BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
X-WR-CALNAME:2026badgesummit
X-WR-CALDESC:Event Calendar
METHOD:PUBLISH
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:-//Sched.com 2026 Badge Summit//EN
X-WR-TIMEZONE:UTC
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T150000Z
DTEND:20260713T171500Z
SUMMARY:Registration | Pre-Conference Workshops | Campus Tours
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Glen Miller Ball Room\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:d19fda734ba16d532a478e1e64528a1c
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/d19fda734ba16d532a478e1e64528a1c
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T173000Z
DTEND:20260713T190000Z
SUMMARY:Opening Luncheon + Badgesplaining Talks
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Glen Miller Ball Room\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:5a226b066ce70356947d67ac3537664e
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/5a226b066ce70356947d67ac3537664e
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T190000Z
DTEND:20260713T193000Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:820e3fcac93926b72da7f4a998eaa310
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/820e3fcac93926b72da7f4a998eaa310
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:Beyond the Badge: How Arizona Is Aligning Micro and Milestone Credentials for Learner Mobility
DESCRIPTION:How might we&nbsp\;collaboratively design micro and milestone credentials through a statewide\, cross-sector community in ways that support learner mobility\, align with workforce needs\, and evolve with practice? This Dream Makers’ Lounge design challenge shares the process currently being used in Arizona and offers early insights from that work. Participants engage in a rapid design process to explore how a living framework can guide credential development without prescribing a single model.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 415+417\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:7ba9c46b904fdd7b6aee703c931f9bc4
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/7ba9c46b904fdd7b6aee703c931f9bc4
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:Designing for Skills Visibility Across Learning Pathways
DESCRIPTION:How might we help learners show what they know—and have it recognized—as they move between school\, work\, and training? Join Colin and Meghan for a rapid design sprint tackling the translation gap: learners have skills\, but can't prove them in ways employers and educators trust. Through hands-on facilitation\, you'll prototype practical solutions using real scenarios. Leave with tools and peer connections to advance skills recognition in your context.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:18e43b5fbad48ca2e98010d89383005c
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/18e43b5fbad48ca2e98010d89383005c
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:How Do We Center Learner Voice and Experience in Designing Credentialing Ecosystems?
DESCRIPTION:Building on Third Sector’s report\, “The Future is Portable: Designing Equitable Credentialing Systems\,” this session explores how non-degree credentials and digital wallets can center learner voice\, giving individuals ownership of their skills and trajectory. Attendees representing states\, institutions\, and employers will learn how to create conditions that enable learners to access transparent\, portable\, and equitable pathways that reflect real learning\, lived experience\, and workforce readiness.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:3c677606a1456fea1612ee21c488c6dc
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/3c677606a1456fea1612ee21c488c6dc
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:How do we create real use cases for interoperability?
DESCRIPTION:In LER creation\, we focus so much on interoperability but in reality\, there are not yet many use cases where it is necessary. Until we reach widespread adoption\, demonstrating interoperability can feel forced - moving people between systems that they might not naturally move between. What will the first partnerships and ecosystems be that facilitate interoperability in a way that provides real value to users? How can we ensure that this experience seamless for users across the lifecycle?
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:f5d3d82b43c813808525f518dbced6c4
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/f5d3d82b43c813808525f518dbced6c4
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:How Might We Truly Enable Learner Mobility?
DESCRIPTION:For centuries\, higher education has invested in learners enabling them to build economic\, social and cultural capital through a variety of settings. How can institutions help students write and share their narratives with evidence that says\, “This is what I practiced and how”? This session asks attendees to reimagine howlearner experiencescan be digitally transported and verified by using Competencies and Academic Standards Exchange (CASE)\, Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) and Open Badges together.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:0a3e40595e94ce63ec0594bcce69d371
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/0a3e40595e94ce63ec0594bcce69d371
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:Making Contributions Visible: Turning Lived Experience into Mobility
DESCRIPTION:Presented by Dr. Julie Keane (supported by Leigh Gillis)\nThis practitioner-led design inquiry session will guide attendees through a structured design-based exploration of two central questions: "How could contribution in your world become visible?" and "What might become possible if this were to occur?" Facilitators will engage participants in identifying invisible forms of contribution within their institutions and communities\, introducing recognition as infrastructure rather than reward\, and mapping system breakdowns in small groups. Participants will surface specific equity gaps\, missing data\, and barriers to mobility before prototyping "visible contribution pathways" tailored to their environments—such as programs\, badges\, platforms\, or employer partnerships—with optional prompts from PathLedger™ to imagine how contributions could be classified and connected without requiring technical expertise. Presenters will provide an overview of CAWBL's structure and grassroots engagement tools\, followed by group sharing of one transformative shift that visibility could enable (e.g.\, better advising\, stronger employer matches\, more equitable access). The session will close with collective reflection on infrastructure's role in converting lived experience into mobility and emerging U.S.–Canada collaboration opportunities\, with attendees receiving the same resource card distributed at the Table Talk session.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE E351\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:ac3916a0a7a2967d54ea5a81a8a5bd79
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/ac3916a0a7a2967d54ea5a81a8a5bd79
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T202000Z
SUMMARY:Skills at Scale Roadmap
DESCRIPTION:Ready to turn skills-forward momentum into an integrated\, repeatable program—supported by a coherent digital credentials approach? This roadmap sprint is a working session for education technology leaders and implementers who have started skills-forward efforts and want to scale them across the institution through durable processes\, interoperable systems\, and consistent credential practices. Participants will map their current state through a rapid readiness exercise\, then build a practical roadmap using a proven sequence: Evaluate → Plan → Implement → Iterate—including the key decisions\, stakeholder alignments\, and systems touchpoints required to sustain scale. &nbsp\;\n\n\nWe’ll translate common scale-breakers into concrete actions—clarifying ownership\, connecting workflows across teams and platforms\, strengthening credential consistency and quality\, and making progress measurable and repeatable—so skills-forward work becomes part of how the organization operates. You’ll walk away with clear next steps and a draft roadmap to accelerate execution—high-energy\, highly interactive\, and focused on what you can implement next.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:2fda18cad3d1f6dd6f1a1edcc357960e
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/2fda18cad3d1f6dd6f1a1edcc357960e
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T193000Z
DTEND:20260713T201500Z
SUMMARY:The Traitors Among Us: When Digital Credential Initiatives Don’t Add Up
DESCRIPTION:Digital credential initiatives often launch with strong intentions yet struggle to stay aligned as they scale. Structured as an investigative design challenge that borrows from The Traitors–style reveal mechanics\, this Dream Maker’s Lounge session will invite participants to examine the “traitors” that quietly undermine pilots and programs\, not people\, but misaligned incentives\, language drift\, pacing pressures\, and system constraints. Participants will engage in facilitated\, small-group work using real digital credential initiatives to identify hidden assumptions\, incentives\, and influences\, then collaboratively make what is shaping the work visible. How might we bring these dynamics into the open and rethink them so digital credential initiatives become coherent across practice\, language\, and systems? Participants will leave with clearer language for naming what’s actually getting in the way and a better sense of where small shifts could make existing initiatives easier to understand and sustain.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:3b205cc229f28c75fe72e83ff5f9e5b5
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/3b205cc229f28c75fe72e83ff5f9e5b5
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T202000Z
DTEND:20260713T204000Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:47fe592d71e99d95a25d5b2333f68453
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/47fe592d71e99d95a25d5b2333f68453
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:Examining Equity in the Micro-credential Movement
DESCRIPTION:Many digital badges are built on the premise of closing equity gaps by recognizing skills and abilities that are typically overlooked. But badges can only be as effective in this mission as their design allows. This session poses the question: is it possible to eliminate human bias in designing digital badges? We invite participants to explore how well-intentioned credentials may unintentionally reproduce inequities of access\, recognition\, or privilege. Together\, we’ll examine biases in design\, technology\, and power—and co-create principles for building truly equitable credentials.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE E351\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:59ae14c9129aff2efb7bd76c2d2d683c
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/59ae14c9129aff2efb7bd76c2d2d683c
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:From Anyone to Everyone: The Real Economics of Open Recognition
DESCRIPTION:Create your app. Credential your learners. Connect your community.\nJoin us for a hands-on session where participants will build a working app in minutes using LearnCard and a new suite of AI-assisted open-source tools. We'll confront the real economics of "free" tools\, the labor of maintenance\, and how hyper-local recognition systems can contribute to global infrastructure. Bring laptops. Leave with both a functioning prototype and honest understanding of what sustainable public goods actually require. Open source isn't free\, it's freedom.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:74317ab540e5934cd1cbb61a1d865182
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/74317ab540e5934cd1cbb61a1d865182
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:Gaining Employer Buy-In: What’s working\, what’s not\, and how we'll fill existing gaps
DESCRIPTION:How might we drive employer adoption of LERs and digital credentials to advance skills-based hiring? In this Dream Makers’ Lounge\, cross-sector leaders will examine what works and fails across small\, mid-sized\, and Fortune 1000 employers and co-create a segment-specific roadmap that enables employer engagement and adoption.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:80b7be38919721e828dbfba7cff066ea
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/80b7be38919721e828dbfba7cff066ea
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:How Might We Add Decision Education to Your Badge Stack?
DESCRIPTION:Credentialing programs aim to signal durable skills\, yet decision-making often remains invisible. Drawing on real-world Decision Education implementations\, this Dream Makers’ Lounge session invites participants into a facilitated reverse design challenge:&nbsp\;How might we embed Decision Education into our existing badge and credential stacks so decision-making skills are visible\, meaningful\, and impactful?&nbsp\;Attendees will engage in a rapid design consultancy to surface practical\, scalable ideas they can apply to their own credentialing work.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:48a81642367acbe019cb34e5eba9c5f8
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/48a81642367acbe019cb34e5eba9c5f8
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:How might we design a “commons” infrastructure to make microcredentials discoverable\, adaptable and reusable?
