{"id":14848,"date":"2021-10-26T09:35:19","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T13:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/?post_type=cw_post&p=14848"},"modified":"2022-03-08T16:31:12","modified_gmt":"2022-03-08T21:31:12","slug":"preparing-for-your-competency-based-education-journey-a-process-for-success","status":"publish","type":"cw_post","link":"https:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/cw_post\/preparing-for-your-competency-based-education-journey-a-process-for-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for Your Competency-Based Education Journey: A Process for Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the second post in a series by Sandra Moumoutjis, Executive Director of Building 21\u2019s Learning Innovation Network. Links to the other posts are at the end of this article.<\/em><\/p>\n

Before you begin your journey to competency-based education, you need to prepare for this change. I use the word \u201cjourney\u201d intentionally, because it evokes a sense of a lengthy trip that will require you to overcome obstacles and struggles but is well worth the effort. Just like with any journey, you need to pack the right gear, know what tools you need to get you to your destination, and have knowledgeable and supportive people by your side. The better prepared you are and the more support you have, the more likely you will be to successfully complete your journey. So how do you best prepare for this change?<\/p>\n

You are probably familiar with the saying, “change is a process not an event\u201d\u2014but for some reason we still think change should be immediate. It is not through one professional development session or one community meeting that lasting change will occur. Change is also uncomfortable for many people, even when they believe things must change. Resistance to change is inevitable and occurs for many reasons. Most often, I find that people resist change because they don\u2019t understand why the change is occurring and they don\u2019t feel part of the process.<\/p>\n

For this journey to be successful, you must include your stakeholders in the process, unite your community around an understanding of the \u201cwhy,\u201d and create a shared vision for how, together, you can redefine the grammar of schooling<\/a> to meet the needs of all your learners. It is essential to create a way to transparently manage and communicate this change process.<\/p>\n

Here is an overview of Building 21\u2019s process to help you get started:<\/p>\n

The Why:<\/strong> Change always starts with why<\/a>. Clearly communicate why you want to transition to competency-based education and why this is right for your community. Share data, research, student stories, and anecdotes so that people can connect and relate to the challenges and opportunities for improvement that drive your desire for change. Some schools we work with share data regarding the high number of graduates who must take remedial courses in college or drop out of college because they weren\u2019t prepared. Others have data that point to community employers not being able to hire graduates because they cannot pass required tests or lack important nonacademic skills like collaboration<\/a> and professionalism<\/a>.<\/p>\n