital badges.
**Hackasaurus helps teens hack. Through tools that makes it easy for youth to explore, remix and redesign the web.  
*'''Transferable:''' Collect badges from multiple sources, online and off, into a single backpack. Then display your skills and achievements on social networking profiles, job sites, websites and more.
**Plus local events or "hack jams" that make hacking and digital literacy easy, social and fun. <br>
*'''Stackable:''' Whether they’re issued by one organization or many, badges can build upon each other and be stacked to tell the full story of your skills and achievements.
**We're designing around the way kids learn technology, based on Mizuko Ito's concepts of hanging out, messing around and geeking out.  
*'''Evidence-based:''' Open Badges are information-rich. Each badge has important metadata which is hard-coded into the badge image file itself that links back to the issuer, criteria and verifying evidence.
**Tools in development so far include [http://htmlpad.org/ HTML&nbsp;Pad] and [https://secure.toolness.com/webxray/ X-Ray Goggles], with more on the way.<br>
**You can get involved by test-driving Hackasarus tools right now. Or attend an upcoming hack jam, organize your own event, help develop the Hackasaurus tool kit, or share your own ideas and tools.<br>


*'''One-page overview '''
'''Open Badges make it easy to:'''
**Draft in progress here: http://etherpad.mozilla.com:9000/Hackasaurus-one-pager
*'''Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)''':
**Draft in progress. Please add your questions here: http://etherpad.mozilla.com:9000/Hackasaurus-FAQ
*'''Roadmap: '''
**Draft in progress here: http://etherpad.mozilla.com:9000/Hackasaurus-roadmap
*'''Project infographic:''' ''coming soon''


== Hackasaurus Hack Jams  ==
*Get recognition for the things you learn;
*Give recognition for the things you teach;
*Verify skills; and
*Display your verified badges across the web.


*Hack jams are one-day and weekend events that allow kids to test and help design Hackasaurus.
== What is Mozilla's Open Badges project?  ==
*They're run through the New Youth City Learning Network in collaboration with Mozilla.
*Hackasaurus jams are designed to be modular and self-organizing. So that any teen, parent or organization can organize their own.
*Event curriculum and an organizing kit are under development.


'''Previous Hack Jams:'''
Learning today happens everywhere, not just in the classroom. But it's often difficult to get recognition for skills and achievements that happen outside of school. '''Mozilla's Open Badges project''' is working to solve that problem, making it easy for anyone to issue, earn and display badges across the web through a shared technical infrastructure. '''The result:''' helping people of all ages gain and display 21st century skills and unlock new career and educational opportunities.


*2/9 @ 4pm, New York Public Library, Grand Concourse (Bronx)
Want to know more about Open Badges? [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/About Read about what badges are and how they work] and check out our [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/FAQs Frequently Asked Questions] page to find some answers, or shoot us an email at [mailto:badges@badgealliance.org badges@badgealliance.org]
*2/10 @ 4pm, New York Public Library, 67th St (Manhattan) - [http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/at-hackasaurus-jam-mozilla-encourages-young-programmers-to-change-the-web/ DML Spotlight coverage], [http://htmlpad.org/themission/ "top secret" mission handout]
*2/11 @ 3:30PM, NY Public Library, Battery Park City (Manhattan)
*2/17 @ 4pm, YouMedia, Chicago - [http://groups.google.com/group/hackasaurus/browse_thread/thread/11834680e7d05b9b Atul's notes]
*2/22 @ 4:30pm, Bay Area Video Coalition, SF - [http://crashopensource.blogspot.com/2011/02/bay-area-video-coalition-teaching-open.html Lukas' blog post], [http://www.benmoskowitz.com/?p=161 Ben's blog post], [http://brettgaylor.tumblr.com/post/3526122151/web-made-movies-at-bavc Brett's blog post], [[Media:Wmmhandout.pdf|Handout (PDF)]]


