Digital Badge Categories

The University of Texas at Arlington offers four categories of digital badges, each designed to recognize different types of learning, achievement, and professional development experiences across the university community. 

Categories

Category Audience  Description 
 Curricular  Students  Curricular digital badges are tied to specific academic courses or programs within the University’s curriculum.
 Co-curricular  Students  Co-curricular digital badges are awarded to students for their achievements in extracurricular activities, clubs, student organizations, and community service.
 Professional Development  Faculty, Staff  Faculty and Staff digital badges are designed to recognize professional development, achievements, and contributions of University employees.
 Standalone  Student, Faculty, Staff  Unique digital badges that do not fit into other categories. 

 

 

Digital Badge Levels

 Levels
 Badge Level Bloom's Level  Use Case  Assessment
 Level 1: Competency Know and Understand Recognizes foundational knowledge or introductory skill development.   Assessments should measure foundational understanding and the ability to demonstrate basic competency.  
 A template badge with the U T A logo and placeholders for the badge name and College, School, or Unit. The bottom of the badge includes one star.   Learners demonstrate an understanding of essential concepts, terminology, and basic applications within a focused area of study or practice. Examples may include quizzes, short-answer responses, demonstrations, or introductory practical exercises that confirm comprehension of core concepts and skills. 
Level 2: Proficiency Apply and Analyze

Recognizes the ability to apply, analyze, and independently use knowledge or skills in intermediate contexts.  

 Assessments should require learners to apply knowledge, analyze information, and demonstrate skill proficiency in authentic or applied settings.
 A template badge with the U T A logo and placeholders for the badge name and College, School, or Unit. The bottom of the badge includes one star.   Learners demonstrate growing confidence, problem-solving ability, and the integration of concepts across situations or tasks. Examples may include case studies, simulations, project-based assignments, presentations, reflective analyses, or applied performance tasks.
Level 3: Mastery Evaluate and Create Recognizes advanced achievement and sustained demonstration of expertise. Assessments should demonstrate advanced critical thinking, synthesis, innovation, and independent application of learning.
 A template badge with the U T A logo and placeholders for the badge name and College, School, or Unit. The bottom of the badge includes one star.   Learners demonstrate advanced critical thinking, synthesis of complex concepts, and the ability to create, evaluate, or lead within a discipline or professional context. Examples may include capstone projects, original research, complex problem-solving scenarios, portfolio development, leadership demonstrations, or creation of original products, solutions, or scholarly work.
 Pathway Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create Recognizes the successful completion of a coordinated sequence or collection of microcredentials that together demonstrate broader competency, sustained learning, or achievement within a defined area. Assessment should emphasize the successful completion and integration of multiple credentials aligned to a common pathway or competency area.  
 A template badge with the U T A logo and placeholders for the badge name and College, School, or Unit. The bottom of the badge includes one star.   Learners demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply knowledge and skills developed across multiple learning experiences, often showing progression from foundational understanding to advanced application or mastery. Requirements include completion of Canvas content, Level 1-3 badges, and/or experiences.