DESCRIPTION:“Commons” models create efficiencies by allowing creators to share work that can be reused and adapted by others. Through a rapid design consultancy\, participants will help explore how “Commons” models could benefit the microcredential landscape. We will then envision essential infrastructure elements that would support cross-institutional sharing and reuse\, including metadata-rich tools or platforms to surface quality signals and workforce alignment.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:a098dbe1dac692d17809560020145124
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/a098dbe1dac692d17809560020145124
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:Let's Talk Decoupling: A Functional Design Challenge
DESCRIPTION:The goal of this design challenge is to further the ongoing discussion regarding a potentially universal LER and credential survivability and longevity. Issuing bodies such as universities and private companies shutter each year\, leaving learners without ongoing access to their digital credentials. No centralized LER exists for documentation and validation of such credentials.&nbsp\;\n\n\nThe Challenge Statement:&nbsp\;How might we decouple the verification of a skill from the existence of its issuer\, creating a digital credential that is as permanent\, portable\, and owned by the learner as a physical certificate/diploma\, yet remains machine-readable and instantly verifiable by any employer globally?\n\n\nSuccess Criteria for the Solution:\nSelf-Sovereign: The learner must be able to hold the data file and share it without asking the issuer for permission or paying a fee.Issuer-Agnostic Verification: The mark of authenticity must survive even if the issuing body dissolves.Semantic Interoperability: An employer's system must not just see the file but understand what the skill means within a standards systemStandard-Verified: A governing body or bodies issue standardization for credential value
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 415+417\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:3ea324903dbafddd5c05b3437781a6eb
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/3ea324903dbafddd5c05b3437781a6eb
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:Mobility by Design: Turning Credentials into Real Opportunity for STARs
DESCRIPTION:Join a design sprint grounded in Education Design Lab’s Advancing Workforce Mobility RFP\, where we’ll consider the question\, “How might we design credentialing solutions that unlock mobility for STARs across systems?”&nbsp\;Given real constraints\, you’ll generate\, stress-test\, and refine concepts\, translating them into useful design criteria and building blocks for further development. We’ll end with a sneak peek at the ideas emerging from the RFP cohort.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:b7b73c2675e6f24b7661258e7cf42b49
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/b7b73c2675e6f24b7661258e7cf42b49
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T204000Z
DTEND:20260713T213000Z
SUMMARY:What Changes Because This Badge Exists?
DESCRIPTION:Badges are getting easier to issue\, but harder to justify. In this interactive session\, participants apply an outcomes framework co-designed by the EDL Skills Validation Network to a badging initiative they are already part of to shift from badging activity to badging impact.&nbsp\;Attendees will refine their approach to demonstrate real change\, credible evidence\, and equitable impact for learners\, employers and the ecosystem.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:66498744a1c021dcdb545a454c1f044f
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/66498744a1c021dcdb545a454c1f044f
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T213000Z
DTEND:20260713T214500Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:1c5147f96b906420c2c0767dd8581589
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/1c5147f96b906420c2c0767dd8581589
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:1.85 Million Credentials: Credential Engine's Counting Credentials Research and What it Means for You
DESCRIPTION:1.85 million credentials from more than 134K providers offer an unparalleled diversity of opportunities for learning and career advancement. Yet this abundance presents challenges: people must navigate a complex landscape of credentials that document skills and knowledge across a lifetime. Digital transformation and transparency offer the solution. Learn more about Credential Engine’s research and how we all can accurately describe\, map\, and usefully contribute to the credential landscape.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:b37d03ded886f42f5e974f065ec9a2fe
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/b37d03ded886f42f5e974f065ec9a2fe
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:An Inclusive Future; building skills-based ecosystems based on guidance from skills practitioners\, ontologists\, and technologists.
DESCRIPTION:With support from the Walmart Foundation\, C-BEN is engaged in a project titled "Powering Trust in Skills" One pillar of this work involves convening conversations among those trying to build or contribute to ecosystems (skills practitioners\, ontologists\, and technologists) to tackle the open questions and points of tension involved in long-term sustainability of scalable systems. These conversations will produce guidance on topics like: What are the standards for the storage of skills evidence? How can skills inference and validation be accelerated by AI but verified by humans? What are the required capabilities and inputs for the technology powering skills-based ecosystems? This table talk can review how these conversations went\, share the guidance\, and present ready-to-go resources on skills validation\, skills-ready technology evaluation\, and ecosystem governance
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:d8186d20b19d674cc168bd2fa2aca873
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/d8186d20b19d674cc168bd2fa2aca873
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Ask My Anything....about Open Standards for Microcredentials
DESCRIPTION:Do you have questions? I have answers! This open discussion is for anyone interested in learning more about the latest developments in Open Badges and the Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) Standard. I can help you understand the differences between CLRs and Learning and Education Records (LERs). We can talk about why open standards are important\, how to integrate verifiable credentials into your digital ecosystem\, and ways to support learning mobility. I will also connect you to resources for further learning.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:8f89ab298869373c55370f24f603d170
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/8f89ab298869373c55370f24f603d170
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Better Evidence for Skills Validation: An Assessment Use Quality Rubric
DESCRIPTION:The market is flooded with "communication skills" credentials that range from rigorous to noise. How do you tell the difference between an assessment that really measures what it claims to and one that doesn't? It's particularly tricky when it comes to soft skills\, which are more difficult to measure than technical skills. I present a quality-assurance rubric for assessment uses to help inform employer\, higher education\, and workforce decision-making. \n\nIt evaluates assessment use\, meaning an assessment and the context it is used in\, as opposed to the assessment on its own. This means there is potential to generate a quality assurance stamp on the issued credential itself. This could help increase employer trust in the credential\, complementing existing anti-fraud technologies.\n\nIt operationalizes existing industry standards to produce a total score which indicates level of compliance. High-scoring assessments will have ample evidence of validity and fairness. Low-scoring assessments will lack adequate evidence for their claims. Assessment uses with significant issues will receive a red flag or insufficient information score.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:fe1459d63d589bfe2d745f8cfa5739c7
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/fe1459d63d589bfe2d745f8cfa5739c7
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Credentialing Civic Participation: From Engagement to Evidence
DESCRIPTION:How can civic participation become visible\, portable\, and trusted learning evidence? This Table Talk session invites fast-paced\, repeated discussions on credentialing civic participation as experiential learning. Participants will explore real use cases—such as students\, election workers\, and community leaders—and share practical design patterns for recognizing learning developed through participation in democratic processes.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:87bb2ef8e803ed537d329b0511fbdf48
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/87bb2ef8e803ed537d329b0511fbdf48
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Designing with\, Not for: Co-Design Lessons from K–12 Micro-credential and LER Research
DESCRIPTION:Historical credentialing and credit documentation processes\, such as transcripts and degrees\, only capture skills acquired through traditional in-school experiences. This infrastructure impedes access to education and workforce opportunities for historically and systematically excluded communities by inadequately representing skills gathered through other learning pathways. Recognition technologies such as micro-credentials and learning and employment records (LERs) are seen as potential solutions to express learners' lifelong experiences and achievements and increase access to education and workforce opportunities. The successful implementation of these recognition technologies requires an understanding of the factors necessary for dismantling silos between secondary and postsecondary education. This presentation examines challenges and opportunities for implementing micro-credentials and LERs to benefit K–12 learners and provides recommendations for successful implementation.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:63d23728345347711caa3195b30d42e4
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/63d23728345347711caa3195b30d42e4
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:From Publishing Standards to Recognizing Demonstrated Competency
DESCRIPTION:This session explores the journey the Alliance for Decision Education is undertaking as it moves from PDF-based Decision Education learning standards to digitally published standards and systems that recognize demonstrated competency. Drawing on the Alliance’s credentialing landscape analysis\, the session examines the practical decisions involved in digitizing standards\, aligning them with State academic standards\, creating competencies\, and selecting a credential platform capable of recognizing both educators and students for demonstrating critical decision-making skills. Rather than presenting a single solution\, the talk surfaces the decision-making that goes into key ecosystem choices\, tradeoffs\, and open questions that arise when translating learning standards into badge-worthy recognition. Participants will gain practical insights relevant to any organization seeking to move beyond static standards toward credentials that make learning visible\, meaningful\, and portable.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:ae2467c4c435f3b745bbf8c0c5be6948
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/ae2467c4c435f3b745bbf8c0c5be6948
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Getting Started with Metadata
DESCRIPTION:In this Table Talk session\, Jim Vernon (Aims Community College) and Tomás Mindlin (Proof of Knowledge) will offer participants an opportunity for a quick start to define a metadata framework for their institution. &nbsp\;Sharing the Aims digital badge pilot project experience\, Jim and Tomás will encourage participants to create a draft framework of their own\, working collaboratively with other participants.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:57f5757c24e588d869170a7c27f912c6
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/57f5757c24e588d869170a7c27f912c6
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Help! I'm not a nerd! (but I think I want to do an LER)
DESCRIPTION:The world of LERs and digital credentialing can feel overwhelmingly technical. However\, in reality\, the people best positioned to implement them are probably not tech experts - nor should they need to be. This session will guide people who are LER curious toward resources they can leverage to get started and navigate the technical aspects in an approachable way.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:45255c793f37f75306fbcce5e35f30fb
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/45255c793f37f75306fbcce5e35f30fb
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:ITRAK - Culturally Reflective and Responsive Professional Development
DESCRIPTION:Sharing reflections and lessons learned from facilitators and educators in the first two cohorts of the Innovating Teacher Retention in Alaska (ITRAK) program\, partnering with the University of Alaska's Professional And Continuing Education (PACE) department\, and how Digital Badges are utilized to train\, recognize and credit educators' Continuing Education Units (CEUs)&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:b232fb7baa054bf4094781a92de08856
