Running Head: DIGITAL BADGES

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL BADGES ON STUDENT MOTIVATION

AND ACHIEVEMENT

Arika Collins

University of West Georgia

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For decades, classroom teachers and psychologists have detected the relationship

between student motivation and achievement. It has been often noted that students must be

engaged as well as motivated in order to be learn. Motivation for some students is more difficult

to sustain than others, leaving teachers and psychologists searching for ways to encourage

students. Psychologists have identified factors, both intrinsic, or internal, and extrinsic, or

external that may affect motivation (Barger & Byrd, 2011; Lumsden, 1994). Teachers and

psychologists both agree that if careful attention to maintaining student motivation is not taken

into account, student apathy and underachievement may result (Raffini, 1986).

Background and Rationale

Instructional decision-making can impact student motivation and achievement

(Linnenbrink & Pintrich, 2002). Keller (1999) suggests designing learning experiences using the

ARCS model, an acronym that structures instructional planning to focus on elements that garner

attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, for student motivation. Clark & Mayer (2008)

propose that students learn when engaged in active knowledge construction (p.23.) In order to

address the issues of motivation and achievement, teachers can adjust classroom instructional

practices to meet the motivational needs of their students. Within this context, digital badges

have emerged as one potential strategy to motivate and assess students. Digital badges are a

relatively new trend in business and education. A digital badge is a symbol representing

achievement of a skill or completion of a task. Initially designed as an alternative to traditional

assessments, digital badges have seen a rise in popularity in k-12 and higher education. The idea

of digital badges has grown in popularity among educators. Instructional designers have learned

to implement this fairly new strategy to document achievements and motivate students in an
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attempt to increase learning. Digital badges are useful in providing students with the feedback

they need in order to stimulate learning. Studies have shown their reasonableness in motivating

students to achieve.

Review of Literature

Researchers have sought to determine the effects of earning digital badges on student

motivation. In their 2013 study, Abramovich et. al, showed how students were motivated

through digital badges, even when students initially viewed their ability as low achieving in

math. The authors were also able to determine that some students were motivated to earn

badges. Lower achieving students were less concerned about the number of badges they earned

than the higher achieving students. It was also indicated that prior knowledge played a

significant role. In the study conducted by McDaniel, et al. (2012), it was revealed that the use

of badges as incentives promoted particular student behaviors: managing time wisely and

providing feedback. Students earned badges by completing modules and demonstrating certain

online behaviors. A portion of their grade was based on the number of badges earned. Survey

questions were administered on whether the achievement system had a positive effect on the

course revealed frustrations student admitted to having on finding hidden badges. It appeared

that students were more motivated to find the hidden badges than the initial goal of course.

There were students that felt they had to work for badges and were motivated to earn them. The

survey results also indicated gender differences in motivation; females were more motivated by

badge achievements than males. It was reported that one student used social media to inform

others on how to gain credit for hidden badges. This may have impacted the study immensely, as
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students could have found hidden badges with peer assistance, thus altering the results of the

study. Farzan et al (2008) also sought to reveal the correlation between incentives and users. In

this study, incentive mechanisms, rewards and reputation, were used at IBM. The incentives

were created to coerce participants into adding content to IBMs social networking site.

Participants received badges based on the amount of contributions they made to the site. Results

showed a sharp rise in badges and incentives; however, the quantity of both level out, as they

stopped contributing. Both articles reveal that badges can be used for motivation, but require

additional research.

Digital badges have proven useful for tracking credentials for teachers. They have been

shown to be equally useful in the classroom for recognizing achievements. Ash (2012) examines

the impact of digital badges on learners when used as a form of assessment. The author of

suggests that the gamification of learning influences what students are actually learning.

Davidson (2012) also suggests that digital badges be used as an alternate to standardized testing.

In previous article, Davidson (2011) explains, badges are useful for certifying complex

processes or skills that are not comprehended in our traditional grading systems.

There is a large body of dialogue regarding the use of digital badges for credentials,

especially in the area of higher education. There is very little research conducted that seek to

support the idea of using digital badges to recognize and determine academic achievement at the

elementary and middle school level.

Purpose and Justification

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The purpose of this study is to examine the outcomes digital badges have on stimulating

learners and their achievement. The mixed method study is prompted by the research questions:

1. What is the impact digital badges have on student motivation and achievement?
2. How do digital badges coordinate with student proficiency?
3. Are there differences in motivation toward learning academic content in students

who use badges compared to students who do not use badges?

The proposed study will examine and document the methods by which digital badges support

student achievement and motivation. Through surveys, attitude scales, and achievement tests, an

analysis of students experiences with and opinions of digital badges usage over the course of a

semester. The results will be used to equip teachers with tools to engage students and foster

students academic proficiency.

