*What's required to make traditional schools and institutions value and recognize badges?
*Can we meet those requirements without requiring more fundamentally changes?
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==Answer Staging==
====Where could I find a description of the features in the public Beta?====
It is difficult to provide a list of features for a product in beta; the list changes as things are fixed and added due to need. The best way to develop an understanding of the features available is through viewing the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki github wiki] and this [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/PublicBeta beta announcement].
====I am non-technical and how do I implement the OBI against other open source projects like Moodle, Drupal, Wordpress, Etc?====
The Open Badges Infrastructure (OBI) is currently in public beta so there is a lot of activity in the area of integrating with other system (Open Source and otherwise). One of the main initiatives toward badge implementation is the [http://openbadges.org/en-US/faq.html#dml-competition 2011 DML competition] and a number of the winners are developing for other open source projects. As a non-technical person wanting to implement against these open source projects it would be suggested you wait until these DML winners have completed thier offerings and have re-released into the public domain for your resuse. An alternative to waiting would be to find services (contract or otherwise) to implement the OBI against these open source platforms. Keep in mind there are already some basic modules available and these services you use could take advantage of these existing open source modules. We would also encourage and support you in releasing your work back into the public domain.
* https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/8-90aX5qMcI/discussion
====What does it take to plug and existing badge system into Mozillas Open Badges Infrastructure (OBI)?====
'''There are two answers to your question, depending on what you mean by 'implementing a badge system':'''
# If you mean designing a set of badges and the system to manage the user assessments, badge issuing, etc. - the difficulty depends on how complicated and/or robust the system is that you are trying to build. The badge system itself is independent of the Mozilla Open Badge Infrastructure - intentionally so - so that the innovation can exist on the issuer side, where the expertise around teaching and learning lives. Sounds like you have already started exploring this through your keyword badges. In terms of tools for the issuer side of the ecosystem, there really isn't anything yet since this is so new, but part of the potential outcome of the DML Badge Competition is a set of widget or tools that could seed or provide the foundation for people trying to build badge systems. They might include ways to create badges, models for assessments, etc.
# But the other interpretation of your question is taking an existing badge issuing system and plugging it into the Open Badge Infrastructure. This is meant to be as simple as possible and we are currently working through beta to streamline that process even more. Some community members have started to build connectors for various technologies like Drupal and Django and we hope to have a continually growing community-driven set of these interfacing tech/widgets that should be fairly easy to pick up and reuse across various issuers. As I said, there are a few that exist right now (although I am not sure if they are up to date, Brian can weigh in there). Throughout the rest of this year and into next year, we will be revamping/building up our documentation and materials to hopefully make this a completely streamlined, self-service experience. In the meantime, we can set up a call to talk through details if needed.
* https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/XuERGLZGwOc/discussion
= Questions to answer in next iteration =
* What different approaches of authentication does open badges use? email, OAuth, BrowserID, OpenID, Other?
* Do the URLs for the criteria, evidence(optional) and origin need to be hosted in the same domain? And if yes, how could the criteria and evidence be hosted elsewhere?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/5DcMbeLDqSg/discussion
* How different are badges from the information we provide in our résumés?
* What are the 21st century skills that may be better announced through badges than through other formats of skill communication?
* What are "badge friendly" content, programs, or activities?
* How can a badge or a sequence of badges help one get a better job or plan a successful career?
* Who may benefit more from the badges: companies seeking for better collaborators or professionals looking for a better job?
* How recognizable will these so many new badges be? Can’t they be too many, and too difficult to trust, as much as bad colleges?
* Can you give me examples of badges that could help me get a better job?
* What kind of badge system designs exist? Where do we start when designing badge systems?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/UypzXDmnlJA/discussion
* Can I issue a badge to a group? - Not to the group as a whole, a badge is issued to an individual and the assignment is based upon their email address.
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/tk-JhsLvDMQ/discussion
* Is there some kind of badge accreditation body?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/G2ADhxpp_M8/discussion
* Where could I find a list of partner widgets that I could explore for reuse and learning?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/5m7aZ0kOzVY/discussion
** https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Open-Badges-related-widgets
* What is the OpenBadger project? And what services will it provide?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/oZyPO7UMZ-s/discussion
* I'd like to use the OBI in a non-educational environment? like gaming. How do I code against the OBI?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/DqUhJIo2ttA/discussion
* What are the minimum requirements for issuing a badge?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/lwydKy9I2h0/discussion
** http://billymeinke.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/open-badges-want-to-make-your-own-badges-by-hand-heres-how/
** http://criticaltechnology.blogspot.com/2012/06/open-badges-for-wikiversity-course.html
* who are the competitors to the open badges infrastructure?
* are there plugins for wordpress, facebook, linkedin, etc... so I can display my badges?
* What security features are going to be part of the OBI?
* Public Key Infrastructure, signed badges, and all that geeky security stuff to verify issuers, badges, etc... is that going to be a part of the OBI?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/SLXHnh8wiR0/discussion
* What is the difference between a displayer and my backpack?
** https://groups.google.com/d/topic/openbadges/EO22Yf6JdLE/discussion
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