Re: Come get your badges!

VCVaile, December 7, 2011

Badge mania (I may come up with a better term) seems to be a level below (less meaningful) than certificate collecting, which makes it less of a potential threat to credential power. Both badges and certificates are CV fodder. I can't help remembering reading back in the 90s about the growth of add on certificates in skill areas and the prediction that they would eventually replace additional degrees in professional areas.

Hahaha... nothing like a trip the island of bad predictions (not the worst I've heard). We all know how that worked out. More degrees (and debt) in everything. Higher ed responded by turning certification areas into degree programs. Neither are guarantee the ability to perform.

Not all professional areas require licensing or credentials. Professionalization and subsequent licensing of a discipline is presented as a guarantee of quality. The history of professionalization tells a more complete story: control, prestige and marketing. I suspect we are entering another period of shaking up the credentialing process. Disruptive innovation does that. Whether for better or worse, let alone how it will turn out, I have no idea. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]