E-Learning-Inclusivo (Mashup)

What is the current state of research on recognition and accreditation systems for informal and interest-driven learning? In the Badges for Learning Research Collection, we explore some of the opportunities provided by employing badges and other assessment systems in learning communities, some of the dangers, and consider the pressing research questions that need to be addressed.

Over the last year, a  wide-ranging public conversation about potential future applications of badges and the place of badges in our learning ecosystem has captured the attention of educators, technology makers, and researchers. How can current and past research inform these debates?

What are the most important questions we need to raise about the effective design and deployment of badge and reputation systems? What empirical and theoretical research supports and informs the design, development, and deployment of digital badges and badge systems across a diverse range of learning content, institutions, and approaches? 

"During the second half of 2012, conversations within the ed-tech world were all a-Twitter linking and blogging about MOOCs at a fever pitch, identifying them as the impending disruptor in higher education. It wasn't until November that it seemed the more mainstream press finally covered it with the big headline, such as The Year of the MOOC .

...

Will MOOCs be transformative to higher education as other technologies were to other industries and sectors?  What's your riff?"

The University of California (UC)—the biggest public research university in the world, has decided to adopt a university wide open-access policy for research papers produced by its faculty.

Recent research by Shikhart Ghosh, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School has found that 3 out of 4 venture backed startups fail. I am sure we all agree there must be something we can do to change this alarming failure rate! We are not claiming that doing a Culture Due Diligence is the Holy Grail; However, we are sure that it would help investors make better investment decisions by letting them assess whether a founding team, startup, or established company has a Minimum Viable Culture to deliver the company’s intended value proposition.

The Parnassus Workplace Fund, is an example of how investing in Culture brings exceptional returns. This fund invests in companies in the “Best Places to Work” lists or in companies that meet similar criteria. The Parnassus Workplace Fund ranks highest in shareholder return compared to 1,303 other peer funds. (Read more here)

Another recent study published by the Journal of Private Equity, states that one of the key strategies for venture capitalist’s to increase the odds of startup success is by focusing on team building in their portfolio companies. But to turn a team into a kill it takes more than just team building, it takes Culture Building to truly build an asset.

Why is Culture such a critical asset for companies today?

It’s a critical asset because companies such as Zappos and many other culture driven high-performing companies have raised the bar and set a new Culture Standard. Up and coming companies cannot expect to succeed without meeting this new standard.

Investing in Culture is also a numbers game. It results in:

33% more benefits (Gallup)

43% more productivity (Hay Group)

37% more sales (Shawn Achor)

300% more innovation (HBR)

-51% turn over (Gallup)

-66% sick leaves (Forbes)

- 125% lack of motivation (HBR)

Then, how can investors improve their due diligence process?

Investors could conduct a Culture Due Diligence by using our Culture Canvas along with a set of proven methodologies designed to fill in the canvas and make assessments that investors could use to improve their investment decisions.

What is the Culture Canvas?

When we created the Culture Canvas, we were inspired by the Business Model Canvas developed by Alexander Osterwalder, which has become a standard for business model design. The Business Model Canvas is widely used in many entrepreneurship programs in universities such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, and Columbia, among others… The Culture Canvas complements the Business Model Canvas to facilitate the assessment of this critical company asset in more detail.

What are the benefits of doing Culture Due Diligence?

After completing a Culture Due Diligence, you will be able to determine whether the company features:

1. A Minimum Viable Culture strong enough to face key challenges

2. A Product-Culture Fit that aligns culture with the company’s value proposition

This information will allow better investment decisions resulting in less failed investments!

What is the current state of research on recognition and accreditation systems for informal and interest-driven learning? In the Badges for Learning Research Collection, we explore some of the opportunities provided by employing badges and other assessment systems in learning communities, some of the dangers, and consider the pressing research questions that need to be addressed.

Over the last year, a  wide-ranging public conversation about potential future applications of badges and the place of badges in our learning ecosystem has captured the attention of educators, technology makers, and researchers. How can current and past research inform these debates?

What are the most important questions we need to raise about the effective design and deployment of badge and reputation systems? What empirical and theoretical research supports and informs the design, development, and deployment of digital badges and badge systems across a diverse range of learning content, institutions, and approaches? 

The European Union is funding an increasing number of support and research programmes in the field of Information and Communication Technologies.

An emerging consensus for open evaluation: 18 visions for the future of scientific publishing | Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience publishes articles on the most outstanding discoveries across the research spectrum of Frontiers (...) - Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience, by Kriegeskorte N et al., 15 November 2012