I listened to Daniel Pink open the TLT Symposium with a presentation that confirmed, for me anyway, much of how I feel. His presentation, though, seemed to serve the needs of a Human Resources climate committee more than the needs of educators. So it was both good and not so good; appropriate and confirming, yet out-of-place and disconnected. Though Pink said that cognitive work didn’t benefit from inducements, he also said that badges as credentials are pretty cool. Was that his safe way of saying badges wouldn’t work as inducements?
I have to think so. It sounded like very specific clarification when he said “as credentials.” Especially with the framework of his other points. Instead of badges as motivation, badges could serve as granular credentials.
Anyone doing any work that took even the most rudimentary cognitive effort would respond to intrinsic motivation. Exactly my thought: I’ll learn what I need to know to do the best job possible in an effort to serve my community. Pink asked what motivated artists to “compose,” then by way of answering described the creative being’s categories of intrinsic motivation:
- Autonomy- The urge to direct our own lives.
- Mastery- The desire to get better and better at something that matters.
- Purpose- The yearning to do what we do in service of something larger than ourselves.
Making progress in meaningful work. That’ll do it. I don’t need any badges. After all, who is certifying the badge grantors and the credit they’re supposed to represent? Accreditation would be the big issue. Why should I care what they think of my skills?
I think we have accreditation wrong. BiSci02 taken through World Campus and BiSci02 in a classroom offer two different learning experiences, yet both give the same credit towards a degree. A degree completed through World Campus will represent one learning experience, one completed at Abington Campus another, one at UP still another. All are certified Penn State Credentials. A Penn State credential is different than a Lock Haven credential. Is a World Campus credential different than a Lock Haven classroom conferred credential? That’s getting fairly granular, but that’s exactly the sort of information I’d need. Will badges improve this credential mire or confuse it?