Learning ‘Passport’ could advance education into the digital world

The Passport learning management system platform allows instructors to create and organize a variety of course content to award digital badges to recognize students’ successful completion of learning activities. DelMar Software Development is launching the platform in partnership with the information Technology, Teaching and Learning Technologies division at Purdue University. (Photo provided) Download image

Software offers a single platform for learning management and digital badging

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – DelMar Software Development, in partnership with the Information Technology, Teaching and Learning Technologies division at Purdue University, has launched an online learning management system (LMS) platform that uses digital badges to visually demonstrate user competencies and achievements.

The system, called Passport, is a learning system that allows instructors to create and organize a variety of course content, to award digital badges to recognize students’ successful completion of learning activities and assessments and to even incorporate student reflections to leverage the badges to function as an e-portfolio. As badges are composed of specific, measurable “challenges” that students complete to earn the badge, they provide more transparency in regard to learning outcomes and tasks than an academic transcript while also allowing users to visually display and share their accomplishments.

“With Passport, we are combining the power of creating interactive and engaging learning experiences for students, with the hard evidence as proof of knowledge, comprehension and skill mastery,” says Dan Kim, Passport project manager at DelMar.

The LMS piece of the Passport platform provides instructors (technical, academic or other areas) an intuitive and effective online method to create interactive course content and assignments. Passport also gives users a framework that guides them through learning activities, gives them access to supplemental materials, allows them to submit their own content, complete evaluations and get feedback from instructors. Users also benefit from the flexibility of being able to review material, complete assignments and track their awards and achievements from any device, such as laptop, tablet or smartphone.

The instructor can award their students’ progress with badges that are created using the badge builder part of the platform. A step-by-step creation process lets each instructor select colors, styles, icons and text for each badge image, making it unique to the accomplishment.

The technology for Passport was developed at Purdue University and is licensed through the Purdue Research Foundation’s Office of Technology Commercialization.

More information about Passport can be found at https://passportlearn.com, where there is also an opportunity to request a demo or trial access.

DelMar Software Development LLC, celebrating its 15-year anniversary, was established in 2004 in West Lafayette. DelMar builds custom applications for mobile, web, desktops, and cloud servers. With offices in West Lafayette and Indianapolis, DelMar is a software solutions partner for startups and small to large businesses; creating programs and systems that can meet the needs of any product or organization. To learn more, visit https://www.delmarsd.com or contact DelMar at info@delmarsd.com.

Writer: Liz Pestow, lpestow@delmarsd.com

Purdue Research Foundation contact: Tom Coyne, 765-588-1044, tjcoyne@prf.org

Sources: Dan Kim, dkim@delmarsd.com

William Watson, brwatson@purdue.edu