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/b232fb7baa054bf4094781a92de08856
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Learning Mobility Collaboratives: Add Your Piece to the Puzzle
DESCRIPTION:Learning Mobility is fundamentally about removing friction from the learn-to-work continuum. Learning Mobility is the ability for people to carry\, build\, and articulate their learning—the knowledge\, skills\, competencies\, and credentials—across a fragmented education-employment system and across all life stages.\n\n\nEducation and workforce systems transformation requires a collaborative movement at the national\, state\, and institutional level. This multi-faceted work aligns the foundational infrastructure—technical\, policy\, and social—to enable learner-earners to carry verified records of their skills and achievements across institutional and sectoral boundaries. Join in this table talk to learn about the variety of state leaders and supporting organizations that are propelling this movement forward and discover how you can contribute to this important work.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:0e39a314a5f49b106640f0aef5c3976c
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/0e39a314a5f49b106640f0aef5c3976c
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Make Contributions Visible: PathLedger as a Public Interest Infrastructure Tool
DESCRIPTION:Presented by Leigh Gillis\nWhat if contribution counted as learning—and we had systems that could recognize it? This Table Talk uses a low-tech tabletop display to reveal how PathLedger™\, a public digital infrastructure\, makes contribution visible\, portable\, and trustworthy. Participants explore how this infrastructure addresses a critical system gap by making contribution recognizable and supporting accessibility\, quality\, and mobility. The session challenges participants to rethink what learning looks like—and invites them to continue the inquiry in the Dream Makers’ Lounge.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:a5e1ac4ec6598de501070dfd947c24b3
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/a5e1ac4ec6598de501070dfd947c24b3
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Mapping Competencies for Career Programs: Driving LER Adoption with Credential Engine
DESCRIPTION:What if students\, advisors\, and employers could all speak the same language of skills? At Bristol Community College\, we’re making that vision real through a Credential Engine grant (funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation). Our project maps competencies for every career-based program—creating transparent\, searchable data that drives informed decisions and connects learners to opportunities.\n\n\nThis work is a cornerstone of our Learning and Employment Record (LER) adoption strategy and directly supports our use of SmartResume to link students with local employers. By mapping skill sets to programs\, we enable SmartResume’s talent marketplace to match candidates with verified competencies. Students also receive these skill lists to strengthen resumes and prepare for interviews\, ensuring they can confidently articulate their value in the labor market.\n\n\nWe’re not just using this data at the end of a student’s journey—we’re embedding it before and during. Program-specific details\, such as online or in-person completion options and embedded certifications\, will be published in the Credential Registry. These frameworks will power an app or widget that allows students and advisors to search programs by key terms\, making pathways clearer and choices smarter.\n\n\nJoin me for a conversation about:\nHow competency frameworks enhance transparency and choice for learnersPractical steps for integrating Credential Engine data into advising toolsThe role of LERs and SmartResume in bridging education and employmentLessons learned from incentivizing faculty and managing change\n\n
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:6006b038d0c8e66abbc5ed0fe0d59173
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/6006b038d0c8e66abbc5ed0fe0d59173
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Mapping Regional Credential Ecosystems: Stitching Together a Pathway in Connecticut
DESCRIPTION:Everyone says they’re building a “credential ecosystem\,” but what does that really mean? In this Table Talk we’ll unpack what makes badges\, LERs\, and pathways truly interconnected\, share quick case examples\, and swap practical moves to turn isolated pilots into real ecosystems.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:980108258881f5304a644672ba2ce723
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/980108258881f5304a644672ba2ce723
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Project Infuse: A New Infrastructure for the Modern Transcript
DESCRIPTION:Imagine a world where learner skills move as easily as money through an ATM. Today’s transcript system of static PDFs\, siloed CPL\, and manual transfer slows learners and widens equity gaps. This session explores how AACRAO’s Project Infuse is building interoperable credential exchange to make CPL\, articulation\, reverse transfer\, and workforce-aligned digital credentials seamless and portable.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:3417580eeb501d4268396f5534fb358f
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/3417580eeb501d4268396f5534fb358f
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Signal or Noise? Identifying Evidence That Matters
DESCRIPTION:FutureRise directs philanthropic capital to learners pursuing workforce-aligned credentials in Colorado. We scholarship learners\, fund programs\, and expand high-performing providers -- which means deciding what 'quality' actually means. Completion rates aren't enough. Wage gains lag. So what evidence predicts credential value? Join this conversation to share what's worked\, challenge our assumptions\, and help build a framework that could be replicable and useful beyond one state.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:c81efbdbef81f2b0fb443d853c5bb0b1
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/c81efbdbef81f2b0fb443d853c5bb0b1
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:Unlocking Human potential through skills visibility
DESCRIPTION:We have a systemic paradoxical crisis of skills invisibility: a widening skills shortage occurring simultaneously with a vast\, underutilised pool of latent talent. Traditional methods of talent assessment are not highlighting the granular\, transferable capabilities an individual possesses &nbsp\;because they are not formally recognised. This table talk will explore &nbsp\;Skills Visibility&nbsp\;and introduce leveraging the power of AI to build a technological bridge between latent human potential and optimised labour market productivity. It will showcase pilots and use cases currently using an AI powered skills recognition engine called SkillsAware and discuss results and impact.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:6e2a696fb18bb50855021e56bef8ea10
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/6e2a696fb18bb50855021e56bef8ea10
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260713T214500Z
DTEND:20260713T234500Z
SUMMARY:“Wait\, What’s a Micro-Credential?”—What Faculty Are Really Saying
DESCRIPTION:Explore early findings from a multi-institutional study on faculty perceptions of micro-credentials across Oklahoma. Learn how our research team designed and used a faculty interview tool to uncover key themes in motivation\, resistance\, and opportunity. Participants will engage with the tool\, share feedback\, and discuss implications for scaling faculty engagement in micro-credentialing.
CATEGORIES:TABLE TALKS
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:48491e55ccf265f4d4472c9f14a42fc3
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/48491e55ccf265f4d4472c9f14a42fc3
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T140000Z
DTEND:20260714T153000Z
SUMMARY:Breakfast Keynote featuring Keisha Katz
DESCRIPTION:
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Glen Miller Ball Room\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:bb160dd76481a6a46c29274f0846c383
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/bb160dd76481a6a46c29274f0846c383
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T153000Z
DTEND:20260714T160000Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:580424fb10b7d2acaa96fc46c159c743
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/580424fb10b7d2acaa96fc46c159c743
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T160000Z
DTEND:20260714T163000Z
SUMMARY:Accelerating LER Adoption: Lessons\, Models\, and Momentum from the LER Accelerator
DESCRIPTION:The LER Accelerator convenes 13 national associations advancing learner and employment records at different speeds. Leaders from AACRAO\, UPCEA\, 1EdTech\, and AAC&U share candid lessons on supporting members with varied readiness\, navigating organizational change\, and building momentum through coalition work. The focus is practical learning\, not perfection\, celebrating progress and surfacing strategies that move adoption forward.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:e5c687c7453590fff9235a8b7700d4e5
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/e5c687c7453590fff9235a8b7700d4e5
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T160000Z
DTEND:20260714T163000Z
SUMMARY:EX-Marks the Spot: What Former Faculty and Former EdTech Get Right (and Wrong) About Digital Credentials
DESCRIPTION:Digital credential conversations are often framed as binaries: academic versus industry\, rigor versus relevance\, mission versus market. This session brings together former faculty and former ed tech leaders to reflect on how those perspectives change after working on both sides.\nThrough a dialogue-driven conversation\, the speakers explore how digital credentials are viewed and implemented within institutions versus how they are designed and scaled by ed tech providers. The discussion highlights where assumptions break down\, expectations misalign\, and communication gaps emerge around badges\, micro-credentials\, and skills-based learning.\nRather than debating whether credentials belong in higher education\, the session focuses on how institutions and partners can move beyond either-or thinking toward more practical\, trust-based collaboration. Topics include defining quality across contexts\, preserving academic values\, and why implementation often determines success.\nAttendees will leave with clearer insight into multiple perspectives on digital credentials and practical takeaways for improving collaboration\, decision-making\, and long-term sustainability.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:2f7551c24ff9443fc7a479e16a1ad3e7
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/2f7551c24ff9443fc7a479e16a1ad3e7
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T160000Z
DTEND:20260714T163000Z
SUMMARY:From Completion to Application: Badges as Evidence of Learning Transfer
DESCRIPTION:This session introduces MEiRA\, a framework for evaluating learning transfer through digital credentials. Tested across 30+ professional development courses\, MEiRA uses badges as tools for tracking how learners apply knowledge at work. Attendees will learn the methodology's five evaluation pillars and how badges collect evidence of application months after course completion. A practical approach to designing credentials that measure impact\, not just participation.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:9ff834f577833d7dca4d4383a996c4ac
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/9ff834f577833d7dca4d4383a996c4ac
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T160000Z
DTEND:20260714T163000Z
SUMMARY:From Prototype to Practice: Applications of DCC Technology and Tools
DESCRIPTION:The Digital Credentials Consortium has been developing open source software that make it easier for institutions to issue portable\, data rich Open Badges 3.0 in postsecondary education. In this session the DCC will share updates on new technologies leveraging AI and wallet attached storage functionality\, all designed to strengthen the Verifiable Learning and Employment Records Ecosystem. Participants will have the opportunity to try out these tools in real time.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 415+417\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:60ada72eff5c1926552a03e36648ee47
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/60ada72eff5c1926552a03e36648ee47
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T160000Z
DTEND:20260714T163000Z
SUMMARY:Issuing at Scale: How Maricopa\, ASU\, and DXtera Are Building a Cross-Institution Credentialing Network
DESCRIPTION:Maricopa County Community Colleges\, ASU\, and DXtera share a living use case of issuing verifiable credentials at scale through the Trusted Learner Network. This session highlights how real students are gaining access to secure\, portable records of their learning\, while institutions build shared infrastructure that supports transparency\, transfer\, and lifelong learning—and invites others to join a growing credentialing network.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:3e374662cb17b90683fceaed72cf92c6