'''Upcoming Hack Jams:'''
== Mozilla BadgeKit ==


*3/17 @ 4pm, YouMedia, Chicago
Mozilla BadgeKit is a set of foundational tools to make the badging process easy.
*3/23 @ 4pm, New York Public Libary, Grand Concourse (Bronx)
*3/24 @ 4pm, New York Public Library, 67th St (Manhattan)
*3/25 @ 3:30pm, New York Public Library, Battery Park City (Manhattan)


<br>
'''BadgeKit:'''
 
*Supports key stages in the badging experience including creating, designing, assessing and issuing.  
== Experimental Hackasaurus Tools ==
*Includes remixable templates and milestone badges allowing for easy customization.
 
*Provides modular and open options (standards) for the community of badge makers to use and build upon within their existing sites or systems.
These tools are still evolving and have rough edges, but their basic functionality is available now. They're also actively being used at jams.
 
=== X-Ray Goggles  ===
 
Web X-Ray Goggles allow anyone to easily “see through the surface” of any Web page, and obtain an intuitive understanding of how pages are composed. They can be used anywhere on the Web one hangs out, and casual use of the tool enables one to gain a rudimentary grasp of HTML, CSS, and the Document Object Model.
 
You can try the prototype now at [https://secure.toolness.com/webxray/ secure.toolness.com/webxray/].
 
=== HTMLPad ===
 
[http://htmlpad.org/ htmlpad.org] is a simple website that allows anyone to easily create a Web page, collaborate on it in real-time with friends, and share it with the rest of the world.
 
More background for HTMLPad can be found in Atul's blog post entitled [http://www.toolness.com/wp/?p=1107 Prelude To Barcelona].
 
== Ideas For Future Hackasaurus Tools ==
 
These tools don't actually exist yet. They also may never exist as independent products&mdash;for example, their functionality might be rolled into an existing tool instead.
 
=== Mixmaster  ===
 
While goggles allow one to take apart a page and inspect its individual parts, the Mixmaster allows one to actually ''change'' parts to remix the page. For instance, the tool can be used to change the font that’s used on a page, or to hyperlink a word on a page to its entry on Wikipedia. Each alteration is called a hack and hacks can be easily shared with friends for any purpose—to make a page, a site, or even the entire Web more usable, more hilarious, or more meaningful. Experimenting with this tool engages people in writing short snippets of HTML, which provides scaffolding for future adventures in Web development.
 
Development on this tool has not yet started, though similar functionality has been added to the goggles as an experimental feature. Here's some wireframes to explain our thinking:
 
Wireframe: Boring Form <imagemap>
Image:hanging.jpg|400px|alt=Boring Form
default [http://www.flickr.com/photos/toolness/5288844406/in/pool-1590086@N21/ flickr photo]
</imagemap>
 
=== Magnetic Poetry  ===
 
<imagemap>
Image:messing.jpg|400px|alt=Magnetic Poetry
default [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicaklein/5290109843/in/pool-1590086@N21/ flickr photo]
</imagemap>
 
*This mock-up explores how remixing code is like magnetic poetry.<br>
*Thinking of code this way allows users to define their own rules, rather than defining lines of sequential procedural code.
*Some users might approach a sentence grammatically, others visually, and some might just cluster components together that they will eventually make sense of.
*There's also an element of social collaborative mentoring, where users can help each other in developing code.
 
'''Next Steps:'''
*Develop a functional prototype.
*Consider integrating a gaming aspect.
*Consider ways to include a mentoring/hint/bumper-bowling system that isn't as annoying as the MS Paper Clip.
*Think about systems for users to define their own rules.  
*Think about social collaborative mentoring.
*Think about social collaborative badging, karma for being helpful, etc.
 
=== Advanced Tools (coming soon)<br> ===
 
*The highest level of engagement are the “geeking out” tools. <br>
*These are for users with a serious interest in web design and development.
*Ideas in development:<br>
 
<br>
 
'''1)&nbsp;Creative Wireframing Tools'''<br>
 
*wireframing tools to allow teens to create new interfaces and interactions from scratch. <br>
*May involve pre-existing tools like [http://www.omnigroup.com/products/OmniGraffle/ OmniGraffle] or developing our own from scratch.
 
