Self-Efficacy: A Rationale for Badging in Learning Contexts

Self-efficacy beliefs have proven to be an important influence on an individual's learning success. Badging is increasingly an element of innovative technologies for educational computing such as MOOCs, adaptive learning systems, smart learning environments, game-based learning, and gamification, among others. However, there is not strong evidence that a theoretical grounding drove the implementation of badging. In this paper, the authors provide self-efficacy as a rationale for implementing badges. The rationale includes a summary of learner self-efficacy, a description of current applications of badging, and potential applications and impacts of using badging for learning to enhance learner self-efficacy. Suggestions for further study are made and potential implications are discussed for the use of badges on learner self-efficacy in an educational context.