Site closure and open badges

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Randy Thornton -
Number of replies: 10
Picture of Documentation writers


Well, it's not exactly what they said. The badge details will display on the new site if they are linked to the badges in the backpack, or if the files are uploaded by the users, because the original issue information is  always embedded ("baked") into the image itself.

However, as you probably suspect, all those links related to authentication will fail because the original source no longer exists. So it will be impossible for anyone to properly verify the authenticity of the badge issuer or the details of the issuing. It is rather like having a diploma from a university which no longer exists.

A possible workaround would be to put up a redirect on the old domain so that any links that would have gone to user badges there will be redirected to a web page you make with information about the move to the new domain.

Average of ratings: Useful (2)
In reply to Randy Thornton

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Teresa Mackinnon -

I am very grateful to you Randy for this clarification. I am really disappointed with the institutional position on this which runs counter to the development in skills recognition we have achieved. 

Average of ratings: Useful (2)
In reply to Teresa Mackinnon

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Randy Thornton -
Picture of Documentation writers

Teresa,

Yes, when the Open Badges protocol came out there was a lot of discussion about these issues.

A fundamental design concept is that once a badge is earned or "baked" with the data, it is fixed and belongs to the recipient. The intent is that the data never changes once a badge is awarded.

The practical problem with this is that user identity is based on email and authority identity is based on domain names, which do and will change. Now, identities could  be based on something else, but that's not how Moodle implements them. There is no real world-wide standard for these things, sometimes not even national or industry standards.

So, it's an inherent weakness but it can be planned for, more or less. I get the impression it is usually less ;)

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Randy Thornton

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Don Presant -

Hi Randy:

Version 2.0 is the current Open Badges specification. It defines multiple identity channels to get past this issue, among others:
https://www.imsglobal.org/sites/default/files/Badges/OBv2p0/#IdentityObject

I recently heard that Moodle supports only v0.5 of OBI, but a quick scan indicates that it might be 1.0. That's still two versions back. I wonder what the plans are to upgrade to Open Badges 2.0? The last commit on GitHub was March 2016:
https://github.com/totara/openbadges

In addition to Teresa's Moodle server shutdown issue noted above, this is another reason to consider badging outside Moodle via external plugin to a dedicated badging platform, if you're doing badging for other than course gamification, i.e. transferable, lasting recognition value outside Moodle.

Don

Average of ratings: Useful (2)
In reply to Don Presant

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Randy Thornton -
Picture of Documentation writers

Don,

Right, I think the issue with the badges has been that the code came from Catalyst and Totara and so due to the Totara fork, the code has not been kept up the same as it was at the beginning when it came out in 2.5. That's my impression, from working with both products, anyway.  

Certainly, a move to OB 2.0 would be good and a plan to keep up with the OB progress good too.

I agree with the idea of external sources but there needs to be a lot more. Sooner or later badging will have to move to a solid accrediting validation protocol that is more centralized than the applications that generate badges. Backpacks are a good end user solution, but there needs to be some sort of  authority solution too. I've worked with people in the professional training area who see this as the key issue to get badges recognized at the industry level in the same way certificates are now.


Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Randy Thornton

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Don Presant -

Good points Randy.

Have you heard of the Credental Engine, formerly the Credential Transparency initiative? They're developing a registry for credentials (not just Open Badges) and a markup language to describe them. Funded by Lumina. We featured them on our last Open Recognition Alliance community call - notes, presentation and recording here:
bit.ly/ORA2017-June-21

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Don Presant

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Randy Thornton -
Picture of Documentation writers

Don,

I had not heard of them, but that is great news. The notes from the call are just exactly what I was hoping to come about. CDTL sounds like a great idea, too. I will listen to the podcast when I get a chance.

Randy


Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Randy Thornton

Re: Site closure and open badges

by Teresa Mackinnon -

I am so grateful to you both for engaging with this thread, so brilliant to connect with 2 such knowledgeable people. Maybe we will see some progress on this!

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Don Presant

Re: Site closure and open badges

by John Papworth -

Surely that defeats the whole purpose of an integrated learning solution.  Perhaps some of the 3rd party hosts should be more up front about all this at the time of having contracts signed and initial payment?

Average of ratings: -
In reply to John Papworth

Re: Site closure and open badges

by William Beazley -

This is will impact me as well.  I am closing a site that failed commercially.  Although we only awarded a handful of badges, they no longer can be Authenticated. 

Sad to see.

I may try to keep the domain alive but not maintain the moodle instance.

Bill

Average of ratings: -