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/3e374662cb17b90683fceaed72cf92c6
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T160000Z
DTEND:20260714T163000Z
SUMMARY:Making Experience Count in K–12: A Common Language for Internships\, Capstones\, and Career Stories
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:28ead413463069f7eea95d4db16e3045
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/28ead413463069f7eea95d4db16e3045
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T163000Z
DTEND:20260714T164500Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:f5f4921973f4c3eaa4904193990bb47f
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/f5f4921973f4c3eaa4904193990bb47f
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T164500Z
DTEND:20260714T171500Z
SUMMARY:Banking on Skills: A Cross-Sector Model for Workforce-Aligned Microcredential Pathway
DESCRIPTION:This session presents a replicable model for workforce-aligned microcredentials built through cross-sector collaboration. Featuring a national banking partnership\, open educational content\, and an industry-led validation process\, presenters will show how advisory committees and a mini-BILT model informed skill mapping\, content design\, and microcredential pathways that intentionally integrate open\, durable skills aligned to workforce demand.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:102a1cbe1922fe96aebc8b3ff6fa1fd1
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/102a1cbe1922fe96aebc8b3ff6fa1fd1
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T164500Z
DTEND:20260714T171500Z
SUMMARY:Exploring Definitions and Implications of Micro-credentials and Digital Badges in Higher Education and Workforce
DESCRIPTION:Micro-credentials and digital badges have gained popularity because of their accessibility\, affordability\, and flexibility. However\, their definitions vary depending on who is issuing them and in what context. The purpose of this study is to review the range of definitions used in research for micro-credentials and digital badges. Articles that met the parameters for the study were decontextualized and coded for keywords\, and coded frequencies were calculated. The research informed that micro-credentials and digital badges were valuable for growth and longterm success. The data is significant because industries could use this review to understand better the various components of micro-credentials and digital badges\, and educational institutions can offer short-term programs that prepare students for authentic industry practice. This study contributes to the existing literature by synthesizing the definitions of microcredentials\nand digital badges.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:7f52677ae2ba2a09cce5e8e8d81ac986
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/7f52677ae2ba2a09cce5e8e8d81ac986
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T164500Z
DTEND:20260714T171500Z
SUMMARY:Making South African qualifications machine readable and transferable
DESCRIPTION:The journey SAQA in modernising its national repository of approx6500 registered qualifications and 25 million achievements with ultimate objective of creating interoperability of achievements.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:4c9c6dbe0c7e6484afcd993b93de1716
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/4c9c6dbe0c7e6484afcd993b93de1716
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T164500Z
DTEND:20260714T171500Z
SUMMARY:Self-disclosing allyship: leveraging digital credentials to improve support for neurodivergent learners
DESCRIPTION:Research indicates that neurodivergent (ND) students in higher education often avoid self-disclosure due to fear of stigmatization (Brown\, 2023) and discrimination (Edwards et al.\, 2023). This can leave ND students navigating their education without essential support. Faculty and staff signaling their understanding\, allyship\, and advocacy of neurodivergence may ease these burdens. This session outlines the design and development of an online learning module\, and its accompanying digital credential\, that provides foundational knowledge about terminology and misconceptions about neurodivergence\, and best practices for designing inclusive learning experiences.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:9fdb365ded1069ada70c8f992697c565
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/9fdb365ded1069ada70c8f992697c565
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T171500Z
DTEND:20260714T173000Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:98735b5cc4e5c616c261e6f88a8282f7
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/98735b5cc4e5c616c261e6f88a8282f7
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T173000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:Considerations for Digital Credentialing in Higher Education: Guidance and Emerging Best Practices in Support of Learner Mobility
DESCRIPTION:Session explores the emerging best practices for considerations of Digital credentialing in higher education. The goal is to ensure comprehensive consideration of the technologies\, policies\, processes\, standards and organizational and cultural factors that will determine the success of a credentialing initiative at an institution of higher education. Examples derived from implementations associated with the Learner Mobility project will be highlighted.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:225be153fa9418d4e695080edcb4f256
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/225be153fa9418d4e695080edcb4f256
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T173000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:Credentialing the Credential Builders: Lessons from managing a national credential portfolio
DESCRIPTION:As the credentialing landscape rapidly expands\, organizations that support credential builders are increasingly being asked to practice what they preach. How do you design\, govern\, and sustain a credential ecosystem that serves a diverse national audience while maintaining quality\, relevance\, and trust?\nUPCEA\, a national association serving higher education continuing and professional education leaders\, has spent the last several years intentionally building and managing a growing portfolio of digital badges and credentials for its own community. This session offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to credential the credential builders themselves.\nDrawing on real-world experience\, Patrick Flanigan and Melissa Peraino will share lessons learned from developing\, scaling\, and refining UPCEA’s credential strategy: from early experimentation to portfolio-level decision-making. Participants will explore how UPCEA aligns credentials with professional competencies and balances rigor with accessibility. Rather than focusing solely on success stories\, this session will candidly examine challenges encountered along the way: what didn’t work\, what had to change\, and how the organization adapted its approach as the credential ecosystem matured. Attendees will gain insight into how a mission-driven organization evaluates credential value\, avoids credential proliferation\, and ensures that badges remain meaningful for earners and employers alike.\nWhether you are just beginning to formalize a credential strategy or seeking to strengthen an existing portfolio\, this session provides an honest\, actionable perspective on what it really takes to build\, and maintain\, credible credentials for credential builders.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:75cd28d8f9399858eb995b784b691204
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/75cd28d8f9399858eb995b784b691204
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T173000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:Designing for Scale: How Public Higher Education Systems Are Embedding Google Microcredentials for Career Mobility
DESCRIPTION:Public higher education systems are uniquely positioned to scale workforce-aligned learning. This session examines how the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) and Google are partnering to expand access to Google Career Certificates and AI microcredentials through a national Community of Practice. Participants will learn how system-level collaboration supports faculty integration\, accelerates implementation\, and reaches tens of thousands of learners with no-cost\, industry-recognized credentials that strengthen career readiness and economic mobility.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:d955f425c5d396ff93649bc07bf89cf3
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/d955f425c5d396ff93649bc07bf89cf3
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T173000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:Essential Skills - The Key to the Future of Work
DESCRIPTION:The future of work is rapidly evolving\, shaped by technological innovation\, automation\, and global connectivity. While technical expertise remains important\, research consistently shows that essential skills—such as communication\, adaptability\, critical thinking\, collaboration\, and digital literacy—are the true differentiators for success in the modern workforce. These competencies enable individuals to navigate complexity\, embrace change\, and thrive in diverse environments.\nThis session explores why essential skills matter more than ever and how educators\, employers\, and workforce leaders can prioritize them in learning and development. Participants will gain insights into current workforce trends\, learn practical strategies for embedding essential skills into education and training programs\, and discover innovative approaches for preparing learners for a future where adaptability and lifelong learning are key.\nJoin us to examine the essential skills framework and leave with actionable tools to help learners and professionals succeed in an unpredictable\, fast-changing world.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:300a4b8023e2e4025169ce29066893e6
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/300a4b8023e2e4025169ce29066893e6
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T173000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:Good Badge\, Bad Badge: A Hands-On Badge-Making Lab
DESCRIPTION:Badges are everywhere but not all badges are created equal. In this highly interactive session\, participants will critique real-world badges (the good\, the bad\, and the ugly)\, unpack what makes badges visible\, meaningful\, and trusted\, and then design their own. They will draft badge metadata\, evidence\, and messaging\, and leave with a template they can use in their own work. Format can be adapted for 30 or 45 minutes.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:d885fbe2be01334bf6e6c849616b4791
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/d885fbe2be01334bf6e6c849616b4791
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T173000Z
DTEND:20260714T180000Z
SUMMARY:Lessons from a Digital Badge Pilot Implementation
DESCRIPTION:In this 30-minute breakout\, Aims Community College and Proof of Knowledge (POK) share practical lessons from a real-world digital badge pilot designed to better communicate learning outcomes and improve learner employability. Facing the limitations of transcripts and traditional credentials\, Aims sought a way to help learners clearly demonstrate workforce-ready skills through verifiable\, institution-owned digital credentials.\nThe session explores how Aims implemented a standards-aligned\, white-label digital badging framework that allows learner achievements to be trusted\, portable\, and controlled by the institution. The presenters will discuss key implementation decisions\, including aligning credentials with Open Badges 3.0\, reducing technical and operational friction for non-technical users\, and improving student engagement and badge claim rates.\nParticipants will leave with actionable insights into how community colleges can design and scale digital badge initiatives across general education\, Career and Technical Education (CTE)\, co-curricular learning\, continuing education\, and employee professional development\, while maintaining institutional credibility and learner trust.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:2da4dad5dc369eb3ffd485dc555a74c6
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/2da4dad5dc369eb3ffd485dc555a74c6
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T180000Z
DTEND:20260714T200000Z
SUMMARY:Tuesday Luncheon | T3 Innovation Network Mid-Year Meeting
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Glen Miller Ball Room\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:a032baf8f78178d9694174d9cacc9ccd
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/a032baf8f78178d9694174d9cacc9ccd
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T200000Z
DTEND:20260714T203000Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:4dd9b1c099045ad099e33093c59c6134
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/4dd9b1c099045ad099e33093c59c6134
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:Building the Framework- Why building a styleguide is key
