DURHAM, N.C. - November 17, 2011 -  HASTAC today announced a new Teacher Mastery and Feedback Badge Competition, a three-stage competition designed to explore the potential of digital badges for and by teachers. For the new Competition—held in conjunction with the HASTAC/MacArthur Foundation Badges for Lifelong Learning Competition — applicants will propose badge systems that allow teachers to track and promote feedback regarding their acquisition of new competencies and skills. Applications are now being accepted for Stage One of the Teacher Mastery and Feedback Badge Competition. The deadline for Stage One is December 5 at 5pm PST/8pm EST.

Teacher Mastery and Feedback Badge Competition (Three Stages)
Full information: Click here.
Award: $10,000 - $200,000

Applicants are invited to propose badging systems not only for learning content, but also for teacher learning and feedback. Competitive submissions proposing badge systems that track and promote feedback regarding the competencies and skills as well as the programs and subjects over which teachers acquire expertise will be a central part of the Stage One and Stage Two processes of the Competition. The winning proposal(s) will be awarded funding to develop the proposed badging system.

Stage One: Teacher Mastery and Feedback Badge Competition

Full information: Stage One 
Open date: Now accepting applications
Deadline: December 5, 2011 at 5pm PST/8pm EST
Application requirements: 1,000 word written proposal and optional supplementary materials.
For Stage One, educators applying to the Competition submit proposals describing subject and content matter for a teacher badge system that recognizes, rewards and offers peer feedback to teachers regarding mastery of capacities and skills.  Submissions require a 1,000 word written proposal and can include optional supplementary materials that help visualize the proposed badging system. These materials should include systems for recognizing and rewarding some of the capacities, skills, and content they believe are needed to effectively teach math, literacy, or digital literacy skills and/or to effectively teach to the Common Core State Standards. For example, giving feedback to students; developing complex skills; or skills needed to teach in an environment that privileges digital or online learning.

Stage Two: Teacher Mastery and Feedback Badge Competition

Full information: Stage Two 
Open date: December 12, 2011
Deadline: January 12, 2012, 5pm PST/8pm EST
Application requirements: 1,500 word written proposal plus visual materials that graphically represent the badge design submission.
In Stage Two, applicants will be encouraged to submit proposals that map out what a teacher mastery and feedback badging system would look like, how it would operate, what benefits and challenges it would present, and the design and implementation process it would incorporate. The proposed badging systems should be based on, and fully interoperable with, Mozilla's Open Badge Infrastructure.

Stage Three: Match-making and Finals

Full information:  Stage Three 
Stage Three Meeting: February 28-29, 2012
No application needed--finalists from Stages One and Two will be selected to advance. Stage Three pairs Stage Two finalists with Stage One finalists and/or collaborators, to form comprehensive teams who will work together to finalize collaborative badge proposals.

Since 2007, the Digital Media and Learning Competition has inspired designers, inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers and others to build digital media experiences that advance learning in the U.S. and around the world. More information about the Badges for Lifelong Learning competition, including information on entering the competition, is available at www.dmlcompetition.net.

HASTAC (the Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory) is an international network of educators and digital visionaries committed to the creative development and critical understanding of new technologies in life, learning, and society. HASTAC is committed to innovative design, participatory learning, and critical thinking.

Media Contacts:

Cathy N. Davidson
Co-Founder, HASTAC & Digital Media and Learning Competition
cathy.davidson@duke.edu

David Theo Goldberg
Director, UCHRI
Executive Director, Digital Media & Learning Research Hub
dgoldberg@hri.uci.edu