The Definitive Micro-credential Glossary of Terms
According to a survey conducted by HolonIQ, constraints around the recognition and quality assurance of micro-credentials are cited as the largest barrier to adoption at scale, followed by a lack of understanding about what micro-credentials are and a lack of trust in some micro-credentials.
In service to creating a more inclusive and diverse micro-credential space, Micro-credential Multiverse has populated this free glossary with terms and definitions to help bridge the understanding gap. If you would like to make suggestions for new terms and definitions (including updates), please scroll to the bottom where you will find our new term and definition submission form.
1
1EdTech
1EdTech is a member-based non-profit community partnership of leading education providers at all levels, government organizations, and edtech suppliers who collaborate to accelerate an open, trusted, and innovative digital learning ecosystem. They power learner potential by creating the foundation for a learner-centered and future-ready ecosystem where products work together to improve teaching and learning for all.
Definition Source: 1EdTech (added April 18th, 2024)
A
Accredible
Accredible is a leading digital credential platform that enables education and training leaders to increase learner engagement and drive program growth. Founded in 2013, Accredible has helped issue and verify 90 million career-advancing credentials.
To learn more, visit accredible.com.
Definition Source: Accredible (Added April, 2024)
Alignment
An Open Badge can optionally align to educational or other standards, in which case the badge metadata will include the name, a URL, and a description representing the standard. The alignment information may be relevant to people viewing an earner's awarded badges or to a potential earner deciding whether to apply for the badge.
Assertion
Assertions are representations of an awarded badge used to share information about a badge belonging to one earner. Assertions are packaged for transmission as JSON objects with a set of mandatory and optional properties.
More on assertion
An assertion is a JSON-structured representation of the data for a specific badge awarded. An assertion represents a single badge awarded to a single earner - it includes information about:
who earned the badge
what the badge represents
who issued the badge
The assertion for a badge includes various data items required by the Open Badges Specification.
Required data items in an assertion include:
a unique ID
the recipient
the badge URL
verification data
the issue date.
Assertions can optionally also include:
the badge image (with assertion data baked into it)
an evidence URL
an expiry date.
An assertion can be stored in a hosted file or a JSON Web signature.
See the current assertion specification for full details.
Assessment
Assessment in a badging system can involve various optional stages. For example, a badge issuer can present badges that are available for earning, capturing earner applications via the issuer website. The earners can submit evidence in support of their applications, which the issuer will then review, comparing the evidence to the badge criteria (which is defined when the badge is created). If an application for a badge is successful, the issuer may then award it to the earner, creating an assertion and typically contacting the earner.
Note: This is only an example of what an assessment process might look like in a badging system, but the issuer is free to choose a method that suits their community of earners.
Australia National Microcredentials Framework
A nationally consistent framework for defining microcredentials across higher education, vocational education, and industry. Published by the Australian Government, Department of Education.
For more information, visit education.gov.au
Definition Source: Credential Engine (Added March 20th, 2024)
Award
A non-technical term for issuing digital credentials/badges to recipients. It can also be used as a noun, i.e., share your digital award.
Alternatives include: present, confer, and grant.
B
Backpack
A backpack stores badge award data on behalf of recipients, making it possible for those recipients to organize and manage the badges they have earned. Backpacks may allow sharing to social media sites as a means of transmitting information about the achievements that a learner has gained.
Example: The Badgr Backpack (Now Canvas Credentials).
Backpack Connect
Badge Connect API, released as Open Badges 2.1, brings the concept of a Federated backpack to the Open Badges ecosystem. The Badge Connect API addition to Open Badges allows badge recipients to easily move their Assertions between platforms to streamline the experience of earning and using Open Badges.
Badge
The term “badge” is typically used as shorthand to mean “Digital Badge,” “Micro-credential”, or “digital certification/credential”. However, when the term “badge” is sometimes used deliberately in reference to a “lower stakes” digital award that may be used to motivate recipients rather than recognize them more formally.
Badges can represent competencies and involvements recognized in online or offline life. Each badge is associated with an image and some metadata.
The metadata provides information about the badge and the evidence used to support it.
More on Badge
Earners can display their badges online and can share badge information through social networks. Issuers define badges and award them to earners.
