Share Paper: 21st Century Rewards: A Case Study of Khan Academy and Digital Badges from an Educational Psychology Perspective

  1. Andrea Zellner, Michigan State University, United States
Friday, March 6 10:15-10:45 AM Coco B

Abstract: Digital badges are used as rewards for and representations of student learning within online learning systems from K12 to adult learning contexts. It is largely unknown what impacts the use of these badge rewards have on student motivation to learn. This case study of digital badges in the Khan Academy site examines the question of student motivation in badge systems. Through participant-observation the use of badges was interpreted through the lenses of three broad motivational concepts —extrinsic motivation, goal orientations, and intrinsic motivation—and uses these ideas to theorize motivational outcomes for learners in badge systems. Implications for teacher practices with ...