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Research

Connected learning, collapsed contexts: Examining teens’ sociotechnical ecosystems through the lens of digital badges

Researchers and designers have incorporated social media affordances into learning technologies to engage young people and support personally relevant learning, but youth may reject these attempts because they do not meet user expectations. Through in-depth case studies, we explore the sociotechnical ecosystems of six teens (ages 15-18) working at a science center that had recently introduced a digital badge system to track and recognize their learning. By analyzing interviews, observations, ecological momentary assessments, and system data, we examined tensions in how badges as connected learning technologies operate in teens' sociotechnical ecosystems. We found that, due to issues of unwanted context collapse and incongruent identity representations, youth only used certain affordances of the system and did so sporadically. Additionally, we noted that some features seemed to prioritize values of adult stakeholders over youth. Using badges as a lens, we reveal critical tensions and offer design recommendations for networked learning technologies.

Read the full paper.

Caroline Pitt

Adam Bell

Brandyn S. Boyd

Nikki Demmel

Katie Davis

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Projects in Learning Sciences

  • Falx: Synthesis-Powered Visualization Authoring
  • Connected learning, collapsed contexts: Examining teens’ sociotechnical ecosystems through the lens of digital badges
  • The kids are / not / sort of all right: Technology’s complex role in teen wellbeing during COVID-19
  • Opportunities and Challenges in Involving Users in Project-Based HCI Education
  • Designing a connected learning toolkit for public library staff serving youth through the design-based implementation research method
  • ConnectedLib Toolkit

News

Lauren Appelbaum

Informatics alum Lauren Appelbaum's novels inspired by tech

Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Lauren Appelbaum worked in tech for a decade after earning her Informatics degree. Then her career took a plot twist.Now a full-time author, Appelbaum, ’13, recently released her second novel, “An Introvert’s Guide to Life and...
Read more
Cynthia Leitich Smith speaking.

Author Cynthia Leitich Smith charms crowd at Shaw Lecture

Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Asked what she would say to encourage young writers, author Cynthia Leitich Smith made an analogy. “When you're thinking about a story, particularly within books for young readers, but a story in general, I think it's helpful to...
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Oct 29
 
12:00-1:30PM

Ph.D. in Information Science Information Session with Student Panel

Zoom / Online
Oct 30
 
6:00-8:00PM

Capstone Networking Night

UW HUB South Ballroom
Oct 30
 
7:00-7:30PM

iSchool Read-Alongs Series: "The Spooky Wheels on the Bus"

Nov 2
 

Bay Area Alums Fall Social

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