BadgeClass
A badge class is a definition of an earnable badge, which may potentially be awarded to one or more earners. Badge issuers define each badge class using a JSON file - in which the fields describe what the badge represents. A badge class includes a link to the issuer organization JSON for the badge.
Each time a badge is awarded to an earner, the badge issuer creates a badge assertion that includes a link to the badge class.
Three core data classes are associated with the Open Badge Specification:
Assertions
BadgeClasses, and
Profiles
A set of one expression from each of these categories may be constructed into a valid Open Badge.
More on BadgeClass
Each data class is a collection of properties and values, and each defines which are mandatory and optional as well as the restrictions on the values those properties may take. They are published as JSON-LD for interoperability. If properties are included in JSON that cannot be mapped to JSON-LD terms defined in the object’s @context, they are not considered part of the badge object’s meaning.
Badgr (Now Canvas Credentials)
Badgr (Now Canvas Credentials) is a suite of digital credentialing tools used to create, award, and store digital badges (also called micro-credentials, digital credentials, etc.)
Bake, Baking, Baked Badge
Badge baking is the process of embedding assertion data into a badge image.
C
Claim code (QR Code)
A code created by an issuer and given to an earner when they earn a badge. The earner can take the code and claim the associated badge.
More on Claim code
Claim codes can be unique to the earner or multi-use; many different earners can use a code to claim the same badge.
Collect, Collection
Earners can collect awarded badges and display them in backpacks. In the Badgr backpack (now Canvas Credentials), earners can group badges into collections, deciding whether each collection is publicly discoverable. If a badge collection is designated as public by the earner, displayers can retrieve the badges within it, given the earner's email address.
Competency
Many digital badges and micro-credentials recognize discrete, often research-backed competencies. One way of thinking about a competency is by considering the “What” of the digital badge or “What is the learner demonstrating?” The competency is usually stored in the “description” property of the JSON schema.
Competency-based
Competency-based digital badges or credentials are generally considered “higher stakes” credentials in that the award is contingent on the demonstration of stated competencies. Many competencies are supported by industry research.
Consumer
The consumer is someone viewing a badge awarded to an earner. Examples could include colleagues, peers and potential employers.
Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL)
The Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) is the family of linked open data standards built for making descriptions of credentials and related resources available as data for search, discovery, and cross-system interoperability. Developed and managed by Credential Engine.
Visit Credential Engine for more information
Definition Source: Credential Engine (added on March 20th, 2024)
Credly
Credly empowers organizations to recognize individuals for demonstrated competencies and skills officially. Their mission is to connect people to opportunity based on their talent and capabilities, and they believe in making meaningful achievements visible and unlocking access to a more diverse and qualified population. Credly is a digital credentialing technology provider, and its partners are building the currency for the global marketplace of knowledge and skills.
Criteria
A definition of the requirements for earning a badge. In a badge class, the criteria is included as a URL.
CSV
Forget it, just give me a CSV! This file type is often what’s used to transport data between systems since it’s so widely accepted. However, using CSVs in this way is often tedious and error-prone. Data standards can be an alternative to using CSVs.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
D
Description
Badges are accompanied by descriptions when they are listed, shared and displayed. Each badge can include a short tag-line, a description for earners and one for consumers.
Digital Credential
This term is often used interchangeably with “digital badge” and “micro-credential. However, the term “credential” is often used to imply alignment with a particular, industry-aligned credentialing framework, learning outcome or certifying organization.
Example: The Digital Promise Micro-credential Framework.
Digital credential framework
Many digital credentials are supported by discrete frameworks, which has been aligned to the open badges specification. Many of these digital credential frameworks are based on industry standards or research-backed practices.
More on framework
Generally, these frameworks are developed by content/domain experts who have developed the content or coursework culminating in digital credential awards. For example, the Digital Promise micro-credential framework consists of a competency, key method, method components, research and resources, and evidence section (submission guidelines and evaluation criteria).
Digital Wallet
“An individual’s key to a skills-based talent marketplace “
“People using wallets will be able to be recognized not just for the formal degrees they receive, but for all of their skills, whether they acquire them through formal or informal learning experiences, online or self-taught training, or workplace experiences. When people share the skills stored in their wallets with talent platforms and applicant systems, employers can search for workers with specific skills profiles that match their needs with full confidence in the reliability of these credentials.”
