Changes

== A. Mozilla Open Badge Infrastructure (OBI) == NOTE: The documentation below is for general on-boarding. If you want For an overview of badge issuing with the Mozilla OBI, read on. For more technical documentation, please see our [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/blob/development/docs/apis/issuer_api.md github pages].

=== I. BACKGROUND Background ===

* Truly support learners earners learning everywhere;

* Develop a supporting infrastructure to standardize the process and support each learnerearner;* Create an infrastructure that is open and as decentralized as possible to give learners earners control and support of the entire ecosystem;* Provide software and development tools to help organizations implement badging systems.

Enabling learners The Open Badges framework is designed to enable people to earn badges wherever they're learning across the web Web - this requires support for multiple individual badge issuers. Empowering learners earners to use their badges as legitimate credentials also requires support for sharing of badges across many display sites. The Open Badges framework is designed to allow any learner potentially allows the earner to both collect and display badges from in multiple sitescontexts, tied to a single identity, and then . Earners can share them out badges across various sites, including such varied online environments as personal blogs to and social networking channels. It is critical for this infrastructure to be open , to give learners earners control over how they represent their own learning and credentialsexperiences, to allow anyone to issue badges, and for each learner earner to carry their badges with them across the Web and other contextsthroughout their online life.

=== II. TECH SPECS Tech Specs ===

* [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/Onboarding-Issuer#C._Badge Badges] are represented by JSON data blobs embedded in PNG files in the [http://beta.openbadges.org/backpack/ Backpack]* [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/Onboarding-Issuer#I._Identity Identity] management is handled by Mozilla’s Persona (fka BrowserID) [link: https://browserid.org/, http://identity.mozilla.com/Mozilla Persona]

=== III. OPEN BADGES ECOSYSTEM === ==== Diagram =Open Badges Ecosystem ===

==== Overview ====* An issuing organization or individual issuer makes a badge or series available to their community of badges available earners on their website and prompts their community to earn them. The When awarded the badge, an earner sends the badge it to their Backpack.** The badge becomes portable through the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Issuer-API Issuer API] which provides script to present , presenting the earner with a modal dialog that requests their consent to add the issuer's badge(s) to their Backpack.** Issuer If the issuer wants the earner to be able to store the badge outside the OBI, they can also optionally push badges it to the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Badge-Baking Mozilla Baking Service] where the assertion URL representing JSON blobs is embedded into PNG files** n.b. This is only necessary if the issuer wants the earner to have the ability to store badges outside of the OBI. Otherwise badge baking is handled through the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Issuer-API Issuer API].

* Displayers authenticate badges with the Issuer issuer using a verification check. ''Badge issuing is significantly simplified using BadgeKit, Mozilla's new set of badging tools. The BadgeKit Web app lets issuers create and publish badges through an intuitive interface. An issuer can then present those badges using the BadgeKit API, which also handles reviewing applications - [https:[Badges//wikibadgekit|Read more about BadgeKit]].mozilla'' === Definitions and Concepts ===  '''Badge''' A digital representation of a skill, learning achievement or experience.org/Badges/Onboarding-Issuer#Gcan represent competencies and involvements recognized in online or offline life. Each badge is associated with an image and some metadata. The metadata provides information about what the badge represents and the evidence used to support it. '''Open Badge Infrastructure (OBI)''' Open infrastructure technology supports independent badge issuers and displayers._Verification Verification] checkIncludes the metadata specification, APIs, verification framework, Backpack and software tools.  '''''ROLES''''' '''Earner'''

Someone who earns a badge (either by applying or being directly issued with it). The earner can use their Backpack to manage and share their badges. '''Issuer''BadgeKit, Mozilla's new set of badging tools Organization or individual who issues Open Badges to their communities. The issuer is responsible for defining badges, making them available to earners and handling applications for badges.* Badge issuing can significantly simplify the issuing process - [[Badges/badgekit|Read more about BadgeKit]]involve participants with various specific roles, such as application assessors, badge creators and administrators. '''Displayer'''

