Digital Badges Forging Connections Between Informal and Higher Education

By Wendy Martin, Jaime Gutierrez, and Maggie Muldoon

Many high-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs enable youth from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to gain skills and knowledge in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM, Afterschool Alliance, 2015; National Research Council, 2011); engage in authentic practices that relate to their own interests; and connect with their peers and their own cultures (Bell et al., 2009; Ito et al., 2013).