Northampton Electronic Collection of Theses and Research

The psychosocial impact of NHS Digital Badges on a school-aged cohort

Alexander, J. and Neill, S. (2018) The psychosocial impact of NHS Digital Badges on a school-aged cohort. Journal of Child Health Care. 1367-4935.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: Goal-oriented modalities of learning have long been used in educational settings to promote engagement and encourage a step-by-step approach to the acquisition of skills and knowledge. Historically, badges have been material, but in keeping with technological advancements there is a move towards encouraging greater digital engagement. Digital badges are today's version of the Scouts and Guides badge, a virtual non-material version, increasingly being utilized as a pedagogical resource in education and business settings. In 2015, National Health Service (NHS) England developed and launched its own digital badges aimed at supporting children and young people's education of health and well-being. This article presents findings from the first study to explore the psychosocial impact of NHS Digital Badges as perceived by primary school-aged children and their teachers. We conducted a small-scale evaluation involving children aged 8-10 ( n = 57) and their teachers ( n = 2), from a primary academy (school) in the north of England using NHS Digital Badges in their curriculum. Overwhelmingly, children and teachers reflected on the badges positively, as tools that have the capacity to build perseverance, develop emotional awareness, build relationships and enhance skill and knowledge acquisition. Some participants, though, raised vulnerability and safeguarding issues, and we explore the implications of these for future practice.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Children’s participation, education, evaluation, information technology
Creators: Alexander, Jo and Neill, Sarah
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: Research Centres > Centre for Health Sciences and Services
Date: 1 December 2018
Date Type: Publication
Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Child Health Care
Language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1367493518767777
ISSN: 1367-4935
Status: Published / Disseminated
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/11096

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