'''''TOOLS''''' '''Mozilla Backpack''' The core authorized data store and management interface of Mozilla’s reference implementation of the Backpack. Each earner has their own Backpack where their badge data is stored.  '''[https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-specification/blob/master/Assertion/latest.md Assertion Specification]''' Badge metadata is represented as an [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/Onboarding-Issuer#Assertion assertion]. The assertion specification defines the information within a badge. An organization or individual who issues designs assertion includes multiple items of data, such as: badge name and description, issuer, date, criteria URL, evidence URL and issues badge image URL. The assertion should carry all the information needed to understand a badge. This ensures that badges can be fully understood and verified no matter where they are shared. '''[https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Badge-Baking Badge Baking]''' A badge is an image combined with assertion data - badge baking embeds an assertion into an image to produce a portable badge. '''[https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Issuer-API Issuer API]''' The Issuer API provides a script for issuers to let earners send badges to the ecosystemBackpack.  '''[https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Displayer-API Displayer API]''' The OBI is open Displayer API provides specifications for displaying badges beyond the Backpack. '''[https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-verifier Verification] The Verifier extracts badge data to verify earners. '''[[Badges/badgekit|BadgeKit]]''' A new set of tools to simplify badging for issuers - provides an interface for creating and supports any independent issuer who conforms to managing badges/ assessing badge applications. The BadgeKit API lets issuers control interaction with their own community of badge earners while supporting much of the necessary badge admin process through a Web app. See also the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-badgekit/wiki/BadgeKit-and-Open-Badges-Resources BadgeKit and issuing specifications. Open Badges Resource list]

=== I. BACKGROUND ===* Issuers completely determine To explore the content concepts and terms in badging and criteria behind their badge systems. They know their communities best.* The touchpoint with issuing, check out the OBI occurs when earners send their badges to the designated Backpack.* Issuers do not need to register with the OBI; they simply send badges to earner's Backpacks utilizing the Issuer Javascript API[https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-badgekit/wiki/Glossary Badging and BadgeKit Glossary]

==Issuing Badges = II= An issuer is an organization or individual who designs and issues badges within the ecosystem. REQUIREMENTS The OBI is open and supports any independent issuer who conforms to the necessary badge and issuing specifications. Additionally, issuers can now benefit from the [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/badgekit BadgeKit] tools, providing they meet specific technical requirements. === Background ===* Issuers determine the badging approach that will work best for their communities.* Touchpoints with the OBI occur through various interfaces, including sending badges to Backpacks and using BadgeKit.* Issuers do not need to register with the OBI - they simply utilize the JavaScript APIs. === Requirements ===* Issuers must have web Web hosting facilities including:** A server capable of serving requests to the general Internet.* Issuers must have hosting ability.* Issuers must have The ability to make a POST request from their server backend and read a JSON response.* Issuers must have email * Email addresses for earners (and must be able the ability to email earnersthem). * Issuers must have badges (or be able to convert their badges) into * Badges structured in the format (metadata spec) that the Assertion assertion expects- when using BadgeKit this structuring is automated. ** Earners must be registered with the backpack implementation that the issuer is trying to send their badges to. ''In the future, the issuer will need to ask the earner which backpack they want to push badges their to and honor that request. ''

** If doing For Hosted Assertions (currently available).*** Issuers - issuers must maintain a server with the Badge Assertion information (at the unique badge URL) to verify each badge. ** If doing For Signed Assertions.:

*** Issuers must sign the badges themselves, sign the whole package, and push badges to earner backpacks through the Issuer Javascript JavaScript API.

=== III. BADGE CREATION FLOW Badge Creation Flow ===

''The Issuer API is a script that can be dropped into any badge issuer's website to provide a way for earners to add an issuer's badges to their Backpack or federated backpacks. There's no need to bake the badges independently as the API takes care of this.''

'''''The badge creation flow varies significantly for issuers using [[Badges/badgekit|BadgeKit]]. Issuer admins can design and define the data for a badge within the BadgeKit Web app, with BadgeKit handling badge assertionsdata structuring. Issuers can then present available badges to their earners using the BadgeKit API.'''''

=== IV. OPEN BADGES Related Open Badges related Widgets created by the community ===* https://github.com/lmorchard/django-badger -- Issuing app for Django* https://github.com/PRX/badges_engine -- Rails Engine for issuing.* https://github.com/openmichigan/open_badges -- Drupal module for managing/issuing badgesn.b. Updated list can be found here: https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Open-Badges-related-widgets

=== V. A number of Open Badger ===OpenBadger will be a lightweight OBI compliant badge issuing platform. It will soon make creating Badges widgets and issuing utilities have been developed for integrating badges easy for non-technical users.We've done some [https://github.com/mozilla/OpenBadger/wiki/Speculation speculation] but more to come on the [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadger Open Badger github]with various technologies including WordPress, Drupal, Django, Rails, PHP, Java, Moodle, Mahara, Joomla, Blackboard, Google Sites, Canvas, iOS, Android and AJAX.

== CSee [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges/wiki/Open-Badges-related-widgets the list] on GitHub (which is regularly updated). Badge ==

== D[https://wiki.mozilla.org/Badges/badgekit BadgeKit] builds on a range of tools which have been under continual development for some time through projects such as Chicago Summer of Learning. These tools include [https://github.com/mozilla/openbadger/blob/v2.0/docs/api.md Open Badger] and [https://github.com/mozilla/aestimia Aestimia]. Backpack ==

== Backpack == The Mozilla Backpack is an authorized data storage space and management interface for earners of Open Badges. Each earner can access their own Backpack - that holds all of their badges and gives lets them an interface to manage and share their badges.

