iDEA Award: recognising learner skills

What is it?

The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA, is an award programme which provides access to a range of free on-demand online courses. In completing courses from the wide range available they not only aim to support developing digital, enterprise and employability skills, the completion of the assessments built into each course provide the means to demonstrate the learner’s skills, and then give recognition for so doing.

How do I access it?

Hear an introduction to the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award from Ian Vosser at Braes High School, which also shows how to get set up, and an overview of different kinds of badges available.

You can find out more on getting started iDEA Award about page.

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How does it work?

iDEA Badges and Awards


As each course is completed learners achieve micro-credentials or iDEA badges (a visual acknowledgement of achievement) in recognition of successful completion of online modules. Each course has a number of points assigned to it, and these courses are aligned with categories (core categories are Citizen, Worker, Maker, Entrepreneur). To achieve the iDEA Bronze Award, you need to have a minimum of 250 points and these points must be made up of at least 50 from each of the core categories. As soon as you achieve the iDEA Bronze Award, you will be able to claim a certificate of achievement. To achieve the Silver Award, you need to have completed at least 4 categories and the Citizen category is mandatory.

You can undertake these interactive online modules on any device anywhere you can get online. At any time you can download, print and share a portable Record of Achievement.

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What kind of courses (or badges) are available?

Badges are divided into categories for different types of skills: ‘Citizen’ badges help you learn digital awareness, safety and ethics; ‘Worker’ badges teach you tools and techniques which are useful in the workplace; ‘Maker’ badges are all about digital creativity and show you how to build and make in the digital world;  ‘Entrepreneur’ badges help you learn how to originate ideas and bring them to life; “Gamer” Badges help you learn gamification techniques and teach you how to make games.

Here’s an overview of just one of the badges/courses available – on skills for interviews:

 

Here’s an overview of the Digital Pathways badge:

Here’s more about one of the courses, on data visualisation:

And one on Money Management:

One on Growth Mindset:

And here’s an animated gif illustrating some of the 80+ courses available in the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award:

.What help is there for a teacher using iDEA with learners?

If you are a teacher then the iDEA site as an organiser management system provides the facility to track progress of your group of learners.

Hear from some of those who have achieved the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award

And let’s see some of those who have already achieved:

 


Blog Post Credit: Malcolm Wilson

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