Digital Badge Accreditation

Abstract

Summary of Teaching & Learning Context This active learning strategy was introduced to all undergraduate programmes within the department: BBus (Hons) in Business Studies (Enterprise & Innovation), BBs (Hons) in Marketing and Management, and BBs (Hons) in Digital Marketing. First year students are introduced to enterprise level e-commerce software, Shopify, as part of the Selling Techniques module. Shopify offer three digital badges, which can be built into a variety of programmes. The Shopify Basics badge is used in this module. This badge is awarded for pre-launch setup of an online Shopify store, giving students experience in building a store catalogue, creating customer incentives, and customising their website. Practical skills are gained, relevant for today’s employers, with the inclusion of a digital badge accreditation. Employers are becoming increasingly aware of digital badges as credible evidence of workplace-relevant skills. These alternatives to formal credentials offer students an additional way to gain recognition of achievements. Digital badges represent a new stage in supporting Ireland’s skills agenda, allowing for a validated representation of a skill or knowledge gained and verified online. This is the first digital badge accreditation offered to our undergraduates in the department