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.

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	Students, Faculty, Staff	Unique digital badges that do not fit into other categories.

Digital Badge Levels

Badge Level	Bloom's Level	Use Case	Assessment
Level 1: Competency	Know and Understand	Recognizes foundational knowledge or introductory skill development. Learners demonstrate an understanding of essential concepts, terminology, and basic applications within a focused area of study or practice.	Assessments should measure foundational understanding and the ability to demonstrate basic competency. 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. Learners demonstrate growing confidence, problem-solving ability, and the integration of concepts across situations or tasks.	Assessments should require learners to apply knowledge, analyze information, and demonstrate skill proficiency in authentic or applied settings. 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. Learners demonstrate advanced critical thinking, synthesis of complex concepts, and the ability to create, evaluate, or lead within a discipline or professional context.	Assessments should demonstrate advanced critical thinking, synthesis, innovation, and independent application of learning. 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. 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.	Assessment should emphasize the successful completion and integration of multiple credentials aligned to a common pathway or competency area. Requirements may include completion of Canvas content, Level 1-3 badges, and/or other designated credential requirements within the pathway.