Definition Source: Jobs for the Future (JFF) (added February 7th, 2024)
Displayer
A badge displayer accesses badges that are publicly available and displays them in an online context. The process involves verification.
E
Earner (or Learner)
An individual who has met the necessary requirements to earn a badge, micro-credential, or other digital Badgr (Now Canvas Credentials). Badges are awarded by issuing organizations or individuals, also referred to as issuers.
EDI-Based Standards (EDI)
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a format that has been around forever to transport business documents between organizations across industries and is complementary to the other file formats here.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
European Learning Model (ELM)
Multilingual Data Model for the Interoperability of Learning Opportunities, Qualifications, Accreditation, and Credentials in Europe. Developed by the European Commission.
For more information, visit europa.eu
Definition Source: Credential Engine (Added March 20th, 2024)
Evidence
Digital badge applications sometimes require the pursuant to collect and submit evidence before their competence can be assessed and the digital badge/credential awarded. Evidence refers to submitted proof that an earner meets the criteria for a badge they are applying for. Evidence may take the form of a link to text, images, and other media.
More on Evidence
In many cases, the evidence is assessed by a content expert affiliated with the issuing organization. The award pursuant may receive their award after the assessment, or they may receive tailored feedback from the issuing organization. For more on assessment, see assessment.
F
File Formats
JSON (pronounced Jason or Jay-sawn) and his cousin, JSON-LD, are locals at the data standards bar, and you’ve got to know them. The following are all file formats used for storing and transporting (serializing) data. Many of our open data standards are expressed in one or more of these.
JSON is a lightweight data-exchange and file format that is easily understood by computers and humans alike. He’s about 22 years old. (see additional definition below, under “JSON”)
JSON-LD’s suffix means Linked Data (LD). Enables a network of standards-based, machine-readable data across the web. At 12 years old, he’s the always-online Zoomer version of JSON. JSON-LD is RDF in JSON.
RDF, stands for Resource Description Framework which models “triples”: a subject, an object, and their relationship. Each piece has a URL. It’s fabulously versatile. “The sky is blue,” “Tony is no longer friends with Rebecca,” and “Candidate submitted application” are all triples. RDF is most commonly expressed in the Turtle format, which is compact, stackable, and human-friendly, like a turtle. As mentioned, RDF can also be serialized (expressed) in JSON-LD, among other formats. RDF is a type of graph database. RDF Schema (RDFS) powers up RDF to enable the representation of ontologies. And if that doesn’t cut it for you, you need OWL.
OWL, which stands for Web Ontology Language, are complex languages for taxonomies and classifications built on RDF.
XML Extensible Markup Language is a language and file format similar to HTML that describes data with tags that you must define yourself. It’s hierarchical, which is a key limitation compared to the anything-goes relationships between data possible with RDF. It came out around the same time as RDF.
SKOS, the Simple Knowledge Organization System, is built on RDF/RDFS. SKOS underlies one of our competency framework standards, ESCO.
YAML If you don’t like looking at code, you’re going to love YAML (pronounced YAH-ml). Since it came out after XML, RDF, and many others, it stands for Yet Another Markup Language. It can parse other formats into a human-friendlier layout and may be a better route than JSON for that reason.
EDI-based standards, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a format that has been around forever to transport business documents between organizations across industries and is complementary to the other file formats here.
CSV Forget it, just give me a CSV! This file type is often what’s used to transport data between systems since it’s so widely accepted. However, using CSVs in this way is often tedious and error-prone. Data standards can be an alternative to using CSVs.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
I
Identity
A badge assertion includes information about the identity of the earner. This information typically comprises the earner email address. Badge displayers can check earner email addresses against the assertion email to verify that a badge was awarded to the person claiming it.
Issue (See also: Award)
Connect a badge to a person - technically, this is the act of awarding the badge to the earner. This may happen when an earner makes a successful badge application. Badges can also be issued by submitting claim codes, or directly by the issuer to the earner email address.
Issuer
Person or organization who creates/ offers badges and issues them to earners. Issuers can be individuals or organizations.
