Digital Badge

The badge becomes a digital record of that journey—linking to outcomes such as a conference poster, presentation, portfolio project or written paper. Students can share this work through a digital link on LinkedIn, the UB Portfolio or their résumé, helping them communicate the value of their research experience to future employers, graduate programs and collaborators.

The experiential learning cycle outlined by David Kolb informs the phases of the digital badge process, with opportunities to engage in new learning through research, reflect on the mentored research experience, think through new knowledge and skills, and ultimately apply the new knowledge and skills to future situations. The phases help students to build their identity as researchers and scholars in their chosen field of study.

Faculty mentors play an important role in guiding students through each phase of the research experience. The badge framework aligns with common stages of mentored research and can complement the way many faculty already support student researchers.

Students begin by setting goals and intentions for their research experience. During this phase, mentors can help students prepare by recommending readings and ensuring students have completed required training courses and attended demonstrations or workshops relevant to the project.

Students actively contribute to the research project. Mentors provide guidance, meet regularly with students and offer feedback on student research contributions.

Reflection helps students connect their research experience to broader intellectual and professional development. Faculty mentors can model reflection on research methods and outcomes, showing how research and intellectual and creative development are ongoing processes of doing, thinking and reflecting.

Kolb DA. Experiental learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall; 1984.