Badges - Best Kept Secret in Professional Learning

I’ve learned over the past 8 years working in professional learning it is often difficult to get adults to complete activities in a professional learning setting. The hands on practice is very important to solidify the knowledge in our minds. Practice during a professional learning session is formative and shows the facilitator if there are gaps in participant understanding of the concepts shared. In my experience educators who know and use learning theory regularly subconsciously demonstrate that the same theory they use with students does not apply to them. Many times they side step hand on practice and activities.  

Badges have been one motivational tool I have used in the past 2 years in my professional learning sessions to get adults to complete activities. During the recent GenCyber Teacher Camp at Augusta University camp participants earned badges upon completion of activities. Some badges were for completion of an activity while some badges were for exceptional quality work. I created the badges in Google Drawings using shapes from drawings and images from pixabay. For this camp I used Staples Sticker Paper and uploaded my badges to Cricut Print then Cut to create the badges.

In the past I have used Avery circle and square  labels for my badges. I have found the design and print features on Avery.com work very well.

For the GenCyber Teacher Camp participants were provided a badge poster on the first day of the camp. The badge poster was simply a design created in Google Slides and printed on cardstock. The badge poster was placed in their camp notebook. Each time a badge was earned participants added the badge to their poster.  

In shorter professional learning sessions I do not provide a badge poster. When badges are passed out participants sometimes place them on their notes or proudly wear them on their shirt.

In closing, it is amazing what you can get adults to do for a sticker. Don't just take my word for it try it yourself!

Here are some links to the badges and badge poster from the GenCyber Teacher Camp.

Badge Poster

Camp Badges