[Air-L] CFP: Badges, Trophies, and Achievements: Recognition and Accreditation for Informal and Interest-Driven Learning

[Sheryl Grant]

Call for Applications: Badges, Trophies, and Achievements: Recognition and
Accreditation for Informal and Interest-Driven Learning

Research: assessment, badging
Grants: Research Grant, Doctoral Student Grants, Student Prize, Faculty
Prize
Deadline: Apply by *January 6, 2012*  (application instructions:
http://www.dmlcompetition.net/Competition/4/research-apply.php)

Online networks, digital resources, and gaming environments provide rich
opportunities for learning that is demand-driven and learner-centered. More
and more people are turning to networked knowledge communities, online
tutorials, and other digital resources for wide ranging learning needs.
While learning is migrating to these more informal and
non-institutionalized kinds of contexts, we still have little research that
examines how people assess, recognize, and display the learning that
happens in these settings.

   - What are the emerging techniques and practices for managing reputation
      and recognizing learning?
      - What are the broad historical and structural understandings of how
      accreditation operates in our changing social and cultural environment?
      - What systems exist for recognizing learning outside of formal
      degree and training programs?
      - How do credentials and other displays of achievement operate in the
      digital and networked world?
      - What kinds of skills and experiences have not been well captured by
      existing credentialing and recognition systems?
      - How is the landscape of credentialing changing (or not) with the
      shift to digital and networked society?

We seek empirical and theoretical research focusing on these questions.
Studies should focus on areas such as:


   - Ranking, badging, and achievement systems in games, clubs,
      competitions, and other forms of interest-driven activities.
      - Accreditation and certificates outside of formal degree programs,
      including areas such as work skills training, language, writing, and
      critical thinking capabilities, arts, crafts, and other trades.
      - The role of credentials, badges, and other recognitions of
      achievement in career and reputation development.
      - Empirical, theoretical, and critical studies of how companies,
      groups, institutions, and individuals produce, utilize, and
exploit various
      credentialing and reputation systems.

RESEARCH GRANT (1)

Research funds to support the gathering and writing up of findings on novel
and effective ways of assessing learning practices, especially learning
facilitated by digital media. We are especially interested in work
considering the role and effectiveness of badges and badging systems as
instruments of assessment though competitive proposals will not be limited
to this narrower focus.

Awarded funds may be used for salary replacement, for travel in support of
data collection, for modest graduate research assistance in support of the
project (no more than one-third of final budget), or for modest
technological support for the project.
The grantee will also be responsible for organizing a workshop or a working
group on the topic. In addition to the faculty support funding of the award
($60,000) there would be a budget of $20,000 available to support the
workshop or working group. These funds may be used to support travel,
accommodation and food expenses for workshop or working group participants
but not for graduate student stipends or fees.

The grantee is required to produce one publication, which could be a book,
a MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Report, literature
review, or white paper. Support for activities resulting in publication are
to be included in the grant budget.
Research award winners are expected to attend the Digital Media and
Learning Symposium in San Francisco on February 29, 2012, followed by
the Digital Media and Learning Conference on March 1-3, 2012 (
http://dml2012.dmlcentral.net/), as well as one of the Competition winners
meetings, travel costs for which are to be included in the awarded budgets.
Grantees are also required to set aside funds for the winners' event to be
held in conjunction with the 2013 Digital Media and Learning Conference.
Participation at the event is a requirement of the award.

   - Research funds: $60,000
   - Workshop/Working Group funding, in addition: $20,000
   - Application:
      - Proposal outline, including rationale and work plan, no more than
      1000 words
      - Working group, or workshop outline, no more than 250 words
      - Budget  and budget narrative for proposal
      - Budget and budget narrative for working group

DOCTORAL STUDENT GRANTS (2)

One year of funding to support dissertation research and write-up of
findings on novel and effective ways of assessing learning practices,
especially learning facilitated by digital media. We are especially
interested in work considering the role and effectiveness of badges and
badging systems as instruments of accreditation and assessment though
competitive proposals will not be limited to this narrower focus.

Research award winners are expected to attend the Digital Media Symposium
in San Francisco on February 29, 2012, followed by the Digital Media and
Learning Conference on March 1-3, 2012 (http://dml2012.dmlcentral.net/), as
well as one of the Competition winners meetings, travel costs for which are
to be included in the proposed budgets. Awardees are also required to set
aside funds for the winners' event to be held in conjunction with the 2013
Digital Media and Learning Conference (Dates TBD). Participation at the
event is a requirement of the award.

   - Two awards of $20,000 each to cover tuition fees, research funds,
   living stipend.
   - Eligibility: By the time of award, applicant must have passed all
   Ph.D. eligibility requirements to advance to candidacy (ABD).
   - Application:
      - Proposal outline, up to 1000 words
      - A letter of support from the dissertation advisor, and list of 2
      additional references.

STUDENT PRIZE (1)

A prize for the best dissertation or publishable paper for innovative and
groundbreaking work on “Recognition and Accreditation for Informal and
Interest-Driven Learning” (see more on the Competition theme of badges for
lifelong learning:
http://www.dmlcompetition.net/Competition/4/badges-about.php)

The winner will be expected to attend the Digital Media and Learning
Conference and Research Symposium in San Francisco, March 1-3, 2012 (
http://dml2012.dmlcentral.net/), where the award will be publicly
presented. Awardees are also required to set aside funds for the winners'
event to be held in conjunction with the 2013 Digital Media and Learning
Conference (Dates TBD). Participation at the event is a requirement of the
award.

   - A monetary award in the amount of $5000. Funds will be inclusive of
   travel, accommodation, and registration costs for the 2012 Digital Media
   and Learning Conference (http://dml2012.dmlcentral.net/).
   - Submission: Dissertation or paper on the theme

FACULTY PRIZE (1)

A prize for the best publishable/published paper or book for innovative and
groundbreaking work on “Recognition and Accreditation for Informal and
Interest-Driven Learning” (see more on the Competition theme of badges for
lifelong learning:
http://www.dmlcompetition.net/Competition/4/badges-about.php)

Research award winners are expected to attend the Digital Media Symposium
in San Francisco on February 29, 2012, followed by the Digital Media and
Learning Conference on March 1-3, 2012 (http://dml2012.dmlcentral.net/), as
well as one of the Competition winners meetings, travel costs for which are
to be included in the proposed budgets. Awardees are also required to set
aside funds for the winners' event to be held in conjunction with the 2013
Digital Media and Learning Conference (Dates TBD). Participation at the
event is a requirement of the award.

   - A monetary award in the amount of $5000. Funds will be inclusive of
   travel, accommodation, and registration costs for the 2012 conference.
   - Submission: Paper or book on the theme


Sheryl Grant
Director, Social Networking
HASTAC/MacArthur Foundation
Digital Media & Learning Competition
Duke University
Box 90403
114. S. Buchanan Blvd., Bay 5
Durham, NC 27708-0403