I’m been pretty busy this summer doing summer school, working on TPT, catching up on reading, and completing digital badges! Whenever I mention digital badges, I always get a ton of questions so I decided to make a quick blog post with some links.
What are digital badges?
They are recognition for completing tutorials and tests, showing that you are competent in a program, website, etc.
Why should I get a digital badge?
I’m sure we all have out own reasons. Personally, I’m still a newbie teacher and I like keeping my resume updated, so these badges are a great way of filling my resume with proof that I am a 21st century educator in terms of technology use. I also like digital badges because they are quick and the tutorials are PACKED with lots of good information that is targeted to educators.
What do I do with digital badges?
Again, you can mention you are “certified” in your resume. You can add them to your blogs and email signatures. Some badges come with special perks.
What does it cost?
Depends on the badge. Most are free.
Can you tell me more?
Yes, I will give a brief explanation of each certification. I am also going to order them from easiest to hardest to achieve. This is completely subjective, since I have had more experience in certain software, websites, and programs. I only provide a brief explanation because I think it’s important that you personally take a look at the websites and resources and determine if they are right for you. If you have any questions, I’m here for you!
FREE: I believe there are about 122 badges here in total that you can achieve. Some of these are SUPER easy to get. For example, you get a badge for simply filling out your profile. There’s TONS of different videos and tutorials on here. I’m slowly collecting badges since there are so many:
Free: I love Apple products. I have 4 iPads in my classroom that I use for everything. I have also been teaching using an iPad and Apple tv and LOVE IT. You can take three different tests here: iPad, Mac, and Swift. I just learned about Swift at the CUE conference this year, it is basically Apple’s version of kid-friendly coding. Honestly, it’s okay. Since I only have 4 iPads in my classroom, I don’t use Swift to teach coding. Instead, I use web based programs such as Scratch, Code.org, Minecraft, and Lightbot.
Isn’t Minecraft just an annoying game? Why would I want to get a badge for that?! Believe it or not, Minecraft has some educational value. I currently teach at a computer science immersion school, where one of the technological components we focus on is Minecraft. Students eventually learn to code with Java and use Gimp (similar to Photoshop). Although the Minecraft badge is listed in the Microsoft website, you need to create a separate account with the Minecraft education website.
Paid: I’ve been using Symbaloo for a year now and didn’t even know a badge existed for this until someone from a facebook group told me about it (thank you Wendy!). You have the option of doing a basic ($10) or PD ($40) certification. I chose the basic option since I wasn’t too interested in the perks of the PD certification…but I might do it later ><. The basic option also gives you an option to apply for some SWAG if you decide to teach a PD on it.
5. Common Sense Digital Educator Badge
Free: I strongly believe it is important to teach students about Digital Citizenship if they will be using computers in their education. In order to get this badge, you will need to collect artifacts to prove that you are teaching your kids about digital citizenship. Once you submit your application with the artifacts, you should receive an email within two weeks. I had my students complete the free activities in the Digital Passport resource, lots of great stuff here!! Some perks here include having your name listed on their website as a certified teacher, and getting in their newsletter.
6. Google Certified Educator Level 1
Paid: This is probably the best certification I did. It’s going to take about 2-3 hours to complete this test in one sitting. You run through the multiple choice first, then the performance task. It’s unlike any test I’ve ever done, but it was such a unique experience. The test is $10 but well worth the money. If you are using Google at your school, I HIGHLY recommend this test because you will learn so much.
7. Google Certified Educator Level 2
Paid: Alright, this test is a BEAST. It took about 3 full hours to complete and I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to pass because I wasn’t sure if I completed everything in the performance task section correctly. Unlike the level 1 test where I already knew a lot of the information, the level 2 test had a lot of things I didn’t know. Don’t be a crazy person and take both tests on the same day like I did ><
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