Thinking outside the ‘Box’
All recognition is good, and some is even useful.
The notions of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ are straightforward, right? Or is that wrong?
When we think of hard science, empirical evidence from repeated experiments can strengthen the truth of what is going on in the circumstances of the experiment, leading us to a ‘right’ answer (of sorts). But what if the answer is not what we expect, or we somehow deem it ‘wrong’? Is that the end of it? Is ‘right’ good, or can ‘wrong’ be good too? Maybe there is more than one way to be good.
George Box was a British statistician, and this quotation is attributed to him:
“All models are wrong, some are useful.”
I really like this. It resonates with a lot of what I do with my engineering students, in particular when we develop and test computer models for simulating the performance of buildings, with the intent of making the designs more sustainable. The model is not the building. But it can still have utility.
In recent conversations with colleagues about micro-credentials and recognition, this quotation came to mind. What makes a good or bad credential? And is it useful? In my view open badging is a prime example of useful recognition. Badges can replace/supplement/enhance traditional certification in formal settings, and go beyond that as a vehicle for recognising and rewarding skills, attributes, behaviours and attitudes that are rarely (if ever) captured in formal certification. It is the recognition of these factors and experiences that, for me, puts badging ahead of other forms of certification. And by that I mean not only the more traditional forms such as parchments, but also the more modern forms such as certification of micro-credentials where the award effectively becomes a digital form of parchment when done within the constraints of formal education and assessment. Such digital rewards have their place, and in many ways are far better than artifacts such as the dreaded “Certificate of Completion”.
But for telling the whole story of your experience, it is the often the actions you take that are not on the exam that have the greater value, particularly where students are getting ready to graduate and impress prospective employers. In my own doctoral research, it was clear that employers want attributes such as mentoring, dedication to lifelong learning and teamwork as the primary skills, not simply the ‘best in class’ based on exam performance. It can be difficult to reward this type of thing, even if we witness it in the classroom. That is where the use of badges can bridge the gap between how a candidate earned a qualification and what they are really like as people. As above, the model is not the building, and here the qualification is not the person.
For this reason, I will borrow from Box with badging in mind:
“All recognition is good, and some is even useful.”
