The Currency of Higher Education: Credits and Competencies (286461415)

8/20/2019 The Currency of Higher Education: Credits and Competencies (286461415)

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1

he Currency of Higher Education:

Credits

a

Competencies

Dr. Deborah M. Seymour

Assistant Vice resident

Center for Education Attainment and !nno"ation

American Counci# on Education

Dr. Deborah E"erhart

Strategist and !nno"ator

$Ariadne%%%%



What is a competency?

A competency is a

specific skill,knowledge, or ability

that is both observable

and measurable.



What is Competency-Based Learning?

%&ransitioning a$ay from seat time# in favor of a

structure that creates flexiility# allo$s students

to progress as they demonstrate mastery of

academic content# regardless of time! place!or pace of learning. Competency-based

strategies provide fle"ibility in the $ay that credit

can be earned or a$arded# and provide students

$ith personali"ed learning opportunities.'

-(.. )ept. of Education



What is Competency-Based Education?

#Competency-based education *C+E, is an alternative to the credithour-based system of credentialing. tudent progress is based on

demonstration of proficiency and$or mastery as measured through

assessments and/or through application of credit for prior learning. n

competency-based education programs# time is the %ariale and

student competency mastery is the focus# rather than a fi"ed-time

model $here students achieve varying results. n competency-based

education# as distinct from competency-based learning# the focus is

on academic programs! practices! and policies.'

- Clarifying Competency Based Education Terms: A Lexicon



&otential enefits of competency ased learning

ocus on learning outcomes Learning activities and assessments aligned to

outcomes Credit for prior and e"periential learning

0otivated and engaged students Efficient# fle"ible# and lo$er-cost credentials ncreased student retention and completion rates

Lifelong learners1 portable evidence of learning Employers1 visibility into graduates1 competencies 2utcomes-based frame$orks for continuous

improvement



'W(T of Competency Based Education

Strengths Focus on learning outcomes Flexible Transparent Paths for post-traditional

students Potentially shorter time to

completion Potentially lower costs for

students

Opportunities Options for workplace

preparation & professionaldevelopment

uilding lifelong learningpathways

Opens options for alternativecredentials & micro-credentials

!aluing outcomes over inputs "ducational reform & renewal

#eaknesses $hallenges for scalability %anual processes for mapping

competencies to credit hoursdue to rigidly time-based SS

systems $" students need

Threats $redit-hour based *nancial

aid con+icts with competencybased models

,isaggregation of faculty

roles may lead to resistance Possibilities for over-



American Council on Education and Blac)oard

0utual interest in3

Credit for prior learning and credit mobility

erving post-traditional students )igital badging and alternative credentials

E"panding C+E dialogue



ACE-Blac)oard collaoration outcomes

4ublished Clarifying

Competency Based Education

Terms: A Lexicon

Leadership roundtables $ith

C+E practitioners

+lackboard blog series

ACE publications

4ublic orum releasing

research paper3 The Currency

of Higher Education: Credits

and Competencies



What*s in a name?

The need for definitions



Clarifying Competency Based Education Terms

56 terms defined

77 classifications

8 2vervie$

8 Competencies 9 Learning

2utcomes 8 Assessment 4rocesses

8 Evidence of Learning

8 Credentials

8+adges 8 nstructional and upporting !oles

8 tudent upport

8 !egulations 9 Accreditation

8 :alidation



Competencies and Learning 2utcomesCredentials

nstructional and upporting roles

tudent upport

!egulations and Accreditation

:alidation

ocus on institutions

and educational programs

Competency-Based Education +CBE,



Learning 4rocesses

Assessment 4rocesses

Evidence of Learning

+adges

:alidation

ocus on learnersand learning processes

Competency-Based Learning +CBL,



Competency2ccupational kills

2NE&

Learning 2utcomes

4rogram 2utcomes

nstitutional 2utcomes

Accreditation tandards



CBE Competency efinitions and .rame/or)s



CredentialsCertificates and )egrees

tackable Credentials

Credit for 4rior Learning



CBE Educational 'tructures: Credentialing



nstructor Coach

Assessor

Advisor

&utor

;<= Help and upport



CBE Educational 'tructures: 0nstructional 1oles



AttendanceCredit Hour

eat &ime

&itle :

)irect AssessmentE"perimental ites

Accreditation



7>

CBE .ederal 1egulations and Accreditation 1e2uirements



)ifferentiated Learning Authentic Assessment

4ro?ect-+ased Learning

0astery

4roficiencyLevelling (p


CBL Learning &rocesses



+adges0icro-credentials

2pen +adge tandard

4ortable Evidence of

Learning+adge +ackpack

4ortfolio

4rofile


CBL Badges and &ortale E%idence of Learning



Credit-hour processes are likely to remain deeplyembedded in post-secondary systems for some

time# but there is ample opportunity for innovation

$ith competencies as a parallel and

complementary currency.



