Professional credentials are shifting from paper to digital representations, but issues of security, validity, portability and cost – along with simplicity – are forefront among credential issuers considering the transition. Mozilla Foundation’s new Open Badge Infrastructure is one vendor-neutral option for digital credential display, storage and sharing. This ePoster (created for the November 2013 ICE Exchange conference held by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence) explains how traditional paper credential issuance can move to a digital credential approach using open web standards and technologies, and the potential benefits to credential issuers, credential earners and employers. Authors are Frank Catalano and Kenneth J. Doucet of Professional Examination Service, a not-for-profit professional credential assessment and services organization (@ProExam or www.ProExam.org).

1. Transitioning from Paper
Credentials to Digital,
Displayed as Open Badges
Frank Catalano
Kenneth J. Doucet
www.ProExam.org

2. Evolution of Credentials
Credentials = paper certificates (“sheepskin”) for decades
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3. Evolution of Credentials
But employment process has moved online
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4. Evolution of Credentials
Result: more demands on credential issuers,
lack of flexibility for credential earners,
verification hassle for employers
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5. Displaying Digital Credentials
Earlier “digital credentials” – simple images – easily
counterfeited with cut-and-paste
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6. Displaying Digital Credentials
Equivalent of a harder-to-fake physical badge – like Scouting
– has not existed digitally before
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7. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Mozilla Foundation (best known for Firefox web browser)
has created the Open Badge open technical standard
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8. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Mozilla Foundation (best known for Firefox web browser)
has created the Open Badge open technical standard
Graphic image as a badge, with embedded data about who
issued it, earned it, and other details
www.ProExam.org
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9. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Mozilla Foundation (best known for Firefox web browser)
has created the Open Badge open technical standard
Graphic image as a badge, with embedded data about who
issued it, earned it, and other details
All by clicking on badge image
www.ProExam.org
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10. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Issue
Earn
Issuing organization grants a credential
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11. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Issue
Earn
Issuing organization grants a credential
Earner receives a digital Open Badge instead of paper
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12. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Issue
Earn
Manage
Earner stores, manages credential in an online “vault”
www.ProExam.org
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13. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Issue
Earn
Manage
Earner stores, manages credential in an online “vault”
Issuer still controls credential details
www.ProExam.org
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14. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Issue
Earn
Manage
Share
Earner shares credential badge image on social networks,
www.ProExam.org
web, in digital resume
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15. Credentials as “Open” Badges
Issue
Earn
Manage
Verify
Share
Employer (or anyone) verifies with one click back to issuer
www.ProExam.org
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16. Professional & Workplace Uses
University of Illinois uses Open Badges as credentials to
certify teachers in online instruction
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17. Professional & Workplace Uses
EDC, in three countries, issues Open Badges as credentials
for its assessment-based work readiness program
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18. Professional & Workplace Uses
Badges for Vets offers Open Badges for returning veterans
to show employers skills learned in military
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19. Credentials as Digital Open Badges
Organizations: Reduce fulfillment costs,
rapidly update status, extend brand
across web, secure
www.ProExam.org
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20. Credentials as Digital Open Badges
Organizations: Reduce fulfillment costs, rapidly
update status, extend brand across web, secure
Individuals: Easily verified credential, display
on social networking/career sites, include in
digital resume
www.ProExam.org
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21. Credentials as Digital Open Badges
Organizations: Reduce fulfillment costs, rapidly
update status, extend brand across web, secure
Individuals: Easily verified credential, display on social
networking/career sites, include in digital resume
Employers: Streamlined and secure
verification
www.ProExam.org
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22. www.ProExam.org
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