Competency-based education (CBE) is an approach to teaching and learning that focuses on what you know and can do, rather than how much time you spend in a classroom.
One of the key features of CBE is you can move forward with your program as you master skills. This allows you to move quickly past topics you know well while spending more time on new and challenging concepts.
Here at University of Massachusetts Global, our UMass Global MyPath programs are CBE options designed for adult learners with busy schedules, allowing them to use their existing knowledge to move quicker through what you already know.
CBE programs allow you to move forward in your coursework by demonstrating concrete abilities or proving you’ve mastered the knowledge and skills required for a particular course. The model is student-centered and can recognize prior education you may have gained outside of formal instruction, regardless of where, when and how that learning took place. For example, skills you’ve picked up while you’ve been in the workforce.
Instead of assigning letter grades based on performance, CBE emphasizes frequent, meaningful feedback that empowers you to take more responsibility for learning.
Traditional credit-based courses last about four months, and you progress only at the end of the session/semester after you’ve completed all tasks and tests with a passing grade. In CBE programs, you’re able to set your own pace to completion. So, timelines to degree completion will vary by student, but those who have more available time or a lot of professional experience can speed up their time to graduation.
Dr. Margaret Moodian, tutorial associate professor of humanities and social sciences at UMass Global, said the flexible format of CBE is great for working adults. “Schoolwork isn’t due at one time each week. Students complete their projects when it’s convenient for them, at any time or any place.”
In a recent survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), more than 70% of responding employers deemed college graduates “somewhat well prepared” as they step into their professional careers. While that’s a positive outlook, there’s always room for improving the readiness of students, as only 20% of survey respondents feel college grads are “very well prepared.”
One proposed way to improve this outlook is by implementing CBE methods that prepare students to be effective contributors on day one of their new jobs. Institutions committed to the model are working directly with industry leaders to build curriculum competencies around the skills required in today’s workforce. The programs prepare students for professional careers at every level of education and provide employers with confidence knowing their new hires can perform effectively.
The CBE approach is based on student assessments. These assessments provide insights into what you already know, what you still need to learn, and identify where improvement is possible. Once a personal baseline is established, adaptive learning allows curriculum to be tailored and allows you to spend more time on new and challenging concepts.
All the assessments conducted through technological advancements naturally yield a massive amount of student performance metrics. When we dig deeper into the idea of adaptive learning, we find that the systems themselves are designed to provide insights such as:
When it comes to implementing assessments, computer-based testing is most effective in diagnostics and personalized learning. Technology also allows students and teachers to utilize features such as adaptive learning, gamification, data analytics and real-world simulations throughout course work. Many platforms, such as UMass Global MyPath, use sophisticated tracking and faculty dashboards to help monitor student progress, which adds another layer of personalized learning.
CBE learning models divide degree programs into different competencies that you’re expected to master. The beauty of CBE programs is that you have a hand in determining which competencies you want to tackle when, and how quickly you choose to do so.
In UMass Global MyPath programs, you work closely with an academic coach who maintains a full list of all the competencies required to complete your program. Each term, you’re given a bundle of competencies, which you can work through as fast as you want. Once you complete one bundle, you’ll be rolled out into the next bundle of competencies.
The convenience of moving through your degree program at your own pace is hard to ignore. But how does that work when it comes to tuition costs? Most CBE programs use a subscription tuition model. With UMass Global MyPath programs, you pay tuition for every 24 weeks spent in the program.
Within those 24 weeks, your academic coach will provide you with your bundles of competencies and help you set goals for yourself. You’ll work through as many competencies as you can. So, the faster you work through the content, the more affordable your degree will be.
All the textbooks and class materials required for UMass Global MyPath programs are built right into the platform, minimizing any extra fees related to materials.
Subscription tuition isn’t just beneficial for the ways it empowers students to move through their programs at a faster-than-normal pace. The subscription tuition model also allows you to take your time with certain courses that may pose more of a challenge or introduce concepts that are new to you.
This can help you avoid having to take a course (and pay for it) twice due to an unsatisfactory grade. Instead, you’re afforded the flexibility to slow things down to a pace that allows you to truly absorb the material.
Self-paced CBE programs also take prior and current work experiences into account.
“When students have prior work experience, they can quickly progress through competencies they’re already knowledgeable about and take more time on the ones that are more difficult for them,” Dr. Moodian said. This is more beneficial than a time-based learning model because it requires students to progress through them at a pre-set pace, regardless of whether they’ve mastered the material.
While you can’t “test out” of certain competencies, your prior experience will help you demonstrate your mastery of the material sooner. You can, however, transfer credits in to waive certain competencies.
CBE programs may even allow you to apply your coursework to real-life work scenarios. One of Dr. Moodian’s students was given the opportunity to present his analysis and recommendations from an assignment in his competency-based program to his colleagues, who then committed to implementing his suggestions within the organization.
“It was empowering for him and gave him visibility at work,” Dr. Moodian noted.
One concern you might have when it comes to an online, self-paced program is that you may be left on your own to figure things out. Quality CBE programs take extra measures to ensure there’s ample available support.
At UMass Global, you have academic advisors available for support. And while these programs allow you the independence to study on your own, faculty members are there for support when asked. If you’re stuck on a question or project, you can reach out to your faculty member and expect a response within 72 hours.
Dr. Moodian explained that students can arrange to meet with faculty members in their online offices whenever needed. “Students have told me it is oftentimes the relationships with faculty and academic coaches that make this program so special.”
The UMass Global team has also worked hard to establish a thriving community among our MyPath student base. There are regular community meetings and a student newsletter put together by academic coaches.
Some speculate about the true value of independent study due to its absence of direct instructor interaction. But this competency-based model is far more robust than individual isolated education. Instead, CBE programs create efficiencies in teaching by augmenting online learning with on-demand guidance from faculty mentors.
This completely changes the role of the formal image of a talking head lecturing in front of a massive auditorium filled with passive listeners. Instead, adaptive learning allows teachers to use data to identify the areas that students need the most support; and, in turn, students can reach out to instructors when they require hands-on learning. The platform fosters total engagement with the curriculum with faculty members working with students directly, guiding learning, answering questions, and helping them synthesize knowledge with application.
So, who’s a good fit for a CBE program? These are just a few examples:
Now that you understand what competency-based education is all about, you might consider if it's right for your goals and lifestyle. Dig deeper and find out if a CBE program is right for you, and learn more about UMass Global MyPath degree options.
UMass Global offers a wide variety of degree programs for adult learners. Explore your learning options and find a degree that fits you.
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