Interoperability
Because there are so many types of credentials, and so many organizations and individuals issuing, receiving, and sharing credentials, interoperability is essential for wallets to become ubiquitous. To understand interoperability, think about the ways people access the internet. Despite differences in software and hardware, a variety of device types manufactured by countless companies are capable of accessing the internet because they all conform with certain technical standards. These standards define URLs—the locations of websites, HTTP—the protocol that makes it possible to view websites, and HTML and CSS— which provide instructions to web browsers so that they will display content and images as intended.
Definition Source: Jobs for the Future (JFF) (added February 7th, 2024)
J
JSON
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format. It’s easy for humans to read and write, and it’s easy for machines to parse and generate!
JSON-LD
JSON-LD’s suffix means Linked Data (LD). Enables a network of standards-based, machine-readable data across the web. At 12 years old, he’s the always-online Zoomer version of JSON. JSON-LD is RDF in JSON.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
K
Key Method
Some digital credentials include a key method section of their framework and is the means by which (or methodology) an award pursuant demonstrates their competence.
More on Key Methods
Generally, the key method can be referred to as the “How” of a micro-credential or digital badge. In other words, “How will the award pursuant demonstrate the competency in question?”
L
Learning Pathway
Definition 1:
A structured sequence of micro-credentials designed to guide learners through a specific learning journey and skill development process. (Submitted by Julia Stotts, July 27th, 2023)
Definition 2:
A structured and sequenced series of educational experiences designed to enable learners to acquire a set of skills or competencies.
Each step in the pathway is intentionally crafted to build upon previous learning experiences, and is often validated through assessments or micro-credentials.
The pathway aims to guide learners from a starting point to a defined outcome, aligning with the specific needs and goals of employers or other recognizers in a given economic or professional context.
Learning and Employment Record (LER)
A learning and employment record is a digital record of learning and work experiences that can be linked to an individual and combined with other digital records for use in pursuing educational and employment opportunities.
Short Introduction Video to LERs: Introduction to LERs
Video Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Center for Education and Workforce
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
Learning and Employment Record (LER) Awarder
Learning institution, organization, or agency responsible for designing digital credentials and validating skills against a skills framework
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
Learning and Employment Record (LER) Holder
Individual’s with a wallet that contains digital credentials that comprise their learning and employment records
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
Learning and Employment Record (LER) Registry
A database that holds credential information such as jobs and skills titles, descriptions, and functions.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
Learning and Employment Record (LER) Reviewer
Entity that reviews an individual’s credentials to verify trust.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
Learning and Employment Record (LER) Transmitter
Also known as an issuer (See definition for “Issuer” above), this is the organization that delivers a credential to an individual’s digital wallet (see definition for “digital wallet” above).
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
M
Metadata
a set of data that describes and gives information about other data. In many cases, when the word Metadata is used within the context of digital badging/credentialing, it is in reference to the data that combines with the badge image (the BadgeClass) to produce a digital credential. Includes name, description, and links to other important details like the badge's criteria, evidence and issuer information. The metadata for an awarded badge is defined in a badge assertion.
Micro-credential
Definition 1:
Micro-credential is one of many interchangeable terms to describe digital credentials/badges. Often, micro-credentials are “higher stakes” because they usually conform to a specific framework and are recognized by traditional credentialing organizations or certifying bodies.
Definition 2:
A certification of assessed learning that is additional, alternate, complementary to or a formal component of a formal qualification.
Definition 2 Source: Emeritus Professor Beverley Oliver, Making micro-credentials work for learners, employers and providers, Deakin University. (Link to Whitepaper)
Micro-credential Multiverse
A US-based strategic advising, consulting, and project management firm specializing in system-wide transformations that unite learning experiences and career opportunities.
Definition Source: Micro-credential Multiverse (Added March 20th, 2024)
MyCreds Canada
Specifications for secure digital wallets for sharing transcripts and credentials, built on PESC standards. Managed by the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada.
For more information, visit mycreds.ca
Definition Source: Credential Engine (Added March 20th, 2024)
O
On-Demand
Micro-credentials and digital credentials/badges are usually provided through the web, therefore they are available to an award pursuant so long as the website/platform is available and they are connected to the internet.
Open Badges v2.0 and v3.0
Specifications to assert a verifiable achievement. Assertions are specific to one earner and are a claim that the earner has made a particular achievement with metadata about the achievement, the issuer, and the earner, including possible evidence that provides support for the claim. Managed by 1EdTech.
