The purpose of this program is to acknowledge, challenge, and recognize the acquisition of new teaching techniques and skills to enhance teaching and learning at Brandon University.

It will assist faculty by documenting acquisition of new skills and achieving learning goals, enabling flexible learning and building learning communities.

Merits are awarded for:

• Teaching by contributing to BU learning events, higher levels for repeated contributions.
  
• Scholarship for participation in BU learning events, higher levels for published research on teaching and learning,
• Leading by participating as a CTLT Teaching Affiliate, higher levels for developing and sharing widely new techniques and strategies,
• Building by planning and executing BU learning events through which to share knowledge and build skills.

How does the process of awarding merit work?

The CTLT uses the Badges function of Moodle to award merit. To receive merit awards you must have logged onto Moodle and set up your Moodle profile.

The following is the process for awarding merit.

• Director identifies individuals who have met the requirements to award merit.
• Director uses the Badges function of Moodle to award a merit to individuals for achievement of specified criteria. The merit award includes a digital image and digital documentation about the award. The certification document includes the following information:
  • name of merit
  • date awarded
  • description of the merit (can include when it was awarded, criteria for awarding the merit, and other information)
  • issuer details (name, contact information)
  • expiry date (if it applies)
  • criteria for awarding merit
• Moodle sends out a message to the individuals that they have received a merit and inidcates the opportunity to manage their merits.
• The persons awarded merit get a message stating the award and the digital merit will appear in their Moodle profile.

How can I view my merit?

Your merit will be part of your Moodle profile.

• To view a profile, move the cursor to the upper right corner of the Moodle page, over your name. Click on your full name and your profile will appear.
• The message you receive when you are awarded a merit also gives you a link to “Manage Badges”. This link takes you to a page where you can share your merit with other websites and programs.  If you are not wanting to share your merit with other sites at this time, you do not need to go to the link.

How do I share my merit with other sites?

Moodle works with Mozilla Backpack to help you share your merit with other sites.  You can also download the digital image and accompanying documentation to the Badgr Backpack so that they can be viewed on other documents such as portfolios and webpages. Go to Badgr Backpack to set up an account with them to transfer your merit.

Once you have a Badgr Backpack account, you can download the merits to this account.  Use Moodle’s “Manage Badges” page to help you do this.

There are two ways to go to go to the screen that helps you share your merit with other sites.

• If you know you want to share your merit with another site when you receive you merit, use the “Manage Badges” link from your email.
• If you decide later you want to share your merit with another site, you can use the drop down menu in the upper right corner of your Moodle page that appears when you move your cursor over your name.  From this menu, choose Badges.

Once you are at the manage badges page, click on the download link to download the badge.  Follow instructions from Badgr Backpack to complete your transfer.