Welcome to the Badg Server. If you joined in to collect, review and verify a digital badge, please connect via a Secured link or simply visit
The concept of a digital badge is very simple. It is only a graphic that is used to represent an achievement. For example:
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Using the awarded badge the awardees can post same on their social media, websites, online portfolio and even as footer on their email. This allows the whole audience of the awardee to be aware that the individual is a qualified first aider.
Issues Arising
Let’s assume the badge was posted online on the awardee’s social media and a third party from the friend list find this logo nice and links it directly on his/her profile. A worst case scenario would be an external user copying the logo to portray self as a first aider.
Another problem that can arise is First Aiders have to constantly update / refresh their knowledge and skills otherwise their First Aid certificates are no longer valid. Let consider a scenario where the a first aider award is valid for 3 years only. It may happen that the digital badge remained online portraying that the awardee is still a first aider.
The Digital Badge Solution
Digital Badges have a special signature that allow third party to verify the authenticity of the badge. In order to do so, a badge server is required which represent exactly the role of the server here.
When a digital badge is created, it is assigned to a specific user with the name and email address inside. Even if someone else copies the graphic, when the graphic is validated it will return the name of the awardee.
A badge can be validated through any Open Badge Validator page. Below is the link for Badgr Open Badge Validator
If you want to test validity of a badge, open the above link and paste the link below inside the field for what would you like to validate?
https://badg.net/public/assertions/d-q54IamTv2mtWtn6PXglw
This validation should return valid together with a series of useful information.
NOTE: In this document, this first aider badge together with its issuer are examples used to demonstrate the Badge Principle. By no means it represents the awardees as First aiders or the issuer as a digital badge issuer. These examples are used to help the Industry understand digital badge in order to open new venues for collaboration.
Another problem corrected by Digital Badge is expiration of certification. With reference to previous diagram, there is an expiry date if required.
Use of Rewarding Badges to promote positive societal contributions
Digital Badges can be applied with geolocation and spacial data to promote physical activities and societal contributions
In one project rewarding badges was tested to encourage tree planting initiatives. The work is based from the original work titled ‘An open framework to geotag and locate plants around the world. ‘ Three distinct badges were created for this purpose
This example is useful for NGO’s engaged in afforestation and educational institutions willing to encourage youngsters towards green initiatives.. In this model, the sponsors may provide land and fruiting plants. Students are provided a map with GPS markers with location where they have to plant the trees. After some time, a new group of students can act as Eco-Explorers by visiting the site and check if the trees are there and report position.
Given that there are many NGOs working for the tree planing initiative, the digital badge is an excellent choice to prove to crowd funders how their efforts / sponsorship were spent. In brief it is available on a map. Furthermore evidences on the badge will lead to a tree on a map. This opens new doors for a fruit treasure hunt.
Digital Badges for Sports Federation
One area where limited research was carried out is application of digital badges for the sports industry. One possible investigation to carry out is the impact of digital badges on the promotion of sports in general. To help in this direction, we have set up this Badg Server and invites all sports Federations willing to implement this new model of a digital badge together with the existing one to get in touch with us.
How does it work?
Consider the case below where winners are awarded medals. The medals are offline materials that the participants cannot digitally use to show off. With some luck the participant may have a picture or two to share on the online media. Another problem is that a medal is allocated at a location and at a specific time. Being a gold medal winner in a competition does not make the achiever a life long gold winner.
Participation and winning competitions are achievements that forms part of an individual development. Unfortunately, there are no mechanisms to properly recognize the efforts behind the work.
Digital Medal
To change this aspect, we are introducing a digital medal through the use of Digital badges. The Digital Medal can contain: Name of Winner, email address of winner, Location where the activity took part and an expiry date in the event where Winner will remain champion for a lapse of time. Below is an example of same badge as applied to the sports.
Setting the vision of Mauritius for sports economy
Another important factor that can be saved in a badge is the destination venue. Given Mauritius’ reputation as a paradise destination, saving this info together with evidences may add prestige to a digital badge and present same as a dream destination. This might open new doors for the hosting of international events in Mauritius. This is an area where further investigation and research is required through regional event hosting.
Note:
- The model is build to work with all sport federations.
- Accounts are created for Sports Federation to opt for its usage.
- The Digital badges are best awarded together with medals and do not change existing workflow of a competition.
- Necessary is being done to find a sports neutral trustworthy reputable representative as the badge issuer.
- Interested sports federation are invited to get in touch with us via email.