Competency-based education (CBE) is a trend that is gaining traction in the United States, and several states have begun implementing it legislatively. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, how we do education, like so many other things, is being re-imagined, and moving into a more of an individualized, student-centered approach (Reich, 2019).
What is it?
Like many things related to education, there is no simple, universal definition of what CBE is. Based on the readings I did this week, here are the common elements:
There are clearly defined competencies regarding what students should know and be able to do.
There are clear rubrics for evaluating mastery.
Advancement is not based on seat time, but is instead based on the outcome of students demonstrating their learning or mastery of specific competencies at their own pace.
The path to learning is not the same for all students, and students have a degree of choice in how they access content and in how they prove mastery.
Assessment of competency is done along the way, with multiple chances to show mastery, instead of in one summative evaluation.
There is a data dashboard with a personal learning plan that shows progress that is available to students, parents, teachers, and school leaders.
Students are supported in ways that are helpful to them based on the data and their personal needs (Reich, 2019; SREB, 2018; Glowa, 2013).
There are five capabilities that schools need in order to utilize CBE. These are 1) personalized learning plans for students that are accessible to all stakeholders, 2) choice for both students and teachers related to resources, strategies, and technology, 3) access to data on students and content and materials to use for differentiation and student support, 4) use of data and analytics for interventions, and 5) support for all stakeholders including adequate professional development for teachers, collaborative learning communities for students, and technical support for all (Glowa, 2013).
Why?
When I was a traditional student, my main motivation in school was to get the A on my report card. As an adult, when I have taken courses, my motivation changed to that of wanting to learn as much as possible. In doing that, the grade has always followed. I have wondered for years how do we get students to make a similar attitude shift. The more I have learned about CBE, the more I think this could be the key. According to SREB (2018), “these models can be the difference between a high school dropout and a student well-prepared for college or career.”
CBE can happen in any kind of learning situation: traditional, online, or blended (Glowa, 2013). In the wake of Covid-19, we need more flexibility than we have had in the past because so many students have lost learning opportunities. CBE provides the ability for students and teachers to immediately identify problem areas and work together to correct it (Reich, 2019). Prior to the pandemic, online and blended learning were not common in K-12. The lessons learned in the past two years will have a lasting impact as educators begin to explore how blended learning can be used to give students options and personalize learning. CBE can be used to do just that (Glowa, 2013).
Post-secondary education is moving in the direction of providing blended, personalized, flexible, affordable education that is relevant, motivating and compelling with an updated technological experience (Vander Ark, 2014). That is bleeding over into the secondary schools as well. I have seen in my school how the Texas Education Agency is focusing on ensuring that all students are college-, career-, or military-ready upon graduation. Many schools, including mine, are creating curriculum pathways that will lead to students to an industry certification or potentially graduating with enough credits to be core-complete for college. CBE could be an effective way to implement these changes.
Here is a video that describes CBE and some lessons learned from implementation.
Challenges
As always, whenever something new is implemented, there are always challenges. CBE is no exception. Some of these challenges include defining exactly what a competency is, how grades will be determined, implementation process, technology integration, and data sharing (Glowa, 2013; Reich, 2019).
There are differing definitions of how to define a competency. Some say they are a single learning objective like a standard, and others say they are much larger in scope with multiple standards included (Reich, 2019; Glowa, 2013). Glowa (2013) stated “competencies include explicit, measurable, transferrable learning objectives that empower students.” Regardless of the definition used, students must be able to demonstrate mastery in a measurable way.
There are also various ways that grades could be reported. Prior to moving to a CBE model of education, a school district will have to grapple with this issue. Some methods that have been used include:
Using a 4-point or 5-point scale with a rubric to indicate levels of mastery,
Using a hybrid scoring system where both competency progress and traditional grades are reported where competency grades are weighted more heavily than assignment grades,
Grades are given according to progress on competencies either as grades or trend lines, and
Grades can be based on productivity (Glowa, 2013).
Implementation is another huge challenge. Schools must decide if they want to simply refine traditional processes or completely redesign the system. According to Reich (2019), school leaders and teachers need to ask themselves “how do we build systems where, when kids are struggling and not mastering foundational skills, we as educators can identify what supports they need to be ready for the challenges of the future?” The answers to these types of questions will guide implementation.
A major challenge that must be dealt with before CBE can even be implemented is how technology will be used. There are many technology programs used in schools today. In order for CBE to work, these need to be integrated and have interoperability in order to be able to gather the data needed and be usable for all stakeholders. A balance between compliance with federal and state policies and student-centered IT systems must be found. Common definitions for data and data exchange standards are also needed since various systems will be used to gather data (Glowa, 2013).
Role of Technology
Technology is required in order to fully implement CBE, and it can be used to
Promote critical thinking in many areas (analogical, expressive, experiential, and problem solving),
Enable mobile learning, which leads to life-long learning,
Create personalized learning plans and delivery methods,
Provide access to education to areas of the world where school attendance is not possible,
Encourage deeper learning, unlimited and immediate learning,
Allow for continuous feedback and timely assessment,
Improve mastery of content through adaptive learning modules,
Provide ways for students to create and contribute content to demonstrate mastery at their own pace,
Capture student progress and their trend lines over time,
Communicate and connect with others and to supply data that is needed to stakeholders,
Create global awareness, and
Assist educators in understanding how students learn (Briggs, 2014; SREB, 2018; SREB, 2015; Glowa, 2013).
In order to implement CBE, the technology systems we use today will need to be upgraded and become more student-centered. Systems are needed that can create student profiles and learning plans that can track proficiency levels, create student portfolios, provide different ways to achieve competency, and capture data on individual standards. Systems also need to have interoperability, accessibility, and make accessing content easier for students and teachers. The IT systems will also need to be customizable based on different roles (student, parent, teacher, administrator) and their need for information, and also be seamlessly integrated with a single-sign on.
References
Briggs, S., (2104). 10 Most Powerful Uses of Technology for Learning. Retrieved April 1, 2018 from
Chronical of Higher Education. (2015, May 28). Lessons from a competency-based education experiment - youtube. YouTube. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3H-och9Hfc
Glowa, L., (2013). Re-engineering information technology design considerations for competency education, a CompetencyWorks issue brief, International Association for K–12 Online Learning. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED561304
Reich, J. (2019, February 28). What is competency-based education? YouTube. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RschZFj3vHI
SREB. (2015, December 10). Competency-based learning. Southern Regional Education Board. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.sreb.org/competency-based-learning
SREB, (2018). 10 Issues in Educational Technology, 2108. Retrieved December 7, 2019 from https://www.sreb.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/10issues_v8-web_version_accessible.pdf?1521568731
Vander Ark, T. (2014, December 19). Next gen higher ed: Blended, personalized & competency-based. Getting Smart. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.gettingsmart.com/2014/12/19/next-gen-higher-ed-blended-personalized-competency-based/
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