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What’s New in K-12 Competency-Based Education?

CompetencyWorks Blog


Star That Says What's NewClearly what’s new and on everyone’s minds is the pandemic. So this version of “What’s New?” starts with resources and reflections on competency-based education and COVID-19. But the field continues to evolve in other areas too, as shared after the coronavirus resources.

Resources and Reflections for Distance Learning and the Pandemic

  • In How to Use Online Learning to Support Competency-Based Learning, Eric Hudson of Global Online Academy explains: “Online learning and competency-based learning add up to something even stronger: a vision for learning that ensures students do cognitively complex work that matters to them, wherever and whenever that learning might happen.” He offers key principles and resources to guide learning now and beyond the current school closures.
  • The Center for Collaborative Education offers Learning Refitted: A Pop-Up Guide for Schools and District Leaders for creating meaningful, manageable, and equitable learning and assessment practices during emergency distance learning. CCE is a leader in professional development for personalized, competency-based education, and this practical guide embraces the field’s core principles.
  • To help ensure continuity of special education services during the pandemic, the Educating All Learners Alliance of national education organizations has come together to spotlight best practices and share a curated list of credible, actionable resources.
  • Affirming the culture-design principles of competency-based education, Lindsy Ogawa of Education Reimagined writes in Learner-Centered Leaders Discuss the Power of Trusting Relationships that learner-centered transformation can’t happen without trusting relationships. She offers tips from school leaders for relationship-building with learners during a time of stay-at-home orders.
  • In just two pages, reDesign’s Tip Sheet on Meaningful Learning During COVID-19 provides engaging, practical advice and resources on four topics: 1. Focus on Evidence of Learning (not evidence of working); 2. Activate Student Interest (so the learning happens); 3. Frame the Learning Experience; and 4. Think Creatively About How To Support Students (and not overwhelm yourself).
  • Envision Learning Partners has developed a Virtual Portfolio Defense Kit, a guide for designing authentic culminating assessments virtually. It provides tools for educators and learners at all levels of experience with performance assessment.

Aurora Institute Events and Resources

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Competency-Based Education Resources

Eliot Levine is the Aurora Institute’s Research Director and leads CompetencyWorks.

Follow @eliot_levine