Competency Based Learning

What is Competency Based Learning?

     One in five people in the United States have some college credit but have not completed their degree. Students stop attending post-secondary institutions for a number of reasons but do not stop learning. They likely have participated in on-the-job training and have had life experiences that have resulted in learning. Competency based learning is beneficial to this type of student because it is designed to recognize and acknowledge previous experiences, which have resulted in learning (CAEL, 2014). Students enrolled in these programs demonstrate what and how well they know something through multiple means of assessment including performance-based tools (Competency-Based Education Network, 2014). Methods of assessing this type of learning can be similar to those in traditional classrooms including written papers, tests or projects (Krause et al., 2015).

How does it compare to a traditional model?

      Most institutions of higher education depend on the amount of time a student spends in the classroom as a means of moving them forward in their program (ie. how many credit hours that they have earned). This means that within the current model how long an individual has spent trying to learn something is measured versus measuring what an individual has actually learned (Kamentz, 2014). With competency based learning, time is variable but learning is fixed, meaning a student can progress through a course or topic at whatever pace that they are able to prove their understanding of the material covered (Weise, 2014).

Benefits

     In North America the number of traditionally aged students is shrinking (18 to 22 year olds). Instead there are many adults in their early 20s through to middle-aged individuals who need to complete their first degree or are seeking to pursue a second degree. Educators believe that competency based learning will best serve this group of individuals (Kamentz, 2014). This is because adult learners learn at different rates and come with increased life experiences that have resulted in learning. Adult learners are able to reengage in education, apply what they have previously learned and move more quickly through content that they already know (Mendenhall, 2012). This saves both time and money. Additional benefits include; a student’s demonstrated ability to do and know the content, learning is student-centred and personalized and it is an affordable option to those who could not previously afford to engage in further education (Krause et al., 2015; Competency-Based Education Network, 2014).

     Competency based learning acknowledges learning rather than time spent in classroom and because of this it more accurately measures student learning compared to traditional teaching methods (Mendenhall, 2012). It is believed to be a ‘true workforce solution’ as it has the potential to bridge the gap between postsecondary education and the workforce (Weise, 2014). It will require input from industries to assure that the learning outcomes and competencies created will meet the needs of the changing workforce. Competency based learning applied to mainstream higher education would require an overhaul to current models but potential improvements in student learning and affordability would be worth it (Mendenhall, 2012). It would be safe to bet that competency based learning will increase its presence in higher education in the near future (Kamentz, 2014).

References

CAEL - Competency-Based Education. (2014). Competency-based Education. Retrieved from http://www.cael.org/what-we-do/competency-based-education

Competency-Based Education Network. (2014). What is Competency-based education. Retrieved from http://www.cbenetwork.org/competency-based-education/

Kamentz, A. (2014, October). Competency-Based Education: No More Semesters?. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/10/07/353930358/competency-based-education-no-more-semesters

Krause, J. et al. (2015). Competency-Based Education: A Framework for Measuring Quality Courses. Retrieved from http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring181/krause_dias_schedler181.html

Mendenhall, R. (2012, September 5) What is competency based education?  Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-robert-mendenhall/competency-based-learning-_b_1855374.html

Weise, M. (2014, November). Got Skills? Why Online Competency-Based Education Is the Disruptive Innovation for Higher Education. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/got-skills-why-online-competency-based-education-disruptive-innovation-higher-education