Using Learning Pathways and Digital Badges to Support Early Student Success and Retention
Digital On-Ramps worked with Dr. Betts to create a Learning Pathway course: “APA Mini-MOOC”
The free online Mini-MOOC has been designed for new students who have been accepted to Drexel University as a way to engage them early in APA writing style and to decrease enrollment melt; and for current students who would like to increase their mastery of APA writing style. Students will earn badges seven badges that lead to the culmination badge: APA Scholarly Application — showing proficiency in applying APA properly. These badges follow a specific, easy-to-follow learning pathway. The benefits of learning pathways are: learners can easily track their progress, they have the ability to stack credentials or digital badges, there are standardized modules between courses, and learners have an incentivized or gamified learning process.
Digital badges grant digital certifications that are shareable with employers, faculty, and mentors using social media, ePortfolios, resume/CV, or even badge backpacks. 42% of learners who started this course were novice or beginner with APA and 28% had used APA 5 to 10+ years ago, 15% had never used APA. For 74% of students, it was their first time using an online course format. The program is connected with Blackboard, and the user will earn Blackboard learn achievements as they go through the modules. The course is completely self-paced and will remain open with no end date. This allows students to complete the work over multiple quarters. Check out the graphic to see the learning pathway!