For more information on Open Badges 2.0, visit imsglobal.org
For more information on Open Badges 3.0, visit imsglobal.org
Definition Source: Credential Engine (Added March 20th, 2024)
Open Badges Displayer
A badge displayer accesses badges that are publicly available and displays them in an online context.
Open Badges Specification
The Open Badge specification is a way of organizing badge data resulting in the badge being open and interoperable. Any digital badge/credential that is “Open Badges Compliant” (conforms to the Specification) can be transferred to any other system that recognizes and implements this specification.
Open Data Standard
Open data standards are agreements that establish a consistent way to create, use, and share data. They are useful across all industries and enable vast improvements in data quality and collaboration. Imagine if every building you walked into used a different kind of electrical outlet and you had to constantly struggle with adapters that never quite worked right. A world built using open data standards is one that communicates, collaborates, and operates more seamlessly behind the scenes.
Ideally, open standards are free/low-cost, consistent, create portable data, are openly-governed, interoperable, useful, and structured
Open data is data made available, typically on the web, for the public to use, such as government data like anonymized census information. Open data standards are just the formats being made available, not the data itself. Often open data uses open standards to enhance its usability.
Examples of Open Data Standards and Models include:
CASE
CTDL
CLR
1EdTech Open Badges
W3C Verifiable Credential
IEEE Sharable Competency Definitions
CEDS
1EdTech LTI
ADL SCORM
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
OWL
OWL stands for Web Ontology Language, are complex languages for taxonomies and classifications built on RDF. (For a definition of RDF - see “RDF” below)
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
P
Personalized
Each micro-credential/digital badge award contains metadata aligning with the recipients submission data. This data may include links to evidence, the recipients email, the date the badge was awarded, and more.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
The process of evaluating and granting credit or micro-credentials for skills and knowledge gained through prior experiences or informal learning. (Submitted by Julia Stotts, July 27th, 2023)
Portable
Micro-credentials and other digital badges/credentials contain structured data, therefore any system designed to recognize this (open source) data structure can store and display micro-credential data. Micro-credentials can also be verified by any online source, as the code associated with performing that task is also open source.
Profile
A Profile is a collection of information that describes the entity or organization using Open Badges.
More on profile(s)
Issuers must be represented as Profiles, and recipients, endorsers, or other entities may also be represented using this vocabulary. Each Profile that represents an Issuer may be referenced in many BadgeClasses that it has defined. Anyone can create and host an Issuer file to start issuing Open Badges. Issuers may also serve as recipients of Open Badges, often identified within an Assertion by specific properties, like their url or contact email address. An Issuer Profile is a subclass of the general Profile with some additional requirements.
Property (as it relates to Badgeclass)
Properties are fields within the badgeClass, they define specific types of data as key/value pairs.
Example: the “name” property may refer to the “Micro-credential Title” within the BadgeClass data set.
Public Badge
A public badge is a badge an earner has placed in a collection that they have designated as public. If a displayer has access to the earner email address, they can retrieve the earner's public badges from their Badgr Backpack (Now Canvas Credentials).
R
RDF
RDF, stands for Resource Description Framework which models “triples”: a subject, an object, and their relationship. Each piece has a URL. It’s fabulously versatile. “The sky is blue,” “Tony is no longer friends with Rebecca,” and “Candidate submitted application” are all triples. RDF is most commonly expressed in the Turtle format, which is compact, stackable, and human-friendly, like a turtle. As mentioned, RDF can also be serialized (expressed) in JSON-LD, among other formats. RDF is a type of graph database. RDF Schema (RDFS) powers up RDF to enable the representation of ontologies. And if that doesn’t cut it for you, you need OWL.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
Research
Many digital credentials/badges require demonstrations of competence, in which case there is usually industry-supported research to substantiate this skill or competency.
Revoke
A badge issuer can decide to revoke a badge they issued. Badge displayers are required not to display badges that have been revoked. Badge revocation is different for signed and hosted badges. See IMS Global’s website for examples of revocation
Rubric
A tool used to assess badge criteria in a standardized way. Aids consistency in review. Can also be used to check evidence to see if it meets badge criteria (if the badge requires evidence).
