Recognising informal learning with edubadges

Translating innovations into practice

Siemann is something of an odd man out within Albeda, an MBO institution with 120 study programmes in the Rotterdam region. Originating from the international business world, he held various positions within Albeda, from English teacher to head of Internationalisation. In his current role as advisor for the College of Economics & Business, he monitors technological and social developments and translates them into innovations that benefit his students and teachers. At the request of the business community, he had been looking for some time for a way to make his students' 21st-century skills more visible. The brainwave that overcame Siemann upon seeing Gentlestudent was that edubadges might play a decisive role in this.

21st-century skills

Skills such as cooperation, creative thinking and making original things are important for future employees, but how does an employer know whether a starter on the job market has them? Albeda had been working on ways to map these skills for some time. The institution took part in KOMPAS21, a project of 12 mbo institutions on 21st-century skills, in which rubrics were drawn up for various skills. With the rubrics, Albeda students have a tool in their hands to ask for feedback, for instance from internship supervisors, teachers or their parents.

'I see it as a present for the student: not focused on the qualification specification, but meant to gain more insight into yourself,' Siemann says. A gift that needed to be endorsed with an edubadge, so students can show the outside world what they can do. Albeda has since developed edubadges for 21st-century skills at the beginner, advanced and expert levels. Teachers determine when a student meets the requirements.

544 edubadges for students

Together with Deltion College, Albeda was the first mbo institutions to join SURF's edubadges pilot. During the corona crisis, some Albeda students voluntarily delivered flowers to care homes or organised workshops for fellow students. With these extra-curricular activities, they developed new skills, for which they earned edubadges. In several pilots, a total of 544 edubadges were awarded. A learning point here was that students did not always disclose the edubadges after a project. This needs more attention, Siemann confirms.

Fuelling enthusiasm

It may sound like edubadges at Albeda are optional extras, like a sticker on a test, but Siemann has a mission. To remain attractive to the business world, it is important as an MBO to innovate and be flexible. Edubadges are a way of responding to a future-proof labour market.

That bigger story is complex, he realises. Concrete examples better demonstrate the added value of edubadges. 'A student was struggling and looking for a side job alongside her studies. She shared a badge on collaboration on LinkedIn, along with a story about the project that had earned her the badge. Two days later, she received a message via LinkedIn from an employer eager to talk to her. That's how she got her side job.'

With such stories, he tries to fuel enthusiasm for edu badges, especially in the workplace. 'Once teaching teams, students and employers are enthusiastic, the management eventually pulls that naturally wider.'

Projects with edubadges

This is succeeding quite nicely. Edubadges are penetrating more and more places within Albeda. For instance, in the citizenship course, the deployment of student coaches, the Global Entrepreneurs Week and pop-up schools abroad, Albeda students will soon be able to collect edu badges.

Inspired by Deltion College, which developed edu badges for teachers, Albeda decided to issue edu badges for teachers as well. The institution is participating in the EU project Digital transformation for VET (Ditravet). Five countries are developing modules for students, teachers and managers on digital literacy, with edubadges providing insight into learning outcomes.

Off to the examination board

And then there are Skills Heroes, vocational competitions for mbo students where Albeda students regularly win prizes. 'The jury reports contain learning outcomes that come directly from the qualification dossier (SBB) of mbo students,' says Siemann. 'Albeda and Deltion are in talks with Skills Heroes Netherlands to create badges based on the jury reports.'

In doing so, he runs into a challenge for the first time that he has avoided until now: deploying edubadges for skills involving the exam board, or microcredentialing. Currently, students participating in Skills Heroes have to pass the Foundation for Practical Learning's (SPL) aptitude test, which counts as their exam. If it is up to Siemann, a microcredential for successful participation in Skills Heroes will soon be an official alternative. 'This is my dream now. But the mbo is very afraid to get the official qualifications. Schools really struggle with this issue.'

Helping people into work

Siemann stresses that edubadges are not an end in themselves. 'Our society is struggling with a staff shortage as well as with people who supposedly don't have the right skills, while a huge amount is being learned in non- and informal ways. Open badges, edubadges and microcredentials can be a way to recognise such skills. As a mbo, we are working with skills and lifelong development so that those people can find work through our education. That fits with a promise from our strategic vision: "We do what works!"'

Text: Marjolein van Trigt