'''<br> 2)&nbsp;"Build out" game'''<br>
 
*Players would use physical cards to trade with other kids, etc. <br>
*Maybe you need badges/achievements to trade or make certain kinds of content or code.
 
<br>
 
'''3)&nbsp;Super funked-out HTML editor'''<br>
 
*a super funked-out HTML editor would allow users to create a brand new page/website from scratch.
*May build on some of Atul's [http://www.toolness.com/wp/?p=1107 HTMLPad] work <br>
 
<br>
 
== Similar Tools  ==


These could be used as inspiration for Hackasaurus tools. Or become part of the Hackasaurus toolkit itself:  
The hosted version of BadgeKit is currently only available for select organizations as part of the [http://citiesoflearning.org Cities of Learning] initiative - '''sign-up for private beta has now ended'''. Alternatively, anyone can [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-badgekit download the code] from GitHub and implement it on their own servers. A tutorial for this process is available [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-badgekit/wiki/BadgeKit-Tutorial here].


*[http://www.colorzilla.com/firefox/ Colorzilla] (Firefox add-on)
[[Badges/badgekit|Read more about BadgeKit]]
*[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/539/ Measure It] (Firefox add-on)
*[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/737/ Platypus] (Firefox add-on)
*[https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748/ GreaseMonkey] (Firefox add-on)
*[http://getfirebug.com/ Firebug] (Firefox add-on)
*[http://erkie.github.com/ Erkie's Ad Destroyer] (bookmarklet)
*[http://www.westciv.com/xray/ Westciv's XRAY] (bookmarklet)
*[http://mir.aculo.us/dom-monster/ DOM Monster] (bookmarklet)
*[http://konigi.com/tools/submissions/wirify-create-wireframes-web-pages Wirify Wireframing Tools] (bookmarklet)
*[http://buildorpro.com/ BuildorPro] (web app)
*[http://cssdesk.com/ CSSDesk] (web app)
*[http://www.shiftspace.org/ ShiftSpace]
*[http://www.optimizely.com/ Optimizely]
*[http://education.mit.edu/projects/starlogo-tng StarLogo TNG]


Tutorials and reference materials:
== Get started with Open Badges  ==


*[http://www.neopets.com/help/html1.phtml NeoPets HTML Guide]
;Ready? Check out our site and Community page
*[http://www.smartgirl.org/writing/tutorial/index.php Smart Girl HTML Tutorial]
:*http://openbadges.org
*[http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/02/html_cheatsheet/ Webmonkey's HTML cheatsheet]
:*http://community.openbadges.org/


== Team  ==
;Set? Create your Backpack
:*https://backpack.openbadges.org


*[http://twitter.com/#!/taylorbayless Taylor Bayless], YouMedia
;Go! Get some Badges!
*[http://twitter.com/#!/iamjessklein Jess Klein], New Youth City Learning Network
:*Check out the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada [http://badgecentre.ca/ Badge Centre] and earn your first badges!
*[http://twitter.com/#!/jacksondevious Jack Martin], New York Public Library
*[http://twitter.com/#!/benrito Ben Moskowitz], Mozilla
*[http://twitter.com/#!/Empathetics Rafi Santo], Indiana University
*[http://twitter.com/#!/doseofsnark Chris Shoemaker], New York Public Library
*[http://twitter.com/#!/toolness Atul Varma], Mozilla


Read more about the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges#mozilla-open-badges Technology] behind Open Badges.
<br>
<br>
Find the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki Onboarding information for Issuers, Displayers and Earners] and get started!


