Integrating Badges with Personal Progress

One of the ideas we’d like to see considered for integrating badges within the LDS Church is with the Personal Progress program. I had some time this weekend to look at how the system has already been expanded online, where girls can find the entire program, report their progress, and fill out journals for the different experiences and projects. The more I looked through the new website, the more impressed I was with how easy and accessible the system has become since it has been moved online.

Yet I can also see badges filling a gap in the system that’s already been established. Right now the website allows girls to sign in with their lds.org account, and then they establish their record and they can create a number of online journal entries. The system even allows for projects and experiences to be approved by the girl’s parent or leader. Yet I think if badges where mixed in, perhaps with a quick quiz checking that all the requirements have been met as well as the online journal assignments that are already integrated in the system, the girl could receive a badge which could then be shared across multiple platforms (such as their social media platforms). Badges would then provide authentication for the girl’s learning or experience as well as concrete proof that she could share with her friends and family. Not only would she be working towards her Young Women’s Medallion, but she could also share the different steps in her process and the gospel principles she is learning about.

We decided to make a prototype of what such a quiz for Faith Experience #1 could look like (linked to HERE), since we feel this would be such an important way to use technology to facilitate spiritual growth and facilitate participation. We’ve yet to make the formal badge (such as our previous badg.us badge) since this is such a specilized badge, but we still feel this is an option that must be considered. 

I'd love to hear your feedback on how we can better integrate badges with the Personal Progress Program. It already seems like such a useful tool for making the system even easier, as well as fascilitating sharing the gospel (or progress in the program) with friends and loved ones!