Awards in Talon (D2L Brightspace): Badges & Certificates

What Are Awards in Talon?

What Are Awards in Talon?

Awards in Talon (D2L Brightspace) recognize learner achievement using digital badges and certificates. Awards can be issued automatically when learners meet specific criteria or manually by an instructor. The tool is flexible and quick to configure, which makes Awards a high‑impact, low‑effort way to increase learner motivation and make progress more visible.
Info

In Awards, you have two options to choose from: Badges or Certificates.  

  1. Badges are typically used for smaller milestones (such as completing a unit or earning a certain quiz score).  
  2. Certificates are best used for larger accomplishments, such as course completion, final grade thresholds, or earning a group of badges. 


Why Use Awards? 

Awards can support teaching and learning in several ways:
Motivation & Engagement
Learners receive immediate recognition when they complete key activities.
Clear Milestones
Awards help learners see what they are working toward.
Recognition Beyond Grades
Badges and certificates highlight progress, persistence, and skill development.
Shareable Evidence of Learning
Learners can share Awards via public links or LinkedIn. 
Low Barrier to Entry
Even one badge or one certificate can make a difference.

Sharing Awards Beyond Talon

Students can: 
  1. Share Awards using a public URL 
  2. Add badges and certificates directly to LinkedIn profiles 
  3. Download or reference Awards for resumes, portfolios, or job applications 
This makes Awards especially meaningful for career focused programs, workforce training, and professional development. 


How Awards Work 

⭐ Click here to see the step-by-step guide for creating Awards in Talon. ⭐

Step 1: Access the Awards Tool

1. Enter your course in Talon.
2. Select Course Admin.
3. Click Awards.

Step 2: Create a Badge or Certificate

4. Select Add Award.
5. Choose Badge or Certificate.
6. Enter:
  1. Name
  2. Description (what the learner did to earn it)
  3. Choose an icon from the built-in library OR upload an image:
    1. Badges require a PNG or JPG
    2. Certificates may use a custom template
7. Save.

Step 3: Choose How the Award Is Issued

  1. Automatically awarded (recommended)
  2. Manually awarded by the instructor

Step 4: Add Release Conditions (Automatic Awards)

1. Select Create Release Condition.
2. Choose a condition type:
  1. Quiz score
  2. Assignment submission
  3. Discussion participation
  4. Final or calculated grade
  5. Earned Award
3. Define the criteria (e.g., ≥ 80%).
4. Choose whether all or any conditions must be met.
5. Save.

(Optional) Step 5: Manually Issue an Award

1. Open Awards.
2. Select the award.
3. Choose Issue Award.
4. Select learner(s).
5. (Optional) Add a message.
6. Save.
Idea

Example: Start Small

One Badge + One Certificate Model 

Badge: Module 1 Completion 
Automatically awarded when students complete all Module 1 activities. 

Certificate: Course Completion Certificate 
Automatically awarded when students earn a final grade of 70% or higher. 

This simple setup introduces learners to Awards without adding ongoing work for the instructor. 

Best Practices 

  1. Start small, one or two Awards is enough 
  2. Align Awards with meaningful milestones 
  3. Avoid awarding badges for trivial tasks 
  4. Explain Awards early so learners know what to expect 
  5. Review engagement and refine as needed 

Getting Started 

Awards are easiest to add after your course structure is complete. Once set up, automatic Awards require little to no maintenance. For help designing or implementing Awards in Talon, connect with AISD or explore the detailed step-by-step instructions/videos in the Talon User’s Guide. 

Resources

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