Share your vision

My vision is to provide affordable, quality based, healthcare to every village in India by the use of cutting edge technology and Healthcare IT apps. Towards this I have patented a unique low cost ambulance cum clinic. By use of my invention the 'Ambupod' I shall provide 24/7 primary healthcare at less than US$ 2 per consult.

As an educator, I believe that teachers have so many other talents that go unnoticed or not rewarded. By giving this digital stickers, not only I want to motivate them to acquire new skills but also prepare them for a new era where students will also would benefit from digital credentials in the future.

An old age problem in education is motivating students. Digital badging provides motivation and authenticity by micro-credentialing specific skills. Digital Badging is an online portfolio of students’ accomplishments and learning. Used in higher education, it’s much more than simply a web sticker as each badge carries meta data of the requirements to earn the badge and the issuing organization.

To transform the k-12 education system through badging, I intend to develop a specific curriculum in my school and share it with my staff so that they also will be inspired to institute badging in their classrooms. My vision is that my school district will embrace it and we would set a precedence for badging in the k-12 arena. Already I am talking with some of the leaders in the district regarding badging and excited to design the infrastructure needed to implement this plan.

To make this vision a reality, it is necessary to work closely with stakeholders in the community. They include employers of youth, volunteer organizations, as well as colleges and universities. These organizations need to recognize badges so students value the badges as authentic certifications and credentials.

It is also important to design badges that are recognizable across our district, which serves over 81,000 students in 84 public schools. This requires much collaboration with educators and administrators. I know that badging can transform the current model of education, and look forward to being part of this movement.

There is a debate about badges being extrinsic motivation, as students are merely trying  to earn something instead of the reward of learning for learnings sake. I thought a long time about this argument and believe that badges are deeper than extrinsic motivation.  I liken earning badges to when I was a young tennis competitor and earned trophies when I placed in tennis tournaments. The trophy was never the reason I entered the tournament. It would have been a lot cheaper and easier just to buy a trophy at the store if that was the case. The trophy represented my hard work and the number of hours I spent practicing to refine my skill. Badging is the same. Badging has harnessed the power of encouraging students to earn a concrete skill which they can proudly display.

Too often, teacher professional development is presented as "one size fits all" with very little flexibility for learner choice. With BadgeList, I seek to change this. As a technology coach (Blended Learning Specialist, officially), I am responsible for providing training for the teachers at my school, and ensure they are using our 1:1 iPads effectively in their classrooms.
I believe that digital badges encourage teacher learners to try out new technology tools without feeling overwhelmed by the amount to learn. They select one tool, then try it out with their students, and submit the evidence to earn the badge.
In the future, I see this style of professional development gaining popularity, because it gives teachers choice as to what they want to learn, and when. Teachers who are able to have some say in their learning are more engaged professionally, and feel more ready to learn. I am excited about building my teacher and open PD groups!