Mastery-based Education DesignKey Terms & Definitions

February 2014

DRAFT MATERIALS

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

What is “Competency-Based Education”?

1. Students advance upon mastery.

2. Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning objectives that empower students.

3. Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for students.

4. Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.

5. Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge, along with the development of important skills and mindsets.

The following guidelines were developed in 2010 at a conference convened by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to develop a common understanding of the principles of CBE:

What are several different approaches to defining “competency” in the field?

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

A skill or understanding of a specific subject or performance area.

Example 1: Example 2:

Specific set of cognitive and / or non-cognitive skills that are universal and content-agnostic.

Example 3:

A set of related skills, knowledge, concepts, and mindsets that involve the application or creation of knowledge and that encompass both subject-specific and cross-disciplinary constructs.

Jennifer can fluently add and subtract within 5.

Tasha is “professional or approaching professional” in her ability to consider multiple approaches (one of five key skills in the “inquiry process” domain).

Brock can reason quantitatively and use units to solve real-world problems.

Exemplars:Adams 50 School District• Mapping Document for

Learning Targets• Writing rubric• Capacity Matrices

Exemplars:Summit Public SchoolsEPIC• Cognitive Skills Rubric• Assessment Model• CCR domains• Curriculum Snapshot

Exemplars:Asia Society Center for Collaborative EdStanford: SCALE Envision SchoolsHighland Tech

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

COMPETENCY

Skills

Conceptual Understandings

Knowledge

Mindsets

Competency

A set of related skills, knowledge, conceptual understandings, and mindsets that involve the application or creation of knowledge and that encompass subject-specific as well as cross-disciplinary constructs.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Competencies can be grouped into large strands (“Algebra I”) or big ideas (“21st Century Skills”).

• While a competency does include discrete skills and knowledge within its “set,” we believe that if it does not require a rubric to assess, it is NOT a competency.

Proposed definitions

“competency set”

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

Use probability to evaluate outcomes of decisions.

Math Example (CCSS):

Weigh possible outcomes of a decision by assigning probabilities to payoff values and finding expected values

Analyze decisions & strategies by applying probability concepts

Use probabilities to make fair decisions

ELA Example (CCSS):Analyze and critique texts and support claims and

reasoning with sufficient evidence for intended purpose and audience.

Constructs clear, well-developed argument that demonstrates engaged reading and original critical thinking

Addresses key questions, counter-claims, or alternative interpretations to sharpen the argument when appropriate

Develops relevant, significant claims that support the argument

Interdisciplinary Skill:

Use collaboration skills to complete a task effectively with individuals or groups.

Initiates opportunities to participate and cooperate with diverse groups

Assumes leadership roles in groups and encourages the same in others, sharing responsibility and embracing high standards

Employs personal strengths and skills to resolve conflicts to achieve consensus

Science Example (NGSS):

Use periodic table to predict the relative properties of elements.

Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.

Model with mathematics.

Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Use variables to represent quantities in a real-world problem, and construct simple equations to solve problems.

Each competency is written as a statement that describes how the “competency set” is used for a specific purpose.

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

Competency MapThe competency map encompasses the body of work required to develop the “backbone” of a competency-based educational model.

Competency lists

Competency sets

Course links

Rubrics with Performance

Levels

Performance descriptors at each grade level (along a continuum of mastery) will be listed for each competency to convey the required increase in performance expected

over time, and to facilitate annual grade reporting.

Each competency and its “set” will be listed within a taxonomy structure. Competencies will include both content-specific and interdisciplinary constructs.

All individual skills, knowledge, conceptual understandings, and mindsets within a competency set will be “tagged” with its validated source (CCSS, NGSS,

PACC, etc). Dependencies will be organized to convey the appropriate sequence.

All competencies and their respective “sets” will be mapped to traditional courses, not only to ensure

compliance in Carnegie unit-based policy environments, but also to help facilitate migration to competency-based

models.

What are the key components of a competency map?

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

ProficiencyA rating that meets the required level of performance on an assessment that serves as evidence toward advancement.

%

OR

Scoring Domain

emerging

developing proficient advanced

Collecting Data

Gathers data from a single trial of the experiment

Limitations or precision of data are not mentioned

Gathers data from several repetitions of the experiment that are clearly outside the reasonable range

Mentions limitations or precision of data

Gathers data from several repetitions of the experiment that are not consistent within a reasonable range

Explains limitations or precision of data

Gathers data from several repetitions of the experiment that are consistent within a reasonable range

Explains limitations or precision of data and impacts on conclusions

Planning & Carrying out Scientific Investigations (Context: Performance Task)

Context: Examination

Proposed definitions

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

MasteryA performance level that implies proficiency has been demonstrated multiple times and in multiple ways or contexts.

9.A1.1 9.A1.2 9.A1.3

Brown, Isaac

Collins, Alex

Dale, Hector

Ramos, May

Schmidt, Sarah

Wess, Lisa

MASTERY

MASTERY

MASTERY

MASTERY

MASTERY

MASTERY

Proposed definitions

emerging

advanced

proficient

developing

Office of New School Models Ι School District of Philadelphia

RubricA scoring guide that describes levels of performance along a continuum.

Proposed definitions

[Tuning Protocol]