== Become part of the Community ==


*[https://groups.google.com/d/forum/openbadges '''Open Badges learning group'''] and [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/openbadges-dev '''development group'''] -- Subscribe to these groups to take part in ongoing conversations about badges in the wild.
*[https://openbadges.etherpad.mozilla.org/openbadges-community-2 '''Open Badges Community Calls'''] -- Join our weekly global call every Wednesday at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm GMT. During these hour-long calls we share our progress and encourage you to share your Open Badges work, questions, and comments. They're fun and we encourage you to come along!
*[https://openbadges.etherpad.mozilla.org/research-calls '''Open Badges Research & Design Calls'''] -- If you are interested in Open Badges Research and Badge System Design, join this call, held on Wednesdays in the hour before the Community Calls, at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm GMT.
*[http://openbadges.tumblr.com// '''Open Badges Blog'''] -- Follow our blog for Open Badges news and updates.
*[http://twitter.com/#!/openbadges '''Twitter'''] -- Follow @OpenBadges and use the [https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OpenBadges&src=typd #OpenBadges] hashtag to join the conversation on Twitter.
*[https://www.facebook.com/MozillaOpenBadges '''Facebook'''] -- Like us on Facebook for news and updates you can share with your networks.
*[https://wiki.mozilla.org/IRC '''IRC'''] -- Reach us on IRC at irc.mozilla.org, #badges
*[[Media:Open_Badges_Presentation_-_General.pdf‎| '''Open Badges presentation materials''']] -- Want to give an Open Badges presentation? To get you started, here's a PDF. Please note that all of these documents are [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ CC by SA].
*[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aTAP04N9dAuSGv71tWOUA1iqYxWWTA4dlQIyP-7WT0E/edit '''Common badges terms and vocabulary'''] -- Help us to build a common lexicon of digital badge terms.


== Who is using Open Badges? ==


<h1 style="margin:3px; background:#d0e6f9; font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1; text-align:center; color:#000; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">  Welcome to the Badge Lab</h1>
*[http://openmatt.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/badges-in-the-real-world/ '''User stories'''] -- Hypothetical examples of how badges can help solve problems in everyday scenarios.<br>
*[http://www.2mbetterfutures.org/ '''2 Million Better Futures'''] -- This project from [http://www.cgiamerica.org/ CGI America] aims to help 1 million workers and 1 million students succeed using Open Badges by 2016.
*[http://chicagosummeroflearning.org/about '''Chicago Summer of Learning'''] -- The first citywide badging initiative, which was so successful that [http://www.enewspf.com/school-news/45425-mayor-emanuel-announces-nearly-100-000-badges-awarded-through-chicago-summer-of-learning.html '''Mayor Emmanuel committed to continuing the program next year.''']
*[http://www.openbadges.org/participating-issuers '''Participating Issuers'''] -- An updated list of badge issuers and designers.
*[http://bit.ly/platform-chart '''General Badge Issuing Platform Chart'''] -- A list of platforms for issuing open badges generated and continuously updated by the community.
*[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/Issuers '''Add your organization!'''] -- If you're issuing, designing or exploring open badges with your communities, add your organization to our list of issuers.


{| cellpadding=3 cellspacing=1
== Further Reading ==
|width="50%" valign="top" style="background:#f5fffa; border:1px solid #cef2e0;"|
{{Colorbox
|box-color=#f5fffa;
|title-color=#c1fea1;
|title=Discuss and Brainstorm Badges
|body=
*[http://groups.google.com/group/badge-lab Join the badge-lab mailing list]
*[[Badges/Designstorm|''Designstorm'']] - Discuss user-interface and user-experience ideas for badges
*[[Badges/Case Studies|Case Studies]] - Add your needs, requirements, or vision for a badge system.  
*[[Badges/Overview|Overview and History]] - An overview of the badge project and links to blogs and projects related to the Badge Lab.
*[[Badges/Unsorted|Unsorted discussions]] - not sure where your info or ideas should live on the wiki? Feel free to add it to this page, we can sort it out later!
}}
|width="50%" valign="top" style="background:#f5fffa; border:1px solid #cef2e0;"|
{{Colorbox
|box-color=#f5faff;
|title-color=#dfcef2;
|title=Help with Specs or Software
|body=
* [https://github.com/drumbeat-badge-sprint Github Repo] for the Drumbeat Festival tech sprint code
* [[Badges/Badge_Specification|Badge Specification]] -- Join the badge format specification draft process.
* [[Badges/Requirements|Badge Requirements]] -- let's convert our informal case studies into formal technical requirements for badges and the badge architecture. 
* [[Badges/Security Concerns|Security Concern]] -- Open distributed architecture carries with it special security concerns.
}}


