MAKING COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION WORK FOR YOU: MODELS FOR ADAPTATION Van Davis, PhD Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Stefani Jones, MEd Western Governors University Angie Napper, MS, MA Salt Lake Community College Southern New Hampshire University

Competency-Based Education awards academic credit based on mastery of clearly defined competencies - EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (2014), “7 Things You Should Know About Competency-Based Education” reorients the educational process toward demonstrated mastery and the application of knowledge and skills in the real world - Sally Johnstone and Louis Soares (2014), “Principles for Developing Competency-Based Education Programs”

36 million + Americans With Some College but No Degree Chart borrowed from Lumina Foundation’s “A Stronger Nation Through Higher Education”

Innovation in Education has the potential to shake up the higher education landscape... Some of these [innovative] approaches are still being developed, and too few students are seeing their benefit. The federal government can act as a catalyst for innovation, spurring innovation in a way that drives down costs while preserving quality. - The White House Office of the Press Secretary (2013), “Fact Sheet on the President’s Plan to Make College More Affordable: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class”

Measuring Competence at WGU Competence Faculty Support Course Work Student Prior Knowledge & Experience Validation of Competence Through Assessment(s) Remediation & Feedback

Design and Development at WGU Adopt & Develop the Best Materials Valid, Reliable Assessment Study Plan & Learning Resources Workplace Competencies Standards Comparable Courses Certifications Quality Control Define Competencies & Objectives Clearly National Council & Product Manager Instructional Designer Assessment Manager Subject-Matter Experts Assessment Developers & Manager Instructional Designer & Editor Librarians & Learning Resource Specialists Subject-Matter Experts Design & Development Team Additional Faculty External Reviewers Subject-Matter Experts Beta Testing

Student Experience at WGU Required Summative Assessments: Aligned to Competencies and Objectives Requirements Shared in Advance Evaluators & Rubrics for Performance Assessments Proctors & Coaching Reports for Objective Assessments Coursework & Resources, Content Support, and Non- Academic Support Student Services Course Mentors Progress Reports, Goal Setting, & Troubleshooting Student Mentor (Coach)Student

The Texas Design Process Faculty Industry K-12 Competency Mapping Instructional Designers Template Development Faculty Instructional Designers SMEs Design Document per Competency Faculty Instructional Designers SMEs Course Document per Competency Instructional Designers Course Production & Media Development Faculty Instructional Designers Final Quality Review

Anatomy of a Competency Module Competency Module LO1LO2LO3LO4LO5LO6

Making Sense of the Technology Customer Relationship Management Predictive Analytics Student Information System Learning Management System LMSSIS CRMPA

ChallengesSolutions AccreditationExplore the requirements for accreditation for your institution. Investigate what other institutions like yours have done or experienced in establishing similar programs, if applicable. Enrollment, Completion, & Acceleration Consider new definitions of terms and enrollment, in accordance with the requirements for your institution (e.g., rolling admission & start dates, block-length courses, students’ ability to add courses mid-term). Financial AidWork with school financial aid specialists. Be aware of the requirements & build your programs accordingly. State & Federal Funding Learn about the most recent opportunities and legislation in your local government. Take part in the nation-wide experimental programs. How to Do This? (Process) Research processes used by other institutions who have had similar situations. Document your processes carefully & be willing to iterate. Consider CBE consulting firms to help you start or improve. Faculty Feel They Can’t Be Creative Involve faculty in the competency & course development process. Include multiple faculty members and other subject-matter experts when possible. Establish clear guidelines about what is flexible and what is not in your program Instructors Can’t Just Wing It Prepare all course materials before students begin. Set reasonable timelines for implementation. Lack of Understanding About CBE Hold information sessions, clarify expectations overall and in specific courses, & establish good channels of communication.

making-cbe-work-for-you/ Resources, Slides, & Contact Info