Competency Based Education

The competency based education is an approach that allows students to advance based on their ability to master a skill or competency at their own pace regardless of environment. This method is tailored to meet different learning abilities and can lead to more efficient student outcomes.

Also the term competency based education refers to a systems model in which teaching and learning are designed to ensure students are becoming proficient by advancing on demonstrated mastery and schools are organized to provide timely and differentiated support to ensure equity.

Competency based education turns the traditional model on its head. Instead of awarding credits based on how much time students spend learning, this model awards credits based on whether students can prove they have mastered competencies; the skills, abilities, and knowledge required in an area of study.

In competency based education, it’s not about time; it’s about what you know and are able to do. Competency-based education combines an intentional and transparent approach to curricular design with an academic model in which the time it takes to demonstrate competencies varies and the expectations about learning are held constant.  Students acquire and demonstrate their knowledge and skills by engaging in learning exercises, activities and experiences that align with clearly defined programmatic outcomes. Students receive proactive guidance and support from faculty and staff.  Learners earn credentials by demonstrating mastery through multiple forms of assessment, often at a personalized pace.

Students are assessed using objective, performance based tools that reinforce what programs ask for. Competency-based approaches are being used at all ages from elementary school to graduate school level, focusing the attention of teachers, students, parents, and the broader community on students mastering measurable learning topics.