12 Days of Credentials: Badge Claiming and Awarding Options

[CandicePedersen]

Canvas Credentials has many unique features that make managing and awarding badges seamless. The following outlines how these features can be utilized within the Canvas LMS and the Canvas Credentials platform. Click to read more and view the video here to learn about Badge Claiming and Awarding Options in Canvas Credentials.

Canvas LMS

There are multiple options for awarding badges when using Canvas with the Credentials LTI. Each of these options and settings can be managed in the Credentials LTI for individual courses. Once the Credentials LTI is opened, the course assignments and modules are automatically pulled in. Badges, requirements, and dates will then need to be connected and set based on the course requirements. Below are the details for each option:

• Course
• Award for completing the course
• Instructors can select a date for awarding the badge (end of term, end of course, etc.)
• Use cases: Course completion, program completion 
• Grades
• Award for reaching a certain percent or grade in the course
• Can select a date for awarding the badge (due date, end of term, end of course, etc.)
• Use cases: Project completion, final exam competency, final course competency
• Modules
• Add requirements to a module, and once a student meets all requirements, they will receive the badge
• Instructors can select a date for awarding the badge (due date, end of term, end of course, etc.)
• Use cases: Competency or skill-based modules  
• Assignments
• Award for reaching certain points, percentages
• Instructors can select a date for awarding the badge (due date, end of term, end of course, etc.)
• Use cases: Capstone projects, Comprehensive assessments or assignments 

You can use one or multiple options above to award badges in each course.

Canvas Credentials

When using Canvas Credentials, there are also multiple options for badge claiming and awarding. These options can be adjusted per badge and include a wider array of options than the free version. Below are the details for each option:

• Manually award individually to students 
• Unlimited Bulk awards – no limit on the number of added claims
• This allows administrators to issue one badge to multiple users using a CSV file. 
• Create a Claim Code
• Can include multiple claim codes per badge – allowing for workshop or class dates to have individual claim codes. This helps with tracking and reduces the amount of badges that need to be created.
• Can include an expiration date after which it will no longer be awarded
• Can set a limit of number of badges awarded
• Downloadable QR code
• URL link to click on
• Great for a virtual or in-person participation

Depending on your usage of the badge will determine which of the above methods to use.

[ryan_corris]

Nice description @CandicePedersen !

I hope you don't mind, but I am going to add some emphasis to one of your statements to hopefully save people some time.  In your post under Modules, you said: 

• Add requirements to a module, and once a student meets all requirements, they will receive the badge

My emphasis is on the words "Add requirements".  When awarding a badge based on module completion, make sure that the requirements are set prior to assigning the badge to the module.  If there are no requirements set and the badge is added to the the module, Credentials immediately assumes that the module has been completed (because there is technically nothing to complete) and awards the badge to anyone who is in that course group.

While the badges can be revoked if this happens, it may take a bit of time if you have numerous students in your course.  

I hope this information helps streamline the process and saves someone time down the road.

Happy badging!