DESCRIPTION:What is one thing that most successful badging and microcredential programs have? &nbsp\;A good framework and visual identity which is built into a "style guide". &nbsp\; This presentation discusses the processes and methods that go into building a styleguide and framework for badging\, within the context of a higher education setting\, but may be applicable to other types of organizations. &nbsp\; We will examine the style guides and frameworks of many of the larger higher education badging programs\, as well as the process that Texas Tech Health Sciences Center used to develop their own\, and discuss the process of it's creation. &nbsp\; We will examine the benefits of a strong style guide in leading badge development efforts\, keeping your progress on track\, and clearly communicating to badge earners and badge developers.&nbsp\;\n\n\nIdeal for educators\, administrators\, and instructional designers in higher education and professional development\, this session emphasizes how a style guide not only organizes badging efforts but also inspires innovation and long-term impact. By the end\, you'll understand how this foundational step propels programs from basic implementation to strategic excellence\, ultimately empowering learners and institutions alike.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:24b9e319e7402a28715785f8952aa6ce
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/24b9e319e7402a28715785f8952aa6ce
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:Don’t Be a Free-Badger – Align Criteria and Evidence to Ensure Workforce Value
DESCRIPTION:The foundation of the open digital badge ecosystem is trust. Badges demonstrate verified proficiency in a specific skill set–at least they should. How do you make sure your badges convey meaningful information that is widely accepted and depended on? Quality in digital credentials is founded on well defined criteria for earning the badge and evidence that proves proficiency. Discover how to develop criteria that matter in the workforce and validate proficiency so your badges are widely accepted.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:85a1c9942070db42122708fd7a0cdee1
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/85a1c9942070db42122708fd7a0cdee1
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:How Do You Spell L-E-R? Spotlighting Scalable Practices Beyond the Transcript
DESCRIPTION:Moving to Learning and Employment Records (LERs) doesn’t have to be all or nothing. This spotlight session features LER Accelerator cohort institutions sharing scalable practices at different stages of implementation\, such as governance alignment\, SIS/CRM integration\, transcript reimagining\, and co-curricular documentation. Panelists offer candid\, practical examples that validate incremental progress and show how small wins build momentum toward learner mobility.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:b8d7b8122507f5df71fe3770038eacf8
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/b8d7b8122507f5df71fe3770038eacf8
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:I Value Badges! Making the Micro-Credentials Case on Campus
DESCRIPTION:Moving students from skepticism to engagement with micro-credentials requires strategic buy-in. We will share how we built enthusiasm for the Pathways to Innovation and Leadership Program's micro-credential initiative among students\, faculty\, and staff at Iowa State University. Our approaches include demonstrating value through data\, the Pathway Planner tool\, targeted messaging\, a train-the-trainer model\, and game design elements. Learn from our successes\, challenges\, and data-driven improvements in creating a program that students genuinely embrace.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:0bee998ac3098bab4edca93d33f5cbe8
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/0bee998ac3098bab4edca93d33f5cbe8
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:Indigenous Recognition Systems (IRS) —Interfacing Knowledge Systems (IKS) with Global Credentialing
DESCRIPTION:NOTE: &nbsp\;The session below is linked to the suggestion of organizing a pre-conf workshop on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).\n\nIn particular\, the workshop could be oriented to be about learning "Protocols for non-indegenous people working with Indigenous Knowledge"\n\nThis workshop should be co-Design with Badge Summit hosts (Noah\, Kristi) and a few others\, including:\n- Taylor Kendall from LEF\n- Nathan Schneider from UC Boulder MedLab\n- Wakanyi Hoffman&nbsp\;from Inclusive AI Lab (University of Utrect) and African Folkstales Project\n- and others\n\nAdditionally this session proposal might be reshaped to be a Dream Makers Lounge\n---\n\nThe Challenge:&nbsp\;Colonial credentialing systems universally recognize Western validation mechanisms while frequently framing millennia-old Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) as “unrecognized” or “informal.” This perpetuates a fundamental injustice: the refusal to recognize&nbsp\;Indigenous Recognition Systems (IRS)&nbsp\;themselves—the sophisticated\, community-governed protocols for validating competence and conferring legitimacy that predate and function independently of formal institutions.\n\nThe Solution: Recognition Sovereignty:&nbsp\;This session introduces the Indigenous Recognition Systems (IRS) framework as a decolonial model for justice. It argues for a paradigm shift: from seeking recognition&nbsp\;for&nbsp\;Indigenous knowledge (e.g.\, through Recognition of Prior Learning\, RPL) to demanding recognition&nbsp\;of
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:869655a3132253fe7ac833b0d7edb0ff
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/869655a3132253fe7ac833b0d7edb0ff
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:Making Micro-Credentials Stick: Tools for Faculty Support and Employer Engagement
DESCRIPTION:As micro-credentials gain traction across higher education\, institutions face a shared challenge: supporting faculty in credential design while meaningfully engaging employers. Employer input is often limited\, while faculty lack clear structures to guide development. This session introduces a practical\, repeatable co-creation model grounded in higher education–industry partnerships. Through interactive activities\, participants will explore real-world examples\, lessons learned\, and ready-to-use frameworks they can apply&nbsp\;immediately.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:60f4833c500532be66145f96ac9c5ef5
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/60f4833c500532be66145f96ac9c5ef5
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T203000Z
DTEND:20260714T210000Z
SUMMARY:When Skills Become Visible: Veterans' Stories from the Field
DESCRIPTION:\n \nLearn from practitioners and veterans across national learning and employment record (LER) pilots as they show what a skills-first approach can unlock in veterans' lives - from career transitions to confidence\, agency\, and opportunity. Through real-world interventions\, we'll explore how veterans experience owning their skills in practice\, and how these stories can guide the broader field toward more skills-first pathways.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE E351\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:b47d9bf9d579048161319397e0f6e511
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/b47d9bf9d579048161319397e0f6e511
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T210000Z
DTEND:20260714T211500Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:38951e85d6019e30ce6942480a3a8d86
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/38951e85d6019e30ce6942480a3a8d86
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:3:15pm - 4:00pm Concurrent Breakouts
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:f492b115d65b893e2bb86cb0d83a2033
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/f492b115d65b893e2bb86cb0d83a2033
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:Early Outcomes Leveraging the Trusted Career Profile to Facilitate Employer Adoption
DESCRIPTION:The Trusted Career Profile (TCP) is an emerging standard designed to support employer adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs by enabling connections with existing HR systems. This session introduces the TCP and a demonstration project focused on hiring use cases\, shares early employer feedback and outcomes\, and explores how this approach may influence broader LER adoption and what comes next.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:8c948e055b9156060b00072d256ee273
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/8c948e055b9156060b00072d256ee273
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:Teaching\, Research\, Service: Building an Academic Ecosystem for Career Readiness Through Digital Credentials at HBCUs
DESCRIPTION:This session examines how digital credentials can be meaningfully integrated into the academic ecosystem of teaching\, research\, and service rather than positioned as an external add-on. Drawing on a multi-institution HBCU Career Readiness pilot\, the session highlights how faculty are embedding industry-recognized credentials into credit-bearing courses while simultaneously contributing to scholarship and institutional priorities.\nParticipants will explore how:\nTeaching&nbsp\;evolves through the integration of digital credentials that extend course content and provide structured opportunities for applied\, industry-aligned learning\nResearch&nbsp\;emerges through the collection and analysis of data on student learning\, skill development\, and career readiness outcomes\nService&nbsp\;is enacted through cross-institution collaboration\, workforce alignment\, and contributions to broader conversations on student success and credential innovation\nGrounded in active implementation\, the session shares early insights from curriculum integration\, faculty experiences\, and assessment design\, including pre/post measures and career impact data.\nThe session invites participants to consider how aligning digital credential initiatives with core faculty roles can support sustainable models of practice\, connecting course-level innovation to broader institutional and credential ecosystems.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:357601976ea52c9e858fa8de0ccee348
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/357601976ea52c9e858fa8de0ccee348
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:Build Your Own Badge
DESCRIPTION:In this 45-minute\, hands-on design workshop\, participants will collaboratively design\, issue\, and experience a digital badge from the institutional perspective. Guided by Tomás Mindlin (Founder & CEO\, Proof of Knowledge) and Jim Vernon (Aims Community College)\, attendees will walk through the practical steps required to build a credible\, employer-relevant digital credential—from defining learning outcomes and evidence\, to designing badge visuals and crafting institution-branded learner communications.\n\n\nRather than focusing on technology alone\, the workshop emphasizes credential credibility\, institutional ownership\, and learner trust. Participants will explore how fully white-label\, standards-aligned digital credentials can be issued under an institution’s own brand and domain\, reinforcing trust with learners and employers while maintaining interoperability through Open Badges 3.0 and the European Learning Model (ELM).\n\n\nBy the end of the session\, attendees will have created a complete badge prototype and gained a practical framework they can apply to credit programs\, workforce and CTE initiatives\, co-curricular learning\, continuing education\, or employee professional development—regardless of their institution’s technical maturity.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:20787353a81ad076254745ba39ab2dc3
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/20787353a81ad076254745ba39ab2dc3
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:Designing Badges for Democracy: A Civic Participation Design Challenge
DESCRIPTION:This interactive design challenge engages participants in hands-on badge design for civic participation. Using an adapted Badge Canvas\, small groups prototype credentials for learners such as students\, election workers\, or community leaders. Participants define outcomes\, evidence\, and assessment approaches aligned with durable skills and experiential learning. The session models learning by actively engaging participants in the design process.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:8765e743941c4f827a5181ca74d3182d
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/8765e743941c4f827a5181ca74d3182d
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:From Pitcher to Catcher: Designing SIS Workflows for Digital Credential Ingestion
DESCRIPTION:Learner mobility is accelerating\, but institutional systems remain passive\, built to send records\, not ingest and act on them. This interactive design challenge engages participants in reimagining SIS workflows that can consume\, interpret\, and integrate digital credentials. Through hands-on prompts\, attendees explore data standards\, metadata portability\, AI-assisted normalization\, and policy levers to move beyond PDF-based review toward automated\, equitable credit recognition.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:54f02925794ac1d53881d0fec5b7bd5a
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/54f02925794ac1d53881d0fec5b7bd5a
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:Testing Mobility: Can a Simple Ladder Help Us Measure What Actually Moves the Needle?
