At ubbu, it's important to distinguish between two essential functions in the activities carried out with students: motivating and assessing. Stars and badges are two of our main motivation tools. Let's see how they work.
What are the stars for?
The points awarded are mainly intended to motivate students and show their progress over time.
Stars (⭐) work as an immediate feedback system, giving students a sense of performance and encouraging them to keep acquiring new learning. In other words, points reflect effort and practice, not a formal validation of learning.
How is knowledge checked?
There are already several ways to track students' progress on ubbu and understand how they're acquiring knowledge. The metrics dashboard offers a clear, accessible view of students' journeys. Through the class metrics dashboard, teachers can:
View which exercises and quizzes have been completed (or not) and whether they were answered correctly;
See how many lessons, challenges, and projects each student has completed;
Quickly identify who needs extra support and who's ready to move forward;
Explore students' progress by topic (Computer Science, Sustainable Development, STEAM);
Suggest extra challenges for more curious or advanced students.
This dashboard is especially useful for making informed teaching decisions, based on clear data organized by lesson, challenge, or project, all presented in a visual and intuitive way.
What are ubbu badges?
Badges are a system of visual rewards that students earn as they progress on ubbu.
Complete lessons? Earn a badge. Finish a curriculum? Earn another one. And there's more!
Each badge marks an important milestone in the learning journey, reinforcing students' sense of progress and achievement.
Why use badges?
✔️ Recognize individual effort.
✔️ Boost student motivation and engagement.
✔️ Connect learning to real-world topics.
✔️ Make the experience more fun.
How do they work?
Badges are awarded automatically based on specific goals, such as:
Completing lessons and challenges.
Finishing a curriculum.
Exploring different worlds on the platform.
Building skills in STEAM areas.
Learning about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The four badge categories
ubbu badges are organized into four main groups. Each one highlights a different aspect of learning:
The ubbu world
As students advance, they unlock new areas, such as Ada City, Hopper City, or Turing Fields. We award these badges so students feel like they're part of a journey of discovery.
Curriculum achievements
These are tied to students' progress through the curriculum. For example, a badge is earned for completing the 1st lesson, or for finishing curriculums.
STEAM areas
A way to highlight engagement in STEAM areas: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. These badges help students see how they're building skills in these areas.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Learning on ubbu is connected to real-world challenges. As such, students can earn badges tied to topics like equality, sustainability, or climate action, aligned with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
How to check earned badges
Students can check the badges they've earned through their profile on the platform. Just click the icon highlighted in the image to access the Badges page and see all the ones they've earned so far.
You can use these achievements to:
Celebrate important milestones in class;
Encourage students to push themselves further;
Spark discussions about the topics tied to the badges (for example, the SDGs).
In summary
At ubbu, both points and badges play an important role in motivating students and tracking their progress, but they don't replace formal assessment.
Encourage your students to practice and explore, knowing that every ⭐ and every badge represents a step forward on their learning journey.