Competencies provide representations of learningoutcomes that are more flexile and transparent

than credits.

Competencies are more prone to change over time

than the fixed-unit representation of credit hours.



tudents need to kno$ ho$ they can evaluate the

2uality of C+E programs# but little structure is

currently available to help students in this regard.



Badges and other micro-credentials can beuseful bearers of competencies achieved# and as

employers begin to accept their value# they can

become part of the frame$ork for competency

exchange %alue.



mplementing C+E practices in credit-hour

environments is comple"# but C+E faces fe$er

barriers and can more rapidly provide benefits to

large numers of students $hen outcomes-basedapproaches are compatible $ith credit-hour systems

and processes.



Credits and competencies both reflect important

structures of value for diverse stakeholders3

government agencies educational leaders and administrators faculty assessors students employers



3ni%ersity Context

@hich programs and credentials are strong at your institution Ho$ do you

evaluate this strengthBby reputation# graduation data# employment ofgraduates in their field of study

imilarly# $hich programs and credentials are $eak

@hat e"ternal pressures are likely to have the largest impact on your

institution in the ne"t -D years @hat is your strategy for addressing thesepressures

Ho$ can a focus on learning outcomes help



4o%ernment 'ta)eholders

Are there ne$ legislative incentives or penalties to $hich your

institution is reacting )o you have plans for ho$ to implementeffective changes in response

Are there legislative initiatives that $ould benefit your institution $ith

$hich you can get involved or even influence the development of

Ho$ can you stimulate discussion about the relationship bet$een

educational learning outcomes and legislative actions



Economic e%elopment Context

@hat market and economic trends call for innovation in your institution1s

programs and credentials

)o your students have a clear sense of ho$ your programs and

credentials align to employment and career opportunities

)o you map competencies achieved in your programs to $orkplaceneeds# not only for specific ?obs# but also for current and future career

opportunities



3ni%ersity Leader 'ta)eholders

Are there clear governance structures at your institution for ne$

program initiation and the improvement of current programs

f you are undertaking competency-based program development# are

strategies and goals for such programs and credentials clearly defined

Are university leaders at your institution invested# both fiscally andmotivationally# in a focus on learning outcomes and student success



'u5ect 6atter Expert 'ta)eholders

Are e"isting curricular models successful# by $hat criteria# and ho$ could they

be improved or replaced

@ho has the e"pertise to research# define# and organie competencies and

curriculum for specific programs and credentials

@hat types of frame$orks provide a holistic structure for competencies and

curriculum# and ho$ $ell are these aligned not only across programs andcredentials $ithin the institution# but also $ith e"ternal standards and

industry/employment reFuirements



Teaching .aculty 'ta)eholders

Are e"isting teaching models successful +y $hat criteria# and ho$ could

they be improved or replaced

@ho has the e"pertise to research# define# and organie learning materials

and activities that support the mastery of specific competencies

Ho$ can learning activities be aligned to mastery of competencies# not only

$ithin specific courses or modules# but also across programs and credentials$ithin the institution and in relation to industry/employment reFuirements



Assessment 'ta)eholders

Are e"isting assessment models successful +y $hat criteria# and ho$

could they be improved or replaced

@ho has the e"pertise to research# define# and apply assessments that

reliably evaluate the mastery of specific competencies

Ho$ are assessment processes aligned to mastery of competencies

across programs and credentials $ithin the institution and in relation to

industry/employment reFuirements



3ni%ersity Administrator 'ta)eholders

Are university administrators engaged in changes to programs and

credentials sufficiently to address the impacts on administrative processes

@ho is leading the processes for program and credential approvals by

accreditation agencies or regulatory compliance

Ho$ can academic changes that better support learning outcomes also

improve administrative functions# research# and reporting that both supportstudents $hile they are learning and document $hat they have learned



'tudent 'ta)eholders

Are e"isting programs and credentials successful for our

students +y $hat criteria# and ho$ could they be improved

or replaced

Ho$ can our programs and credentials best meet the diverse

needs of post-traditional students



Employer 'ta)eholders

Are employers and industry associations involved in the

improvement of programs and credentials

)o students have clear path$ays to ?ob and career success

)oes your institution prepare students not only for specific ?obs# but also for future careers and innovative lifelong

learning



Than) you7

Contact the researchers3

)eb eymour *ACE, dseymourGacenet.edu

aren Ioshino *+lackboard,

karen.yoshinoGblackboard.com

)eb Everhart# everhartGgeorgeto$n.edu# GAriadne6666

American Council on Education3 http3//$$$.acenet.edu/

C+E Le"icon# !esearch 4aper# and +logs3

http3//blog.blackboard.com/

The Currency of Higher Education: Credits and Competencies (286461415)

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