DESCRIPTION:Many credentials\, assessments\, and LER projects claim to improve “mobility\,” but what does that actually mean in practice? This interactive design challenge invites participants to test a simple “Mobility Ladder” framework across education\, workforce\, and credentialing contexts. Together\, we’ll examine where projects truly create movement for learners and workers—and where assumptions break down—surfacing shared metrics\, gaps\, and new questions for the field.
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:d8227c640089fc4cc423b7f474f2b094
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/d8227c640089fc4cc423b7f474f2b094
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T211500Z
DTEND:20260714T220000Z
SUMMARY:When Credentials Cause Harm: Unpacking the Risks of Verifiable Learning and Work Records
DESCRIPTION:Verifiable Learning and Work Records (LWRs) and digital credentials promise a new era of mobility\, recognition\, and self-sovereignty. They are being rapidly deployed across education\, workforce\, and government systems as tools to improve hiring equity\, skills recognition\, and lifelong learning. But behind this promise lies a growing and under-examined reality: these technologies can also harm the very people they aim to empower.\nBased on the book&nbsp\;When Credentials Cause Harm\, this session explores the risks and inequities embedded in the design\, deployment\, and governance of digital credentialing systems. Drawing on real-world case studies\, international frameworks\, and original research\, we will walk attendees through the unintended consequences of LWRs\, including surveillance\, misrepresentation\, exclusion\, platform dependency\, and the erosion of consent.\nThe session invites attendees to work through a series of critical questions: Who decides what constitutes a valid skill? What frameworks shape credentialing systems\, and who gets left out? Why do so many platforms prioritize vendor opportunity and market incentives over human needs? And most importantly\, how do we design alternative models of trust and recognition that truly center equity\, justice\, and care?\nParticipants will engage with:\nA breakdown of how credentialing infrastructure is funded\, governed\, and builtCase studies from refugee programs\, reentry initiatives\, and digital identity pilotsInsights into credential frameworks and their cultural blind spotsExamples of how nonprofits and public agencies are unintentionally complicit in harmDesign principles driven by consent\, equity\, and participatory governance\n\nThis workshop invites educators\, technologists\, policymakers\, researchers\, and community practitioners to shift from viewing digital credentials as neutral tools to understanding them as socio-technical systems with real human stakes. It calls for new frameworks of accountability and consent: not just technical interoperability\, but social interoperability grounded in justice and care.\nRationale and AimsWhile there is growing enthusiasm around digital credentials\, few forums critically examine the risks they pose\, especially for people from marginalized communities. This workshop fills that gap by unpacking the systemic design issues\, funding incentives\, and governance failures that too often go unaddressed. This workshop is especially timely as countries\, agencies\, and tech vendors scale verifiable LWR systems with minimal public understanding or oversight. It is intended for audiences who care about technological innovations that serve the public good and are willing to ask: not just 'can we build it?' but 'should we\, and for whom?'\nThe aim of the workshop is to:
CATEGORIES:DREAM MAKERS LOUNGE
LOCATION:CASE E351\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:ce1b25bde375fe59c7f776f6bbee860d
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/ce1b25bde375fe59c7f776f6bbee860d
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260714T220000Z
DTEND:20260715T000000Z
SUMMARY:Reception in the Connection
DESCRIPTION:All attendees\, speakers\, and sponsors are invited to join us for more connecting in the Connection space\, located in the lower level of the University Memorial Center. Enjoy bowling\, pool\, games and continued conversations with Badge Summit community. Heavy appetizers and beverages will be served.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:a326cb2125c3b748d05b058cf977de8b
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/a326cb2125c3b748d05b058cf977de8b
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T140000Z
DTEND:20260715T151500Z
SUMMARY:Wednesday Breakfast + Badgesplaining
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Glen Miller Ball Room\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:88f3f1f258641e2ce42588fefb34afb5
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/88f3f1f258641e2ce42588fefb34afb5
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Critical Partnerships for STEM Career Pathways via Skills-Based Microcredentials
DESCRIPTION:This panel will discuss a unique academic + industry + association partnership and their co-development of digital skills-based microcredentials to create career pathways in STEM and provide additional value to end-learners. The discussion will focus on techniques for engaging industry when developing skills-based workforce training\, and creating skills-based microcredentials that lead to employment.\n\n\nModerator: \n\nJennifer Fong\nSr Director\, Continuing Education and Workforce Development\nIEEE\n\nPanelists include:\n\nDr. Laura Marmolejo\, Ed.D\nDean\, Advanced Manufacturing &amp\; Engineering Technology\nAustin Community College (ACC) \n\nAlyssa Reinhart\, Ph.D\nDirector of Workforce Development\nTexas Institute of Electronics\n
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:52186f455f2394d48e0bd6558885b3cc
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/52186f455f2394d48e0bd6558885b3cc
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Designing Skills Evidence that Employers Trust
DESCRIPTION:Digital badges and microcredentials are no longer new\, they are ubiquitous. Yet employer trust in credentials remains uneven\, not because employers resist skills-based hiring\, but because too many credentials fail to provide defensible evidence of competence. This session focuses on what differentiates credentials that meaningfully influence hiring decisions from those that function only as signals of completion.\nDrawing on national experience designing and deploying performance-based microcredentials in laboratory and technical workforce settings\, this session will unpack how assessment design\, not branding or platform choice\, determines whether a badge can be trusted by learners and employers. Attendees will learn why many well-intentioned credentials collapse under scrutiny\, how assessment shortcuts erode trust\, and what it actually takes to build trustworthy credentials that function as signals of hiring readiness.\nThe session will examine three core design principles. First\, defining competence in observable\, high-stakes terms\, including identifying failure modes and edge cases that distinguish genuine skill from procedural mimicry. Second\, building assessments that remain fair\, valid\, and scalable without sacrificing rigor\, particularly when credentials are deployed across multiple institutions or regions. Third\, aligning credentials with employer decision-making realities\, focusing on what information employers need at the point of hire\, not what educators find easiest to measure.\nParticipants will see concrete examples of assessment structures that work\, as well as cautionary examples of credentials that unintentionally undermine the ecosystem by prioritizing completion\, volume\, or convenience over evidence. The session will also address the ethical dimension of credentialing\, including when it is appropriate to redesign an assessment when the system\, rather than the learner\, is at fault.\nAttendees will leave with a practical framework they can apply immediately to evaluate existing credentials or design new ones. The goal is not to produce more badges\, but to produce fewer\, stronger signals that earn trust over time and materially improve learner outcomes.\nThis session is designed for credential designers\, educators\, workforce leaders\, and platform partners who want their badges to function as real currency in the labor market.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:9001758e310e2fc66721eb13bc2c5795
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/9001758e310e2fc66721eb13bc2c5795
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Idea to Badge- A Practical\, Human-Centered and AI-Powered Pathway for Microcredential Creation
DESCRIPTION:Marshall University shares a start‑to‑finish microcredential development process—from proposer planning and curriculum design to marketing\, registration logistics\, and badge creation. The session highlights lessons learned since we launched the Marshall Skills Exchange\, how we have had to adapt workflows through a full SIS and technology change\, and how we have used AI tools within the LMS and other platforms to streamline drafting\, activity design\, and content development while supporting engaging\, workforce‑aligned microcredentials.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:097bf56fda8ab1372af2be9d4ef85d0a
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/097bf56fda8ab1372af2be9d4ef85d0a
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Lessons from Year One: What We Learned Building a Microcredentialing Program (and What We’d Do Differently)
DESCRIPTION:This collaborative session shares lessons learned from Yavapai College’s first year of microcredential development. We’ll discuss what worked\, what didn’t\, and what we wish we’d known\, including processes\, quality criteria\, faculty and student support\, and alignment to the workforce. Participants at any stage will be invited to share their lessons learned and learn from one another.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:67bd5c5f8e5ce40bd7bc686fe5bf0807
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/67bd5c5f8e5ce40bd7bc686fe5bf0807
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Making Badges Stick: Practical Steps for Policy\, Access\, and Lifelong Learning
DESCRIPTION:You know where you want to go—a robust\, learner-centered badge ecosystem—but getting there takes time\, persistence\, and practical action. This interactive session focuses on&nbsp\;how to operationalize policy&nbsp\;and embed badging into institutional culture. We’ll use the&nbsp\;Switch Framework&nbsp\;to identify strategies for guiding the Rider (logic)\, motivating the Elephant (emotion)\, and shaping the Path (environment). Participants will explore real-world examples of governance models\, approval processes\, and annual review strategies\, while also designing badge pathways that emphasize&nbsp\;access\, stackability\, and lifelong learning. Leave with templates\, tools\, and a roadmap for taking the next steps—even if full adoption is years away.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:50f38c05896209ec754f2d2a6bb6965f
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/50f38c05896209ec754f2d2a6bb6965f
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Open-Source Skills Analysis Tools Ready for Action: Two Opportunities to Leverage LAiSER in Higher Education
DESCRIPTION:If skills are the primary currency of the modern labor market\, digital badges represent an undervalued asset. A significant gap exists between rigorous academic instruction and the broad\, often ill-defined competencies attached to many micro-credentials. To address this\, the George Washington Institute of Public Policy (GWIPP) and the Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC) have developed a suite of open-source tools designed to automate the alignment of curricula with granular\, interoperable skill taxonomies.\n\nThis session provides a technical demonstration of how these tools lower the "transition cost" for institutions moving toward standardized digital infrastructure. The presentation will walk through the application of the DCC Credential Co-Writer\, enhanced by LAiSER (Leveraging AI for Skills Extraction and Research)\, to translate complex syllabi into well-defined\, machine-readable badges. Then\, the presenters will demonstrate the GWU Credential Comparison Tool\, which utilizes AI to identify alignment between existing badge frameworks and specific course content. These tools can be made available to attendees through cloud-based platforms on a trial basis at no cost\, and the LAiSER team can assist attendees in downloading and running open-source software locally as a free and permanent option for analyzing skills data. &nbsp\;\n\nAttendees will observe how LAiSER-driven enhancements can "upcycle" legacy credentials by embedding precise\, standardized skills without increasing administrative burden on faculty. They will also be prepared to implement beta/pilot versions of LAiSER-enhanced tools on their own campuses to enhance digital credentials and existing courses. &nbsp\;This demonstration is intended for practitioners and policymakers seeking ready-to-use\, low- or no-cost tools to implement Open Badges 3.0 and enhance the portability of human capital in a robust\, interoperable skills ecosystem.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 415+417\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:1d0af0500d1713f99c00f7f61a6f4fcd
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/1d0af0500d1713f99c00f7f61a6f4fcd
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T153000Z
DTEND:20260715T160000Z
SUMMARY:Recently Launched: Quality Assurance Evaluations for Short-term Credential Providers
DESCRIPTION:HLC launched a voluntary quality assurance framework and process that will serve to review and endorse short-term credential content providers that demonstrate meeting certain standards. Providers may be non-degree granting institutions or companies that create and/or deliver content or skills training that connects learners to labor market needs\, either independently or in partnership with colleges and universities or employers. Learn about the first and second cohort of providers!