|}
*[http://www.reconnectlearning.org/case-studies/ '''Case Studies'''] -- A set of case studies looking at how badges are being used to capture learning and achievements in higher education, professional training, and after school programs.
*[https://wiki.mozilla.org/File:OpenBadges-Working-Paper_012312.pdf '''White Paper'''] -- An in-depth look at how badges can reinvent 21st century learning<br>
*[http://bit.ly/badgevalidation '''Open Badges Validation Paper'''] -- An exploration of how to build an open and distributed accreditation system for badges and the organizations that issue them<br>
*[http://www.scoop.it/t/badges-for-lifelong-learning/?tag=Sheryl+Grant '''Press coverage'''] -- A collection of articles and related items from community member [http://www.hastac.org/users/slgrant Sheryl Grant] (new Press Coverage page coming soon!)
*[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/roadmap '''Open Badges roadmap'''] -- We're continually updating the roadmap with new features.
*[http://dmlcompetition.net '''Digital Media and Learning Competition: Badges for LifeLong Learning'''] (administered by HASTAC and funded by MacArthur) -- click to learn more.


<h2 style="margin:3px; background:#d0e6f9; font-size:120%; font-weight:bold; border:1px solid #a3bfb1; text-align:center; color:#000; padding:0.2em 0.4em;">Notices and notes</h2>
== Press Inquiries ==


'''Questions?''' Feel free to email [mailto:joshuagay@gmail.com Joshua Gay] or the public [http://groups.google.com/group/badge-lab badge-lab mailing list] with any questions you may have.
Please contact [mailto:press@mozilla.com press@mozilla.com].


<br style="clear:all;"/>
== Get involved with Mozilla  ==


*[http://join.mozilla.org '''Join Mozilla'''] -- you could get a snazzy t-shirt for joining!
*[http://www.mozilla.org/about/mission.html '''Mozilla's mission'''] -- Read more about our mission to promote openness, innovation & opportunity on the Web.
*[https://www.facebook.com/mozilla '''Like Mozilla on Facebook'''] and [http://twitter.com/mozilla '''Follow Mozilla on Twitter''']
*[https://donate.mozilla.org/Sign-Up '''Get updates from Mozilla'''] -- Be the first to know what we're doing and how you can get involved.


[[Category:Badges]]
[[Image:Open_Badges_napkin_sketch.png|800px]]
[[Category:Drumbeat]]

Latest revision as of 12:42, 3 December 2024

3ea2d817e92ac6e2e4e69bf9e9290d4f bigger.png Mozilla Open Badges
Owner: Erin Knight, Carla Casilli, Sunny Lee, Emily Goligoski, Chris McAvoy, Brian Brennan, Mike Larsson, Jess Klein, Chloe Varelidi, Atul Varma, Meg Cole, Jade Forester Updated: 2024-12-3
Mozilla's Open Badges make it easy for anyone to issue, earn and display badges across the web through a shared infrastructure that's free and open to all.


What is a Badge?

badge [baj]: a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc. (Source: Dictionary.com)

A badge is a symbol or indicator of an accomplishment, skill, quality or interest. From the Boy and Girl Scouts, to PADI diving instruction, to the more recently popular geo-location game, Foursquare, badges have been successfully used to set goals, motivate behaviors, represent achievements and communicate success in many contexts. A “digital badge” is an online record of achievements, tracking the recipient’s communities of interaction that issued the badge and the work completed to get it. Digital badges can support connected learning environments by motivating learning and signaling achievement both within particular communities as well as across communities and institutions. (Source: Erin Knight White Paper)

Digital Badges vs Open Badges

A digital badge is an online representation of a skill you’ve earned. Open Badges take that concept one step further, and allows you to verify your skills, interests and achievements through credible organizations and attaches that information to the badge image file, hard-coding the metadata for future access and review. Because the system is based on an open standard, earners can combine multiple badges from different issuers to tell the complete story of their achievements — both online and off. Badges can be displayed wherever earners want them on the web, and share them for employment, education or lifelong learning.

