Badges: Learn and Earn

 Unfortunately, when I was a boy, I never took the opportunity to join the boy scouts and I secretly envied all of the neat badges my friends earned and displayed on their shirts. If I were still in the classroom, I am pretty sure modern day badges would have a place in my classroom. I think they provide just the right amount of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Badges in school today are a way to recognize students' and teachers' informal learning.
Badge resource: http://www.emergingedtech.com/2013/06/the-evolving-use-of-badges-in-education/
   
     The Ohio Appalachian Collaborative has begun to digitally recognize educators by providing them a pathway to earning and learning. Educators can earn a "tweet badge" and a "share badge" and earn CEUs along the way. If your school is a member of the OAC, you can find out more here>http://portal.battelleforkids.org/OAC/blog

     I am thinking of hanging a poster size board outside of teachers' classrooms next year and then printing off large sticker "badges" to attach to for recognition as they pursue informal learning opportunities.

     Does your school principal or teachers promote and recognize "learning and earning?" If so, I would love to hear about it in the comment section!