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:41068d32223e9a8a3e2da30d3dfc0872
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/41068d32223e9a8a3e2da30d3dfc0872
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T160000Z
DTEND:20260715T161500Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:bde34fc8695c6b3ce09ba33b8c15a7e8
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/bde34fc8695c6b3ce09ba33b8c15a7e8
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:Achieving Interoperability Through Translation: Advancing State Digital Credentialing Ecosystems
DESCRIPTION:With over 1.8 million digital credentials currently available in the U.S.\, the landscape is characterized by rapid growth but deep fragmentation. Many state-funded initiatives remain "islands of recognition\," lacking the cross-institutional portability that modern learners and employers demand. While technical standards like Open Badges 3.0 provide a framework for verification\, their utility is often undermined by proprietary data silos and the absence of an interoperable skills language.\n\n\nTraditional efforts to mandate unified taxonomies frequently fail due to high administrative costs and resistance from institutions seeking to maintain continuity with established practices. AI-driven mapping tools\, such as LAiSER\, resolve this tension by automating the translation of localized curricula into standardized frameworks. By utilizing AI to align diverse curricular materials to broadly adopted skills taxonomies\, these tools eliminate the manual burden of alignment and lower transition costs. This functional approach allows institutions to maintain their unique educational identities while achieving the machine-readability required for recognition in a broader ecosystem.\n\n\nIn this session\, presenters will&nbsp\;explore systemic barriers to badge adoption and offer a theory of change for state-level policy. The presentation provides a roadmap for transitioning from isolated pilots toward unified "skills data ecosystems." By adopting open-source standards and AI-assisted alignment\, state leaders can ensure micro-credentials function as transferable assets that provide verifiable value throughout a learner's career. The authors will present evidence on how top-down state action can dismantle data silos\, enhance social mobility\, and create a responsive\, skills-based economy
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:4ad746ccbec409f953b63a47e3be319a
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/4ad746ccbec409f953b63a47e3be319a
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:Evaluating the Technical Foundations of Badge and LER Systems: A Ready-to-Use Self-Assessment Tool
DESCRIPTION:This session introduces a ready-to-use\, self-guided technical assessment tool designed to evaluate the quality and interoperability of digital badge and credentialing systems. Evolved from the SkillsFWD project and funded by Walmart\, the tool focuses on credential design\, metadata completeness\, standards alignment\, evidence structures\, and system interoperability. During the session\, participants will be guided through the assessment framework and invited to evaluate the tool itself\, its structure\, assumptions\, and practical utility\, using real-world credentialing challenges as a basis. This is not a conceptual exploration\, but a hands-on review of a production-ready self-assessment instrument.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:4aa3c9955a8cfbdd9b1ddbaf44210c75
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/4aa3c9955a8cfbdd9b1ddbaf44210c75
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:Making the STEM Microcredential Landscape Less Bumpy
DESCRIPTION:This session maps the STEM microcredential ecosystem\, moving from digital badges to workforce-aligned learning pathways. Drawing on current research across higher education\, industry\, and policy\, the presentation clarifies key definitions\, distinguishes badges from microcredentials\, examines stakeholder roles\, and surfaces persistent challenges related to value\, recognition\, and scale. The session concludes with a research-informed agenda for future development and study.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:478fdc8d166a4315fc75af06dbeccb38
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/478fdc8d166a4315fc75af06dbeccb38
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:Microcredentials\, Major Shrug: What Are We Really Signaling?
DESCRIPTION:What does it really take to build and scale a badge ecosystem to one million badges? In this interactive\, game-based session\, participants will play their way through Our Million Badge Story\, making decisions\, navigating tradeoffs\, and uncovering lessons learned from the real-world evolution of the University of Phoenix’s large-scale credential ecosystem. Rather than a traditional case study\, this session invites participants to step into key moments of the journey and explore the choices behind the outcomes. At each stage of the game\, participants will surface insights about what worked\, what didn’t\, and why—connecting elements of UOPX’s story to their own contexts. The session highlights practical lessons drawn from developing PLA badges\, AI-infused badges and pathways\, industry-endorsed credentials\, and a comprehensive skills taxonomy\, with an emphasis on common pitfalls and actionable strategies participants can adapt immediately\, regardless of where they are in their badge journey.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 415+417\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:681a90029c8b022bcebf9b6068352321
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/681a90029c8b022bcebf9b6068352321
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:Operationalizing the LER: What We’re Learning About Employer Needs and Credential Transport
DESCRIPTION:As Learning and Employment Records (LERs) gain traction\, two “last-mile” questions continue to shape whether credentials can move from concept to real-world impact:&nbsp\;what information employers actually need to make decisions\, and&nbsp\;how credentials are transferred between systems in practice.\nIn this session\, 1EdTech will share early findings from ongoing research exploring these two foundational areas. Drawing on employer research\, ecosystem surveys\, and technical analysis\, we will summarize:\nWhat employers say they need to see in credentials to support skills-based hiring and talent decisions (e.g.\, skills clarity\, validation signals\, evidence\, and context).How credentials are currently transported across issuers\, wallets\, repositories\, and employer systems—and where gaps\, inconsistencies\, or alignment appear.Designed for a general Digital Credentials Summit audience\, this session is&nbsp\;informational rather than prescriptive. It offers a clear snapshot of emerging insights to help educators\, credential issuers\, platform providers\, employers\, and policymakers better understand the current state of LER adoption—and what may need to evolve next.\nAttendees will leave with a shared baseline understanding of the evidence shaping LER discussions heading into deeper technical and employer-focused conversations.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:3543721b4bed558f9c84ce74b63bcbf3
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/3543721b4bed558f9c84ce74b63bcbf3
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:When Badges Fail and When They Work: Governance\, Faculty\, and the Power Behind Credentials
DESCRIPTION:Many institutions launch digital badges before clarifying governance\, faculty authority\, or academic rigor\, leading to pilots that stall. This session explores a real case where an early microcredential effort failed and a later redesign succeeded by reshaping how decisions\, ownership\, and trust were handled. Attendees will learn how governance and culture determine whether credentials gain meaning\, scale\, and employer value.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:1ff1151a93a0fe9b803768f474fb3cb3
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/1ff1151a93a0fe9b803768f474fb3cb3
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T161500Z
DTEND:20260715T164500Z
SUMMARY:Where Skills Really Get Assessed: Mapping the Signals That Shape Opportunity
DESCRIPTION:Skills are assessed everywhere—but rarely in one place. This interactive session invites participants to explore a live map of how skills are actually evaluated across hiring\, onboarding\, and advancement\, based on real employer and worker stories. Together\, we’ll add our own experiences to the map to surface patterns\, blind spots\, and design opportunities for clearer\, fairer skill signals.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE E422\, 1725 Euclid Ave\, Boulder\, CO 80302\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:6d02ed2f19aea5053234f881ef86f1de
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/6d02ed2f19aea5053234f881ef86f1de
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T164500Z
DTEND:20260715T171500Z
SUMMARY:Exhibitor Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:1ad0d0172bcb232992bc914a1eae171b
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/1ad0d0172bcb232992bc914a1eae171b
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T171500Z
DTEND:20260715T174500Z
SUMMARY:Ensuring Trusted and Transparent Credentials in Higher Education
DESCRIPTION:This presentation explores the growing demand for trusted\, high‑quality\, and verifiable credentials by examining the importance of transparency in credentialing processes\, highlighting strategies for effectively engaging stakeholders in credential development\, and demonstrating how strong credentials enhance both student career success and employer trust.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:CASE CTL (E390)\, Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:9e67378d4c577788a1f32d999b392d3d
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/9e67378d4c577788a1f32d999b392d3d
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T171500Z
DTEND:20260715T174500Z
SUMMARY:Skills based hiring for employers
DESCRIPTION:The LER ecosystem has mastered issuing—but employers are still stuck asking “How do I verify and use this?” In this session\, I’ll demo the open-source LER Skills Verifier\, an employer-facing tool that makes LERs actionable for skills-based hiring. See how to verify credentials\, evaluate trust\, align skills to jobs\, and give employers a tangible way to use LERs today. An open source T3 Network project from the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 285+287 (Aspen)\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:782717f8f61faee467e1c941d9bc844e
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/782717f8f61faee467e1c941d9bc844e
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T171500Z
DTEND:20260715T174500Z
SUMMARY:Student Skill Sprints: Accelerating Career-Ready Learning on Campus
DESCRIPTION:Skill Sprints are a cohort-based\, on-campus model that helps college students complete Google Professional Certificates through structured “workshop” time and staff support. This session explores how Skill Sprints blend online credentials with in-person facilitation to increase engagement and completion\, sharing implementation strategies\, lessons learned\, and a scalable framework for accelerating student career readiness.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 235\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:efd67e2eadfa4522d05736ad10908c5c
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/efd67e2eadfa4522d05736ad10908c5c
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T171500Z
DTEND:20260715T174500Z
SUMMARY:The Learning Outcome to Skill to Competency Highway. Why is it one-way?