Methods

Sample

The subjects selected for this are forty-seven 4th grade math students. The subjects

receive regular mathematics instruction in either of two 90 minute rotations. Both sets of

students are heterogeneous mixes of academic ability: gifted, English-Language Learner, average

learner, and Special Education. In this experimental study, one class received traditional

instruction and the other received instruction with digital badges as incentives for mastery.

These typical samples of students will be used as they represent the demographic makeup of the

fourth grade classes at the elementary school.

Materials

One class was selected to use Study Island in addition to regular math instruction. Study

Island is designed to help students in kindergarten through 12th grade master state- and grade-
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level standards in an interactive and engaging manner. By combining content in either math,

reading, writing, science, or social studies with interactive features and games, Study Island uses

reinforcements and rewards to engage students. Study Island awards digital badges for mastery

of content.

Instrumentation

Student participants will take pre- and posttests of standards covered during the

implementation of the study. Pretests will be used to determine prior knowledge of content.

Posttest will aid in determining growth in achievement of standards mastery. Posttest data will

be disaggregated by gender and academic status.

A teacher-made survey will be administered to students prior to and after their

participation in the study. The Likert-like survey will seek to gauge students feelings towards

math instruction in general and digital badges as motivators. The scale will consist of 4 or 5

Likert-type items (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, or strongly agree) for each of the

following subscales of the motivational states that prior research has shown to be diminished by

rewards: interest in the activity, value for completing the activity, perceived competence during

the activity, and effort completing the activity (Filsecker & Hickey, 2014).

Data Analysis

In order to investigate the hypotheses, this study compared learning and engagement

between the two groups of students. The typical behavior and the degree at which the

independent variable affects the behavior in terms of motivation, engagement and learning is also

analyzed. In order to examine the effects of the digital badges on motivation, a motivation scale,
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which was administered as pre and posttest, a gain score based on the pre and post scores was

calculated.
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Scholarly Significance and Limitations

There are several factors to consider when using digital badges for learning, specifically:

what badges signify, motivation of student, and buy in. Digital badges can be linked with

specific learning objectives and standards. They can also be used to stimulate students

behaviors for academic skills acquisition and engagement. Teachers can use badges to promote

skill acquisition or provide incentives for students to remain engaged and on task. Digital badges

are relatively new tools for assessment and more research is warranted to determine the

effectiveness of their use.

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References

Abramovich, S., Schunn, C., & Mitsuo Higashi, R. (2013). Are badges useful in education?: It

depends upon the type of badge and expertise of learner. Educational Technology

Research and Development, 61(2), 217-232.

Ash, K. (2012). Digital badges would represent students skill acquisition. Education Week.

Retrieved from: http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2012/06/13/03badges.h05.html

Barger, A., & Byrd, K. (2011). Motivation and computer-based instructional design. Journal of

Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives in Education, 4(1), 1-9.

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2008). Learning by viewing versus learning by doing: Evidence-

based guidelines for principled learning environments. Performance Improvement, 47(9),

5-13.

Davidson, C. n. (2012, February 21). Can badging be the zipcar of testing and assessment?

DMLCentral. Retrieved from http://dmlcentral.net/can-badging-be-the-zipcar-of-testing-

and-assessment/

Davidson, C. N. (2011, March 21). Why badges work better than grades. HASTAC. Retrieved

from https://www.hastac.org/blogs/cathy-davidson/2011/03/21/why-badges-work-better-

grades

Farzan, R., DiMicco, J., Millen, D., Brownholtz, B., Geyer, W., Dugan, C. (2008). Results from

deploying a participation incentive mechanism within the enterprise. In Proceedings of

26th Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 563-572).

Retrieved January 29, 2016 from

http://watsonweb.watson.ibm.com/cambridge/Technical_Reports/2008/TR%202008.09%
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20Body%20%20Results%20fro%20Deploying%20a%20participation.pdf.

Filsecker, M., & Hickey, D. T. (2014). A multilevel analysis of the effects of external rewards on

elementary students' motivation, engagement and learning in an educational

game. Computers & Education, 75, 136-148.

Keller, J. M. (1999). Motivation in Cyber Learning Environments. International Journal of

Educational Technology, 1(1), 7-30.

Linnenbrink, E. A., & Pintrich, P. R. (2002). Motivation as an enabler for academic success.

School Psychology Review, 31(3), 313.

McDaniel, R., Lindgren, R., &Friskics, J. (2012). "Using badges for shaping interactions in

online learning environments." Professional Communication Conference (IPCC), 2012

IEEE International. IEEE, 2012.

