We are pleased to introduce Digital Promise’s first open-source technology solution, Badge Engine. Our digital badging technology enables organizations to host and issue badges for their micro-credentialing and learning programs, which represents a significant contribution to ensure historically and systematically excluded learners and organizations worldwide have access to digital credentials through a low-cost product designed with equity in mind. Over the last year, Digital Promise’s Badging Coalition Advisory Board and the Badging Coalition have shared ecosystem, audience, and stakeholder insights into what is necessary for the continued success of digital credentialing.
Digital Promise is steadfast in serving historically and systematically excluded learners. With more than 10 years of experience in researching and developing competency-based micro-credentials using digital badging technology, Digital Promise recognized the need for organizations to have a free, open-source option to support the adoption of digital badging technology. We believe that high-quality, competency-based micro-credentials and learner-centered credentialing products are the key to providing historically and systematically excluded learners with opportunities for recognition, advancement, and empowerment.
Badge Engine is an open-source badging technology built by Digital Promise that adheres to the 1EdTech Open Badges 3.0 standard.
With the launch of the Badge Engine, we aim to offer a stable technology that other organizations may adopt and align with their badging programs by enabling their capability to host and issue badges. The open-source technology is rooted in the following:
Digital Promise believes that high-quality, competency-based micro-credentials and learner-centered credentialing products are the key to providing historically and systematically excluded learners with opportunities for recognition, advancement, and empowerment. Digital Promise became a pioneer and innovator in the credentialing space when we introduced the first-to-market educator-focused micro-credentials in 2013.
We have used this badging technology to power the Digital Promise Micro-credential Platform, which enables learners to apply for micro-credentials using a portfolio of evidence. Subject-matter experts review and award micro-credentials design with the Digital Promise Micro-credential Assessment Framework. The awards are signified by Open Badges, which are verifiable, trustworthy, and portable digital credentials that empower learners to own and control their records.
By using Badge Engine to issue badges for the Digital Promise Micro-credential Platform, learners will be empowered to obtain a portable digital record of their skills and achievements that can be shared and recognized by employers and learning institutions. In a skills-based economy, learners can access increased opportunities to design their own pathway to success.
We believe this technology has the potential to build dynamic credentialing programs that meet learners where they are, creating equitable pathways to personal and professional growth. Together, let’s explore how Badge Engine can shape a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone. For more information, please visit: BadgeEngine.org.
This work was funded by Walmart.