S
Share, Shareable
Each awarded micro-credential or digital badge/credential can be shared digitally. For examples, badge earners can share awards from their backpack to social media, an email address, or many other ways.
More on shareable
The Badgr platform (Now Canvas Credentials) provides digital badge recipients with the ability to share their award through social networks, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and via email.
Skill(s)
Skills are the basic units that define an economy.
Skills are demonstrated (and supplied) by learners,
assessed and verified by subject matter experts,
and needed (consumed) by employers and other recognizers in pursuit of their business goals.
Everyone speaks the language of skills.
SKOS
SKOS, the Simple Knowledge Organization System, is built on RDF/RDFS. SKOS underlies one of our competency framework standards, ESCO.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
Small Private Online Course (SPOC)
An online course designed for a limited number of participants, providing a more personalized and interactive learning experience. (Submitted by Julia Stotts, July 27th, 2023)
Structured Data
(for unstructured data - see unstructured data, below)
Data that is organized and easily searchable, making it suitable for analysis and decision-making. Structured data typically has a pre-defined data model or fixed schema, which means that it is organized in a way that makes it easy to understand and interpret.
Best: data stored in alignment with a data standard (see definition for “data standard” above)
Semi-structured: CSV/Excel files
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
T
Trusted Microcredential Coalition
Trusted Microcredential Coalition
The Trusted Microcredential Coalition, led by 1EdTech® Consortium, aims to enhance the quality and reliability of digital credentials. It brings together leaders from the education, technology, and K-12 sectors to maximize micro-credentials' potential for learners, educators, and employers. By establishing a standardized framework, the coalition ensures transparency regarding the skills, knowledge, and abilities represented in digital credentials, as well as their interoperability across platforms. This framework, utilizing 1EdTech's Open Badges and Comprehensive Learner Record Standard™ (CLR Standard™), provides clarity for both issuers and recipients, facilitating understanding and verification of a learner's achievements. Ultimately, the coalition's efforts support learner mobility and empower individuals to articulate their skills and knowledge effectively in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Definition Source: 1EdTech (added April 18th, 2024), For a definition of 1EdTech - see “1EdTech” above.
U
Unstructured Data
(for structured data - see “structured data”, above)
Unstructured Data
A type of data that does not have a pre-defined data model or fixed schema, making it difficult to organize and process using traditional data management tools.
PDF
Word files
Printed/scanned documents
Image, video, audio
Definition Source: Education Design Lab (added on February 7th, 2024)
V
Validate, Validator
Issuers and displayers can use the validator to check badge assertions for structural validity. Validation is a procedure that ensures a cluster of Badge Objects that make up an Open Badge are appropriately published and linked, and that each particular instance of a Badge Object conforms to requirements for its class. Validation of all data class instances used in an Open Badge is a part of badge verification.
Example: IMS Global maintains an Open Badge Validator that is free to use: https://openbadgesvalidator.imsglobal.org/.
Verifiable
Any digital credential/badge in line with the open badges specification can be verified natively through an open badge validator.
Verify, Verification
Instructions for third parties to verify the assertion. Specifically, confirmation that a specific badge was awarded by the issuer to a specific person. Badge displayers are responsible for verifying issued badges using badge assertion data. Badge verification can involve a series of steps tailored to whether the badge is hosted or signed - guidance is available in the specification.
More on Verification
Verification is the process of ensuring the data that makes up an Open Badge is correct for the purpose at hand. It includes a number of data validation checks as well as procedures to ensure the badge is trustworthy. Verification is distinct from Compliance Certification for applications and services that implement the Specification, though verification is typically a component of certification programs.
X
XML
XML Extensible Markup Language is a language and file format similar to HTML that describes data with tags that you must define yourself. It’s hierarchical, which is a key limitation compared to the anything-goes relationships between data possible with RDF. It came out around the same time as RDF.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
Y
YAML
If you don’t like looking at code, you’re going to love YAML (pronounced YAH-ml). Since it came out after XML, RDF, and many others, it stands for Yet Another Markup Language. It can parse other formats into a human-friendlier layout and may be a better route than JSON for that reason.
Definition Source: Education Design Lab, Learningeconomy.io (added on February 7th, 2024)
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