Olneck, M. (2012). Insurgent credentials: A challenge to established institutions of higher

education. Paper presented to Education in a New Society: The Growing

Interpenetration of Education in Modern Life at Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study,

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachussetts, April 26-27, 2012. Retrieved from

HASTAC http:// www. hastac. org/ files/ insurgent_ credentials_ _ michael_ olneck_.
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Section Not Evident Emerging Proficient Exemplary
I. Introduction (1 page) 3 points
This section should include: 0 1 2 3
Background Information not Information is Information is Information is
provided. provided but relevant and relevant,
is unclear, adequate for sufficient, and
insufficient, or the proposed clearly
irrelevant. study. supports the
proposed
study.
Statement of the research Information not The research The research The research
problem and rationale for provided. problem is problem is problem is
the study stated, but is clearly stated clearly stated,
unclear, too and is relevant, and
broad/narrow researchable. researchable.
or irrelevant. Strong Rationale is
The rationale rationale extremely
for the study provided. The clear,
is unclear or rationale compelling,
weak. statement and clearly
generally supports the
justifies the research
research questions.
questions. There is a
clear link
between the
rationale and
the research
questions.
Objectives (1 page) 3 points
Purpose 0 1 2 3
The goals are Purpose is Purpose is Exceptionally
not stated. not clearly clearly clear in
described. described. purpose.
Goals are Goals are Goals are
stated but are realistic, realistic,
unclear, adequately clearly stated,
irrelevant, or stated and and clearly
too generally aligned with
broad/narrow. aligned with the research
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the research problem.
problem.
Research Questions and Information not Questions/ Generally, Research
Hypotheses/ provided or no hypotheses/ questions questions are
Propositions basis for propositions have proper clear, concise,
judgment. are missing, scope, are feasible, of
weak, or realistic, proper scope,
unclear. feasible, and and answer
Questions not adequately the purpose.
of sufficient phrased.
scope or are Each
not feasible. research
question is
correctly
phrased, and
addresses
only one
aspect of the
research
problem.

Definitions for All key

Definitions of key Key key Definitions for concepts/term
concepts used in the concepts/terms concepts/term key s are clearly
research questions are not s are provided concepts/term defined/
defined. but are s are provided explained.
inaccurate or and generally
unclear. adequate.
Literature Review (2 pages) 3 points
Criteria: 0 1 2 3
Critical review of literature Information is Findings from Some Evidence of
Relevance not provided, leading evidence of sound
Conceptual/Theoretical irrelevant, researchers satisfactory knowledge
framework incomplete, are included knowledge and critical
Alignment and or with minimal with limited review of the
inaccurate. critical critical review literature
commentary. of the relevant relevant to the
literature, but study.
Cited with gaps and
literature may or omissions. Developed a
not be clear,
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relevant to the Conceptual/ appropriate,
study. theoretical and justified
framework is conceptual/
included; theoretical
however it is framework for
not fully the research.
developed or
justified.
Methods (1.5 pages) 16 points
Type of study and research design 0 1 2 3
No selection or Research Research Research
justification of approach and approach and approach and
research design are design design are
approach and unclear, minimally realistic,
design. inappropriate, address the feasible,
or research clearly
underdevelop questions and described,
ed. goals. and aligned
with the
research
questions and
goals.
Sampling 0 1 2 3-4
Little or no Limited Reasonable Sampling
evidence of a evidence of evidence of a procedure is
sampling an feasible optimally
procedure. appropriate sampling chosen, fully
sampling procedure. justified, and
procedure. feasible.
Instrumentation 0 1 2 3-4
No information Information is Instrumentatio Instrumentatio
provided. limited or n is described n is optimally
instrumentatio and can chosen,
n is provide the clearly
inadequate. information described,
needed to and feasible.
respond to
the research
question(s).
Data Analysis 0 1 2-3 4-5
Little or no Limited Reasonable Clear
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evidence of a evidence of evidence of a evidence of
data analysis an realistic data applying
plan. appropriate analysis plan. appropriate
data analysis data analysis
plan. A general procedures,
description of which
The the data adequately
description of analysis address
data analysis procedures is research
procedures is provided. questions and
incomplete or goals.
contains Criteria for the Procedures
inaccuracies. interpretation are
of results are adequately
Criteria for the incomplete. described.
interpretation
of results are The type of
incorrect or results
are not provided by
provided. these
methods is
indicated and
criteria for
interpretation
are fully and
accurately
explained.
Scholarly Significance and Limitations (1/2 pages) 3 points
Criteria: 0 1 2 3
Practical and theoretical No information Minimal Recognition Recognition
implications provided. recognition of of some and adequate
Limitations the contributions explanation of
contributions and/or the practical
and limitations of and
limitations of the study. theoretical
the study. contributions
and
limitations of
the study.
Presentation and Writing - 2 points
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Criteria: 0 1 2
Clarity Generally poor Reasonably Clear and
Writing mechanics use of English clear and correct use of
APA characterized correct use of English
by numerous English characterized
errors, unclear, characterized by a clear
incorrect by generally style of
and/or illogical clear expression,
statements. expression, with few
with relatively imprecise
few imprecise and/or
and/or incorrect
incorrect statements.
statements.
Total: /30