Open Badges are:

  • Free and open: Mozilla Open Badges is not proprietary. It’s free software and an open technical standard any organization can use to create, issue and verify digital badges.
  • Transferable: Collect badges from multiple sources, online and off, into a single backpack. Then display your skills and achievements on social networking profiles, job sites, websites and more.
  • Stackable: Whether they’re issued by one organization or many, badges can build upon each other and be stacked to tell the full story of your skills and achievements.
  • Evidence-based: Open Badges are information-rich. Each badge has important metadata which is hard-coded into the badge image file itself that links back to the issuer, criteria and verifying evidence.

Open Badges make it easy to:

  • Get recognition for the things you learn;
  • Give recognition for the things you teach;
  • Verify skills; and
  • Display your verified badges across the web.

What is Mozilla's Open Badges project?

Learning today happens everywhere, not just in the classroom. But it's often difficult to get recognition for skills and achievements that happen outside of school. Mozilla's Open Badges project is working to solve that problem, making it easy for anyone to issue, earn and display badges across the web through a shared technical infrastructure. The result: helping people of all ages gain and display 21st century skills and unlock new career and educational opportunities.

Want to know more about Open Badges? Read about what badges are and how they work and check out our Frequently Asked Questions page to find some answers, or shoot us an email at badges@badgealliance.org

Mozilla BadgeKit

Mozilla BadgeKit is a set of foundational tools to make the badging process easy.

BadgeKit:

  • Supports key stages in the badging experience including creating, designing, assessing and issuing.
  • Includes remixable templates and milestone badges allowing for easy customization.
  • Provides modular and open options (standards) for the community of badge makers to use and build upon within their existing sites or systems.

The hosted version of BadgeKit is currently only available for select organizations as part of the Cities of Learning initiative - sign-up for private beta has now ended. Alternatively, anyone can download the code from GitHub and implement it on their own servers. A tutorial for this process is available here.

Read more about BadgeKit

Get started with Open Badges

Ready? Check out our site and Community page
Set? Create your Backpack
Go! Get some Badges!
  • Check out the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada Badge Centre and earn your first badges!

Read more about the Technology behind Open Badges.
Find the Onboarding information for Issuers, Displayers and Earners and get started!

Become part of the Community

  • Open Badges learning group and development group -- Subscribe to these groups to take part in ongoing conversations about badges in the wild.
  • Open Badges Community Calls -- Join our weekly global call every Wednesday at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm GMT. During these hour-long calls we share our progress and encourage you to share your Open Badges work, questions, and comments. They're fun and we encourage you to come along!
  • Open Badges Research & Design Calls -- If you are interested in Open Badges Research and Badge System Design, join this call, held on Wednesdays in the hour before the Community Calls, at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm GMT.
  • Open Badges Blog -- Follow our blog for Open Badges news and updates.
  • Twitter -- Follow @OpenBadges and use the #OpenBadges hashtag to join the conversation on Twitter.
  • Facebook -- Like us on Facebook for news and updates you can share with your networks.
  • IRC -- Reach us on IRC at irc.mozilla.org, #badges
  • Open Badges presentation materials -- Want to give an Open Badges presentation? To get you started, here's a PDF. Please note that all of these documents are CC by SA.
  • Common badges terms and vocabulary -- Help us to build a common lexicon of digital badge terms.

Who is using Open Badges?

Further Reading

Press Inquiries

Please contact press@mozilla.com.

Get involved with Mozilla

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