Author and digital learning consultant Dr. Wes Fryer has released MacBook Maestro, a free, BadgeOS-powered website that helps individuals learn the features of the Mac OS 10.8 Mountain Lion operating system. Those who complete learning activities on MacBook Maestro the site earn digital badges that are automatically issued via Credly. Earners can save, curate, or share their MacBook Maestro credentials on  social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Mozilla Backpack or their Credly profile.

The site encourages learners to download the free Credly mobile app to track their progress, and showcase and share their digital badges.

Fryer’s site offers super-helpful guidance, videos and activities that are organized into tasks at both Beginner and Intermediate levels. The completion of specific tasks results in the completion of badges and levels.

As reported on the site, Fryer created MacBook Maestro initially for a series of workshops for Yukon Public Schools in Oklahoma. The goals of the MacBook Maestro site and associated workshops which Fryer conducts are:

1. To empower educators to further develop and demonstrate knowledge about and skills with MacBook laptops running the MacOS.

2. To explore and model the use of a Mozilla Open Badges compliant WordPress site and the BadgeOS plugin (with Credly) to issue badges reflecting MacBook knowledge and skills.

Fryer has modeled a great example of how one can combine open educational resources, subject matter and instructional design expertise, and free and open source software to facilitate real-world learning that certifies and acknowledges important skill development. Fryer has done exactly what we dreamed when we released BadgeOS and Credly as free, open resources. Thank you, Dr. Fryer, for helping lead the way and sharing your talent, process and resources openly with others. Well done!

The popular author and social networker offered this Tweet upon launching the site:

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My @credly powered MacBook Maestro website is finished: 23 available badges including 49 different learning tasks http://t.co/famabviBGp #fb

— Wesley Fryer, Ph.D. (@wfryer) June 7, 2013

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