== E. Metadata Spec Assertion ==

=== I. OVERVIEW ===* A badge Badge metadata is defined as an assertion URL representing chunks of JSON data embedded into a PNG file, which contains multiple required and optional fields.* The metadata should carry all structure has evolved over time - see the information needed to understand a badge[https://github. This ensures that badges can be fully understood and verified no matter where they are sharedcom/mozilla/openbadges-specification/blob/master/Assertion/latest.* This is the data presented in the Assertion URL on the issuer's servermd assertion specification] for complete details.

=== II. FIELDS ===* Required** recipient: Salted hash Issuers can put a reasonable amount of the email address for the earner receiving extra material into the badge.** salt: The salt used in the hash construction of the recipient’s email address.** badge: The structure describing the badge. *** version: The version of the badge*** name: Human, but that material must be static -readable name of once the badge being issued. Maximum of 128 characters.*** image: URL for image representing the badge. Should be a square and in PNG format. Maximum size is 256kb.*** description: Description of the badge being issued. Maximum of 128 characters.*** criteria: URL describing the badge and criteria for earning the badge (, any change to that information must not the specific instance of the badge).*** issuer: Information about the issuer: **** origin: Origin of the issuerchange. This is the <protocol>://<host>:<port>. Must match the origin of the Hosted Assertion (and in the future, the origin of the public key).**** name : Human-readable name of the issuing agent.* Optional** evidence: Earner-specific URL with information about this specific badge instance. Should contain information about how the individual earner earned the badge.** expires: Date when the badge expires. If omitted, the badge never expires. *** standard: Information about a governing institution or standard that a badge is related to.*** The badge is not removed prevent someone from the earner’s Backpack after the expiration date; there will be some visual/technical indicator that the issuing one badge is expired and needs to be re-upped. Must be formatted "YYYY-MM-DD" or a unix timestamp.** issued_on: Date when badge was issued. If omitted, the issue date will be set then sneakily changing it later to the date the another badge was pushed unbeknownst to the Backpack. Must be formatted "YYYY-MM-DD" or a unix timestamp.** issuer: Information about the Issuer:*** org: (OPTIONAL) Organization for which the badge is being issued. An example is if a scout badge is being issued, the "name" of the Issuer could be "Boy Scouts" and the "org" could be "Troop #218".*** contact: (OPTIONAL) A human-monitored email address associated with the Issuerearner.

=== II. BETA: BAKING SERVICE Baking Service ===

* REQUIREMENTS: To bake a badge, you must be hosting host a badge Assertion on your site. ** See the Assertions page for details: https://github.com/mozilla/openbadges-specification/wikiblob/master/Assertions* Issuers will still send the badge Assertion to Mozilla, but instead of sending it directly to the Backpack, they will now send it to the Mozilla Baking Service. Then Mozilla will package it into a PNG and deliver back to the issuer who can then send to the earner/latest. md** The purpose of this system isdesigned to:*** A) to avoid SPAMing the Earner earner with unwanted badges, and *** B) to give the Earners earners ultimate control over where the badges go. ** n.b. If you are building a new system, we strongly recommend using the Javascript Issuer API for awarding badges. The API takes care of the badge baking for the Issuer.

* PNG files will be unpacked in the Backpack where each earner can view, manage, and organize their badges (and see all the metadata behind each badge).

''If you are building a new system, we strongly recommend using the JavaScript Issuer API or BadgeKit for awarding badges. The tools and APIs take care of the badge baking.'' === III. BADGE IMAGE STANDARDS Badge Image Standards === 

* When a badge is displayed, it will be loaded from the Mozilla cache to avoid extra burden on the issuer servers. This also helps if the issuer is not available or the link is broken. * When using BadgeKit, issuers can design badges inside the Web app using a graphical tool, or can upload images prepared elsewhere.

== G. Verification ==

* This helps handle is essential to allow earners to prove the questions authenticity and validity of "Did this Issuer issue this badge their badges. Badges can also have expiry dates, allowing issuer to this earner on this date? Is this badge still valid or has it expired?" implement time-sensitive badges, for example in continuous professional development scenarios.* The OBI provides the channel for this verification to happen through the Backpack but must communicate with the Issuerissuer.

=== II. VERIFICATION METHOD Verification Method ===  

=== III. FUNCTIONAL FLOW Functional Flow ===

== H. Displayers ==

== I. Identity ==

** Additional info: https://browserid.org/, https://wiki.mozilla.org/Identity

=== II. FUNCTIONAL FLOW FOR VERIFYING IDENTITY IN BACKPACK Verifying Identity in Backpack ===