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TopperCred Digital Credential Program


The TopperCred program is designed to document learning using portable, verifiable, and stackable digital credentials in the form of digital badges.

TopperCred badges may be earned upon completion of an approved program by anyone- employees, students, area professionals, members of the WKU community, and beyond. Badges can be associated with a variety of training and events, but are generally for non-degree-credit continuing education or professional development- often called microcredentials.

Visit Canvas Credentials to see the digital credentials currently included in the TopperCred program

Congratulations on your achievement!  We are pleased to help you easily and effectively share your accomplishment.

As a Learner, you have not only earned your badge, but you have also received a free, lifetime Canvas Credentials account. Within your account, you can:

  • see all of the badges you have earned;
  • see your pathways and monitor your progress; (A pathway is an established progression of learning that incorporates multiple badges.)
  • customize which badges are viewable by others;
  • add Open Badges from other issuers so that your badges are all in one place; and,
  • easily share your badges.

Visit the Instructure Knowledge Base to learn more about using your new account.

Watch this video for an overview! 

TopperCred digital badges are administrated using Canvas Credentials by WKU Continuing & Professional Development.   These digital credentials are designed to make the details of the Learner’s achievement easily and instantly verifiable.

These badges are compliant with Open Badge standards. Simply click on a badge to see a description of the program content, the criteria that the Learner met in order to earn the badge, who issued the badge, and other information.  Open Badge metadata are “baked in” and are not subject to the need for manual verification in the way that information on a resume or CV is. When you click on an Open Badge, you initiate a verification process that automatically confirms the badge metadata with the hosting server. The metadata is created before the badge is awarded and cannot be altered by the learner.

More information about Open Badges is available at the IMS Global Learning Consortium and from the Badgr Knowledge Base.

IMS Global Logo

To ensure that the TopperCred program maintains a high level of credibility and consistency, program owners must complete the appropriate process in order to award TopperCred digital badges. This process will ensure that each badge is populated with meaningful data, badge graphics are appropriate to the platform, and programs are represented appropriately.

Upon approval, your badge (and pathway, if applicable) will be constructed in Canvas Credentials and you will be able to issue badges to your Learners by:

  • individual manual entry in Canvas Credentials by you
  • a QR code given to Learners
  • using a csv file upload to Canvas Credentials for a group
  • automatic processes within Blackboard (requires collaboration with, and review by, CITL)

The following information must be supplied before you can award TopperCred badges to your learners:

  • Confirmation of prior approval for your event/program/offering from the appropriate individual(s) in your college or unit.
  • Title of your program and each module that would be associated with a badge (if more than one)
  • Description of the content of each
  • Criteria for earning a badge (attendance, exam, project, presentation, etc.)
  • List of the skills associated with earning a badge. These should be standard skill names as listed in the EMSI Skills Library (access to the Open Skills API is not required to search the Library)
  • (optional) Alignment to educational standards such as Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, or ISTE standards.
  • (optional) Tags or keywords that aid in finding and sorting badges
  • (optional) Badge expiration date


Use the webform on this page or contact WKU Continuing & Professional Development for more information.

 

Anatomy of a TopperCred Badge Graphic

The graphic for a TopperCred badge is designed to convey a variety of information at a glance.

To differentiate between the levels of TopperCred achievements, we created four distinct shapes to represent each of the four 'Tiers'. Below you can see the examples of shapes and requirements that differentiate the 'Tier' levels. 

  • Tier 1 attendance
  • Tier 2 attendance, or earning multiple Tier 1 badges
  • Tier 3 demonstration of learning (examples: exam, project)
  • Tier 4 demonstration of learning or earning multiple Tier 3 badges
  • Tier 5 recognition of contribution to a program as a content developer/facilitator/presenter

shapes

TopperCred programs may have multiple courses or modules required to complete a series. These are represented by stars which become filled as each component of the series is completed. 

Stars

Upon successful completion of TopperCred series requirements, acknowledgment of this achievement will be represented by a grey ribbon. Each course completion is still defined by a Tier level, and will use stars to show how many courses were completed.

Banners

Each badge will have two places for program identification. The series name or program owner is displayed in a smaller font on every badge. The course or module name will be displayed in the center of the badge in a larger font. Upon completion of the series, the grey ribbon will display the name to function as a certificate of completion. 

Final Badges

Topper Cred Logo



 

 Last Modified 7/6/23