{"id":14832,"date":"2021-10-21T17:09:55","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T21:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/?p=14832"},"modified":"2021-10-21T17:09:55","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T21:09:55","slug":"reimagine-education-leading-competency-based-learning-redesign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/blog\/reimagine-education-leading-competency-based-learning-redesign\/","title":{"rendered":"Reimagine Education: Leading Competency-based Learning Redesign"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this blog, Susan Patrick examines how the pandemic has challenged us to realize learning can happen inside and outside of schools, and how we can and must embrace redesigning our education systems to provide more flexible, competency-based learning to meet the needs of all learners. She invites readers to attend the <\/em>Aurora Institute Symposium<\/em><\/a> on October 25-27, 2021 focused on \u201cleading competency-based education redesign\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

Below are excerpts from Susie An\u2019s Interview with Susan Patrick, CEO Aurora Institute, on WBEZ Reimagine Chicago Ideas Forum on Education (on <\/em>YouTube<\/em><\/a> starting at 20:44)<\/em><\/p>\n

What Is <\/strong>Competency-based Education<\/a>?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The concept behind competency-based education is simple: learning is best measured by students demonstrating mastery of learning, rather than the number of hours spent in a classroom.<\/p>\n

K-12 competency-based education<\/a> (CBE) is also called mastery-based education and proficiency-based education. Aurora Institute\u2019s Competency<\/em>Works published a definition<\/a> of competency-based education with seven elements needed for high-quality implementation. The definition emphasizes \u201cstrategies to ensure equity for all students are embedded in the structure, culture, and pedagogy of schools and education systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Aurora Institute definition of competency-based education is a system where:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Students are empowered daily to make important decisions about their learning experiences, how they will create and apply knowledge, and how they will demonstrate their learning.<\/li>\n
  2. Assessment is a meaningful, positive, and empowering learning experience for students that yields timely, relevant, and actionable evidence.<\/li>\n
  3. Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.<\/li>\n
  4. Students progress based on evidence of mastery, not seat time.<\/li>\n
  5. Students learn actively using different pathways and varied pacing.<\/li>\n
  6. Strategies to ensure equity for all students are embedded in the culture, structure, and pedagogy of schools and education systems.<\/li>\n
  7. Rigorous, common expectations for learning (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) are explicit, transparent, measurable, and transferable.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A competency-based district should implement all seven elements of the definition. CBE is founded on principles of equity for all learners and a belief that all students can learn and meet high expectations.<\/p>\n

    Launching CBE in schools involves a design process with leadership from the ground up. This is not a top-down reform. It is educators leading the work, connected to communities, parents, and students calling for new designs that support every student building the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need. If we begin to design our schools based on needs and how students learn best \u2013 and design for outcomes that include academic knowledge and the skills they need for lifelong learning \u2013 we can transform how everyday teaching and learning happens.<\/p>\n

    By using the research on how kids learn best, we can advance breakthrough models to provide flexibility and simultaneously improve teaching and learning through competency-based education.<\/p>\n

    CBE is built to support teachers personalizing learning for each student, and tailors education to each students\u2019 needs, strengths and interests, involving student voice and choice with flexibility and varied pacing.<\/p>\n

    Susie An: How Common is Competency-Based Education?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Susan Patrick: It is happening around the world and growing across the United States.<\/p>\n

    The rate of CBE adoption is accelerating quickly. We estimate 49 states<\/a> in the US are planning or implementing competency-based education. From Idaho to South Carolina to North Dakota, Maine and New Hampshire, Georgia and California, school districts are turning to competency-based education to redesign and provide more student-centered options to parents.<\/p>\n

    A Hart research survey from May 2021 showed 91% of parents agree that learning needs to be more personalized and \u201cthis is an opportunity to reimagine public education to meet children\u2019s academic, social, and emotional needs and ensure that all children can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Why the increasing adoption of personalized, competency-based learning? In traditional schools, students advance regardless of the gaps they might have. It\u2019s time to redesign our schools to personalize learning and ensure that there\u2019s a promise to every learner<\/a> to achieve mastery of the knowledge and skills they need over a lifetime. The future will demand that young people experience learning that happens inside and outside of school, in person, online, and in blended contexts, involves contributing to their communities, navigating the future of work, and adapting to rapid changes requiring lifelong learning and success skills.<\/p>\n

    Susie An: What is the goal of competency-based education?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Susan Patrick: We know that traditional, one-size fits all system is not producing the desired outcomes. We need to examine why it\u2019s not working. We need to stop tweaking the old industrial education system and transform.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a need to focus on re-examining the purpose of K-12 education. Are we designing for excellence and human flourishing?<\/p>\n

    We know that the traditional, one-size-fits-all system of education was never designed for all students to reach the highest levels of learning. Nor is it producing the outcomes we desire. We need to examine why it\u2019s not working.<\/p>\n

    In a competency-based education system, failure may be part of a student\u2019s learning process, but it isn\u2019t an outcome. Success is the only outcome. With a competency-based education system, we can begin to support teachers in personalizing learning for each student by tailoring education to each students\u2019 needs.<\/p>\n

    To achieve the goals of competency-based education, it helps to understand the flaws of the traditional education system. In leading the redesign to competency-based learning, let\u2019s take a look at what needs to change:<\/p>\n