DESCRIPTION:In this session we will present a short history of skill-based credential work at Bristol Community College and engage attendees as we grapple with our current problem...Why is this information only going one way? &nbsp\;Can we figure out how to get this skill-based data to flow "backwards" into our Student Information Systems so that we can then get it in the hands of our academic and career advisors\, academic review processes\, and to help faculty by informing their instructional practices?&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 382+384\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:f11ddf91976da14198964bf62877f6c9
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/f11ddf91976da14198964bf62877f6c9
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T171500Z
DTEND:20260715T174500Z
SUMMARY:Understanding Federal and State Requirements for Skill and Credential Portability
DESCRIPTION:Interoperable data and technology is the backbone of learner mobility. From new short-term pell requirements and a talent marketplace vision at the federal level to state-specific workforce data mandates\, policymakers are increasingly requiring that digital credentials be portable\, verifiable\, and machine-readable across sectors. 1EdTech & WCET will provide guidance on the emerging policy landscape and review resources available to implement interoperability standards to meet policy needs.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 247\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:4ad7b82b8aa4c48c0b2ba2007d8afbb0
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/4ad7b82b8aa4c48c0b2ba2007d8afbb0
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T171500Z
DTEND:20260715T174500Z
SUMMARY:Using the CREDO Process to Launch STEM Microcredentials
DESCRIPTION:Higher education institutions are increasingly interested in microcredentials\, yet early efforts often stall due to misaligned policies\, limited faculty engagement\, unclear value propositions\, and weak pathways. This session introduces the CREDO Process\, an implementation-science–informed approach that integrates CFIR\, Diffusion of Innovation\, systems thinking\, and the Three Horizons Framework to support institutional readiness and early-stage STEM microcredential development.
CATEGORIES:CONCURRENT SESSION
LOCATION:UMC 415+417\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:484143f8dd83fa93ec56bf10c118ac98
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/484143f8dd83fa93ec56bf10c118ac98
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T174500Z
DTEND:20260715T180000Z
SUMMARY:Break
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:5c58a25250bb7352583f061d42a81889
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/5c58a25250bb7352583f061d42a81889
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260715T180000Z
DTEND:20260715T194500Z
SUMMARY:Closing Plenary Luncheon
DESCRIPTION:\n
CATEGORIES:
LOCATION:Glen Miller Ball Room\, University Memorial Center\, Boulder\, CO 80309\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:fb3b0f62b884553a3c85a1990b4b6f09
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/fb3b0f62b884553a3c85a1990b4b6f09
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T100001Z
DTEND:20260804T100001Z
SUMMARY:Badge Frameworks: Say What You Mean and Show You Mean It
DESCRIPTION:We’ll explore how credential transparency and portable value can be enhanced with well-designed credentialing frameworks that support more inclusive notions of recognition\, well crafted metadata that leverages the superpowers of OBv3 and the contribution of human connection to building value. It will also discuss what stands in the way of "one framework to rule them all." There will be tons of examples and participants can apply for a Reflective Participant badge as a learning capsule!
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:211e63a5bb113aabf73994012f5db77e
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/211e63a5bb113aabf73994012f5db77e
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T100001Z
DTEND:20260804T100001Z
SUMMARY:Beyond the Badge: Rebuilding Employer Trust in Digital Credentials
DESCRIPTION:Digital credentials were supposed to democratize opportunity—providing a faster\, more accessible signal of skills than traditional degrees. Yet a decade into the microcredential movement\, employer adoption remains stubbornly low. Many hiring managers still default to degrees\, and the proliferation of badges from providers of varying rigor has created a signal-to-noise problem that undermines the entire ecosystem.\nThis session confronts an uncomfortable truth: the credentialing community must take responsibility for rebuilding trust\, not just expanding volume.\nWe'll explore three dimensions of credential integrity:&nbsp\;\npedagogical rigor (are learners genuinely developing capabilities?)assessment validity (can we verify skills in an era when AI can pass most knowledge tests?)ecosystem accountability (how do we distinguish meaningful credentials from credential theater?).Rather than offering easy answers\, this session will share IBM's evolving approach—including our shift toward role-based\, industry-contextualized learning and performance assessments designed to demonstrate applied capability.&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:1cf433fe7c9b428c38e62913684e95c5
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/1cf433fe7c9b428c38e62913684e95c5
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T100001Z
DTEND:20260804T100001Z
SUMMARY:From Buy-In to Co-Creation: Engaging Faculty in The Microcredential Ecosystem
DESCRIPTION:Faculty engagement is critical to building credible and scalable microcredential ecosystems. This session explores how institutions can move faculty from initial buy-in to meaningful co-creation through multiple engagement pathways\, including structured design bootcamps\, service on microcredential review bodies\, faculty liaison roles\, and opportunities for faculty to earn microcredentials themselves. Participants will leave with practical strategies for lowering barriers\, legitimizing participation\, and sustaining faculty involvement across credit and non-credit contexts.
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:11fdb8eff22ae3d79b05ed4686382c97
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/11fdb8eff22ae3d79b05ed4686382c97
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T100001Z
DTEND:20260804T100001Z
SUMMARY:From Lived Experience to Industry Standard: Creating a Universal Direct Care Worker Credential
DESCRIPTION:This session explores how a workforce intermediary supported a statewide effort to build the nation’s first universal\, competency-based Certified Direct Care Worker credential. Learn how centering worker voice\, using stackable skills-based design\, and ensuring credential value can elevate undervalued work\, strengthen career pathways\, and improve workforce stability at scale.
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:cb4d0aa30916c3e6facc219cd693f7b6
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/cb4d0aa30916c3e6facc219cd693f7b6
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T100001Z
DTEND:20260804T100001Z
SUMMARY:Integrating peer review into ESP classrooms to enhance critical thinking skills among economics students at tamanrasset university
DESCRIPTION:Integrating peer review into ESP classrooms can enhance students' critical thinking skills through intervention and apply both aspects of the zone of proximal development and blooms taxonomy thinking orders without missing to mention CLT and TBLT methods which are crucial to move students critical thinking from lower thinking order to the higher order&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:982c4c4a49478434d1553ce620bf3d2a
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/982c4c4a49478434d1553ce620bf3d2a
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T180000Z
DTEND:20260804T183000Z
SUMMARY:Behavioral Health Pathways: Stackable Credentials Empower Learners and Meet Employer Needs
DESCRIPTION:See Colorado’s innovate pathway into the field of behavioral health\, with fast and affordable microcredentials that equip people to begin work\, gaining experience and income\, while continuing to stack credentials and move into higher-level\, higher-paying positions. CCCS co-designed the Behavioral Health Pathways with regulatory agencies\, employers\, and educators\, defining competencies and scopes of practice to ensure entry level roles are viable and\, in some cases\, Medicaid reimbursable.
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:797a7a9902ca34c976a6e33e31c156f5
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/797a7a9902ca34c976a6e33e31c156f5
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260617T035043Z
DTSTART:20260804T184500Z
DTEND:20260804T193000Z
SUMMARY:From Industry-Based Skilling\, to New Career Pathways\, to Advancing Democracy: Bridging Divides with Digital Credentials
DESCRIPTION:This expert leadership panel will convey their diverse perspectives from organizations that are bridging divides with digital credentials. We will discuss shared themes\, including co-design\, engagement\, collaboration\, and strategy.&nbsp\;\n\n\nModerator: Melanie Booth\, Nectary Solutions\n\n\nPanelists:\nChris Newlon\, CEO\, Team Democracy\nJennifer Fong\, Director\, Continuing Education\, IEEE\nSonia Malik\, Global Program Director\, IBM Skills Build&nbsp\;
CATEGORIES:VIRTUAL
LOCATION:Boulder\, CO\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
UID:820d47bf74e21f9775b6a21f912be394
URL:http://2026badgesummit.sched.com/event/820d47bf74e21f9775b6a21f912be394
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR