Digital Badging

Digital badges are an online representation of competencies gained. Like badges sewn onto clothing, they represent competencies earned. Each badge is unique to the learner who earned it and can be verified by any organization.

The Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals is proud to host badges that can showcase your knowledge of home visiting.

The Institute offers two types of badges: Approved and Automatic. Each badge contains a description and achievement requirements to earn the badge.

Approved - The Institute does not approve badges so if you are required to complete a badge, please determine who needs to approve your badge (e.g., supervisor, team lead, CQI lead).

Automatic - Once you have completed the requirements of an automatic badge, you will receive an email indicating you have met the requirements.

illustration of three example hexagon digital badges

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find available badges?
Once you log in to your account, go to your Dashboard tab at the top of the home page. From the left side menu, select Digital Badges and available badges will be listed.
How do I earn a digital badge?
Each badge has specific requirements, visit the digital badges section to see available badges.
Why would I use a digital badge?
Digital badges set you apart in resumes, CVs, blogs, professional networks, and social networks. Badges offer a unique way to display your competencies and help other professionals learn more about your professional development.
Where can I use a digital badge?
Anywhere! Display them proudly on your resume, CV, blog, LinkedIn, and/or in your email signature.
Does my state or organization use Institute digital badges? Am I required to earn digital badges?
The Institute built digital badging to allow anyone to implement the use of any or all digital badges available in the Institute. For example, in Oz, they may require that their home visitors earn a digital badge every year. Oz would then need to determine how they want their home visitors reporting if/when they earned a badge. The Institute does not determine how digital badges should be implemented; we only outline what is required to earn each badge. If you are interested in implementing digital badges, please contact the Helpdesk at mail@institutefsp.org to be connected to a member of the Leadership Team.
How do I add someone to approve my badge?
Once you know who needs to approve your badges, you can enter their email address by visiting the Share My Progress feature in your Account Settings. Once you share your progress, an email notification will be sent to those listed. Share My Progress must occur before applying for a badge, otherwise, a notification will not be sent to the person added later.
How do I approve badges that have been shared with me?
Once a learner who has shared their progress with you applies for a badge, you will receive an email asking you to review their badge application. This will include a link that will take you to the badge application. You can also find and review badge applications in Peer Badge Applications, which is found under Your Account.
How do I check my badge completion progress?
Each automatic badge will show your progress toward earning the badge. Simply click on a Digital Badge to view your progress. This feature is only available for Automatic Badges.
What happens after I earn a badge?
You will receive an email with your digital badge image. The badge's image contains unique information and cannot be used by another learner.
Why did I receive an email about a digital badge I didn't apply for?
We added a new feature in 2024 that allowed some digital badges to automatically be awarded retroactively. All learners who met the requirement(s) for earning the digital badge (even if the requirements were met in the past) will receive an email notification that they earned the digital badge.
Where can I find badges I have earned?
Earned badges will appear in the Digital Badges menu in your Institute account settings. To share your badges, use the Share My Progress function in your Institute profile. Don't forget to share your progress PRIOR to applying for a badge.
Where do I store my badges?
You can find your badges in Your Account within the Institute. As an additional option, many different organizations provide online spaces for you to display and share badges. Please contact your organization for additional requirements for storing/sharing your badges. There are online services called "Backpacks," which provide a free storage space for you to store and transfer badges between different organizations, giving you more control over your badges. One such site is Badgr.The Institute is not responsible for how you store your badges.

Still have questions about digital badges?

Please visit Open Badges to learn more about digital badges.

Have technical questions?

Contact us at mail@institutefsp.org.

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