Proposal for a complete, open source, system of learning that anyone can contribute to. Based on modules of one week, with creative output, and peer-reviewed. Introduce concept of Babits and Badgels (open badges) Proposal to test this out as a DEB submission for Brighton Digital Festival

1. Welcome to the BadgeLaureate *
Richard Vahrman
LocoMatrix
(* means there are notes)

2. Welcome to what?
• A BadgeLaureate is a record of a person’s
collection of badges - called BadgeLs *
• A BadgeL is awarded for completing a BaBit
• A Babit = module of study typically lasting 5 days
• 4 days of the Babit are spent in research/study
and a 1 day “creation” based on that study *
• Babits are peer-reviewed. You either pass or are
deferred until you meet criteria
• If deferred, you can be mentored until you pass

3. When do you pass the BadgeLaureate?
• Never!
• What?
• That’s right. The BadgeLaureate is an on-going
record of your achievements and you can do
as few or as many as you like over the course
of a lifetime
• Do BaBits as and when you feel like it
• Follow lines of BaBits based on interests or
recommendations (or LPS?)*

4. Who can write a BaBit?
• Anyone!
• Won’t that tend to make them low quality?
• No: they will rise or fall in value according to how
many people use them and how they are rated
• But there will be provision for BaBits to be added
to/improved upon
• This is done via addition to course materials *
• There will be a life cycle and ultimately a BaBit
will die as others become more popular

5. How much do BaBits cost?
• It’s possible that people will charge for them
• But it is imagined that the most popular will
be free and crowd-created, or adapted and
improved

6. Give me an example
• First idea for a BaBit – “Codes for Kids”
• Will include:
– Introduction with Scratch
– HTML
– Raspberry Pi basics
– Programming with the Pi with Python
• Creative part will be students own program

7. More examples
• The history of badges (self-referential!)
• Where I am – my town in space and time
• GPS – creating a location-based-game *

8. Also for
• BaBits can also be awarded for other activities
or have an equivalence
• Examples such as achievements in a sport or
music (c.f. Martial arts belts or music grade)

9. Extra BadgeLs
• For “merit”
• For mentoring
• Volunteering (cf Duke of Edinburgh award)
• For 1000 hits on YouTube

10. When will it be available?
• Planning to test a few BaBits during the
Brighton Digital Festival (Sept 2013)
• This will be as part of a week’s school testing
proposal for a free school *
• Part of a bid for IC Tomorrow competition

11. Why do a BadgeLaureate?
• Part of Education 3.0 thinking *
• Fits in with 5 principles for better learning
– Education for life
– Personalised Learning
– Creative
– Mentored
– Fun
• Also with 5 stages of learning (next slide)

12. 5 stages of learning *
• Boot-strappers - all you need for self-managed
learners
• Cubs – learning is play/learning is fun
• Explorers – learning by finding out
• Makers – learning by making (big projects)
• Apprentices – learning by working

13. Similarity to Baccalaureate
1. They sound similar
2. Er… that’s it

14. Differences
• EBacc (English Baccalaureate) made up of
modules called GCSEs and A levels
• Module are studied for up to 2 years at the end of
which you have to reproduce things you have
learnt in an exam
• If you fail an exam, you have to resit at a later
stage (6 months)– or maybe you just fail
• The main difference is that the EBacc has been
cancelled* – the Badgelaureate is just about to
take off

15. Will it happen?
• Not proposing it as an alternative to school
• Yet
• Could be part of our free school programme
• Could be interesting for home learners
• It’s happening in other ways already
– Khan Academy
– MOOCs
• This will standardise, formalise and put it into
handy, bite-size chunks