Competency-Based Education (CBE) for Working Adults at Salt Lake Community College

Author(s):  
Debra D. Bragg ◽  
Eric A. Heiser

In this chapter, the authors share lessons that Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), a two-year comprehensive community college located in the most urban area of the state, learned in implementing CBE. The story begins with an explanation of the organizational context for CBE reform at SLCC. As one of two 2-year colleges to join the initial group of higher education institutions in the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), very quickly SLCC was thrust into the limelight as a potential leader in the newest national wave of CBE implementation. The story continues by describing full-scale implementation of CBE at SLCC funded by the United States Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Act Community College Career Training (TAACCCT) grant. Lastly, the authors highlight major lessons learned through SLCC's journey and implications for future CBE implementation that focuses on institution-wide scale up at SLCC and consider what other higher education institutions may be able to learn from SLCC's experience.

Author(s):  
Kristin A Jones ◽  
Steven G Olswang

A flurry of new instructional approaches has recently emerged in post-secondary education; one approach receiving the most attention is competency-based education (CBE). While many think CBE is relatively new, its roots are deeply seeded in decades-old pedagogical philosophies. The frequency with which CBE is now appearing in conversations about higher education instruction and reform gives the false impression that most practitioners actually know what CBE is, or how it contrasts with other instructional approaches. In fact, the modern dilemma faced by many in higher education is that few institutional leaders have a comprehensive understanding of what CBE is, how it differs from other instructional approaches, the historical significance behind it, and how it might be used to effect pedagogical change and instructional innovation. This chapter explores the historical basis of CBE, its benefits and detriments, and its operational elements.


Author(s):  
Judee Richardson

In the United States, institutions of higher education have been under mounting pressure to improve. In part, this is due to increasingly high-priced academies producing graduates who possess skill levels that are out of sync with employer and societal needs. Added to this is the fact that the United States spends more than other countries to educate its citizens but continues to perform more poorly on comparative measures of literacy, math, reading, and science. To stay globally competitive, changes need to be made. Competency-based education has re-emerged and taken root as one way in which to educate students more effectively. By focusing on demonstrable learning outcomes and discipline-specific performance, competency-based education is changing the fabric of higher education. Based upon experiences garnered from the University of Wisconsin Flexible Option, this chapter presents some of the challenges encountered when developing this type of program within a longstanding traditional educational system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-696
Author(s):  
Ilse Johanna Sistermans

AbstractIn the current competitive and globalized economy, employers and professional organizations call for higher education institutions to deliver graduates with relevant competencies and skills. In response, a growing number of higher educational institutions is introducing competency-based education. This is particularly true for health science programs, which have a tradition of applying a case-based or problem-based learning approach. The effort to merge a problem- or case-based online learning approach with competency-based education offers various opportunities, while facing numerous challenges. To support these efforts, this paper aims at identifying suitable practices, as well as challenges for online course design and online learning activities for higher education health science programs, when integrating competency-based education with an online problem-based and/or case-based learning approach. It found various opportunities for online learning activities that support competency-based education, problem-based learning and case-based learning, whereas challenges relate to logistics, administration, and the affordances of an LMS.


2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim F. Schilling ◽  
J. Randall Koetting

Context: To understand and appropriately implement competency-based education (CBE) to its fullest potential in professional programs, an investigation of its evolution is required. Objective: To reveal the development of the CBE approach now dominating many professional programs in higher education, including Athletic Training Education Programs (ATEPs). While behavioral science research at the turn of the 20th century laid the groundwork for the CBE approach, the process used to establish its construct in education stemmed from scientific management methodology used in industry. A history of various educational paradigms, including social efficiency, essentialism, and vocationalism, contributed to the birth and eventual use of the CBE approach in professional programs. Data Sources: Literature reviewed for this article included published articles and books pertaining to CBE and the sciences, philosophies, theories, and educational paradigms that constitute the underpinnings of the CBE approach used in higher education professional programs. Data Synthesis: A contradiction of learning theories has led to inconsistent employment of the CBE framework, making its use inconsistent in professional programs. The emphasis in health care education programs, such as athletic training, has been on using specific behavioral objectives that provide distinct quantifiable data as competencies assessed within specific time frames, as opposed to incorporating integrated objectives as competencies with completion determined by level of skill achievement. Conclusions: Authenticity and immeasurable skills are examples of limitations with the CBE approach in athletic training programs. These limitations will be discussed and suggestions for future direction provided.


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