For those looking to get started with SSSC Open Badges

I have recently started using the Open Badge system on Scottish Social Services website. When I first signed up I was unsure of which badges to start with. 

There are two badges for complete beginners to Open Badges:

• Getting started with Open Badges - https://www.badges.sssc.uk.com/badges/starter/
• Writing evidence for Open Badge applications - https://www.badges.sssc.uk.com/badges/evidence/

The Getting Started badge isn't the badge I started with as on reading the criteria I realised that in order to complete the badge you had to attend a webinar. The webinars only happen once every few months and the next one is in September so I have signed up to it but cannot complete the badge until then so "Getting Started" is a slight misnomer unless you want to wait until after the next webinar to complete any badges.

I started with the Writing evidence badge. This badge show you how to complete the evidence for all of the Open Badges. Although each badge does have its own criteria the Writing Evidence badge shows you the basic format that all the badges require and tells you about how using the badges benefits you and what the SSSC is hoping to achieve with the SSSC Badges.

So although there is a Getting Started badge I would recommend starting with the Writing Evidence badge as it will better allow you to proceed with more badges. Another reason I would recommend doing this first is that many of the badges require the Writing Evidence badge as a prerequisite before they will let you complete the badge. For example while you can do the Informed about Dementia Badge without any prior badges, you have to have the Writing Evidence badge before proceeding to the Understanding Dementia badge.

After the Writing Evidence badge I moved on to the 23 things digital. I did this partially because I enjoy digital learning but also because it has a clear structure of which badge to do in what order and it was on the first page of the all badges page.

While working my way through the 23 things digital I will be looking at earning the dementia and medication badges next. I work for a Care at Home service so these seemed the most relevant. As I complete more badges I will continue to post about them.

I would love to hear your comments on your experiences with the SSSC Badges and suggestions of which badges I should do next.