Teacher Tech blog with Alice Keeler

Paperless Is Not a Pedagogy

Alice Keeler

Google Slides Badge Maker

Wanting to gamify your classroom? Try out this Google Slides Badge Maker by Alice Keeler. Easy to insert a new badge.
Make Badges in Google SLides
Google Slides Badge Maker

When you think gamification, badges might come to mind. If you are looking for a free and easy way to design badges try my Google Slides Badge Maker. 

Badges for Gamification

Gamification works. However, I recommend you always start small. It is hard to keep up with assigning badges. Badges provide a visual confirmation to students that they have achieved something. 

Start Small with Badges

How will you make the badges? How will you distribute them? Consider starting with printing them on paper. Students can tape or glue them onto an achievement poster. 

Google Slides is an Open Canvas

It is relatively easy to design a badge in Google Slides. Create a circle. Hold down the Shift key to ensure it is round. Make a thicker border on the circle. Print out the Google Slides or download the image to add to a digital canvas. 

Learn More about Google Slides from Teacher Tech

Resize the Canvas

Google Slides defaults to a rectangular shape. Include your badge on one side of the slide. Post the badge description on the other side. The default background color on Google Slides is white. It is possible to make the background transparent.

Unofficial Google Slides Badge Maker Add-on

To make this process go faster, I have created an unofficial Add-on. It is safe to use and collects no user data. 

Make a copy of the Slides template.

Resized Canvas

Notice on the template that the canvas size is square.   

Make Badges Menu

Next to the Help menu is the “Make Badges” menu. 

AliceKeeler Make Google Slides Badges Screenshot

Authorize Yourself Access to the Add-on

This Add-on has not been submitted to Google for approval yet. IT IS SAFE. You are only authorizing yourself access to your own Google Slides. 

Make Badge

The Make Badges menu has an option for “Make Badge.” This will add a new slide. The slide has a circle with a random color and a thick border. 

Decorate the Badge

Add your Bitmoji, graphics, text, etc… to the badge slide.

Download the Badge

Use the File menu to download. Select PNG image. The badge downloads with a transparent background.

Google Slides Badge Maker download as png image

Digital Stickers for Feedback

Not ready to jump into gamification? Award students digital stickers! Create a table in Google Docs at the top of the document. Use this for student feedback. In one table cell add the digital sticker from Google Slides Badge Maker. 

Folder of Downloaded Badges

Images are easy to drag onto a Google Doc. Keep a folder of badges/digital stickers.

Google Doc of Tables

Tip: Keep a Google Doc with tables pre created. One table cell in each has a badge/sticker. Copy the table from this into student work. 

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