In recent years, competency-based education (CBE) has garnered much focus from universities and colleges worldwide. One of the main reasons for its popularity is an improved chance of employability for students. Other factors, such as affordability and its flexible structure, ensure that this is not just a passing trend.

Competency-based learning facilitates career development since there’s a great emphasis on mastering skills rather than merely completing credits in a program. Based on the preferred or chosen field of study, students channel all their attention into perfecting their competencies and becoming employable in the future.

In a competency-based program, learning outcomes are what determine the success and not the number of classroom hours. Until they demonstrate the required proficiency in their domain, they cannot progress to a higher level. That said, a great perk of competency-based learning is that students can proceed at their own pace.

This blog explores how CBE prepares students for employment in detail.

Table of Contents:

What is Competency-Based Education?

Competency-based education is an approach that allows students to acquire knowledge and skills based on their capability to master at their own pace. This method is tailored to fit the different learning abilities of each student. This approach can lead to more efficient outcomes as it provides the flexibility to complete the course according to an individual student’s ability.

Competency-based education is unique in its approach; it focuses only on what students learn, not on the time spent in a classroom to complete the course or earn credits. This learning approach is beneficial for students as it is flexible, engaging, and purpose-driven.

How is Competency-Based Education (CBE) Different from Traditional Learning?

The conventional model of learning differs from competency-based learning in various aspects, including the structure, learning outcomes, and grading:

  • Structure: In the former time-based model, the curriculum or structure is set in advance. Each student is required to move forward even if they have not fully mastered the relevant skills. On the contrary, CBE focuses on individual capabilities and supports students in their learning journey until they are proficient in their field of study.
  • Learning Outcomes: Memorization is how learning outcomes are achieved in the traditional model, while competency-based education prioritizes a deep understanding of the concepts through application. This way, students develop an attitude to become lifelong learners, a necessary trait that’s required throughout their professional lives. The goal is not just to “pass the test” but to develop the skills and capabilities specific to their domains.
  • Grading: Behavior, assignments, and test scores determine the grades in the traditional learning approach. On the other hand, competency-based learning scores are evaluated based on each student’s performance levels without any bias. Educators use creative and personalized assessments to check each student’s progress.

Attributes and Skills Used to Judge the Performance of Students

  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Empathy and Global Stewardship
  • Curiosity and imagination
  • Oral and written communication
  • Resilience and grit
  • Vision for the future
  • Agility and adaptability
  • Self-regulation, hope, and optimism
  • Initiative and entrepreneurialism
  • Collaboration across networks

Without a doubt, these are highly desirable attributes in an employee and make students employable for the future. What do educators think about Competency-Based Education (CBE)? The advantages of competency-based learning have greatly impacted educators and higher education learners alike. This model has shattered the belief that learning must happen within a classroom and should be time-bound.

Instead, it transforms students into lifelong learners. Moreover, it focuses on personalized learning, demonstration of mastery, and research-based learning. In 2018, the American Institutes for Research and Eduventures conducted a survey called the National Survey of Postsecondary Competency-Based Education (NSPCBE).

Its findings suggest that nearly 95% of institutions surveyed showed interest in CBE activity. The respondents reported that improving learning outcomes is their biggest motivation for adopting competency-based learning.

Apart from that, 55% of them regard this program as a means to improve opportunities for nontraditional students. The statistics only highlight the fact that educators feel positive about this skill-based approach.

How Does Competency-Based Education Affect Student Performance?

Let’s see how competency-based education affects the performance of students:

1. Students Can Learn at Their Own Pace

The main advantage of Competency-based education is that it delegates the ownership of learning to the learner. It lets students learn and meet the completion criteria at their own pace. This approach focuses on the final outcome and not on the journey. As the courses are not confined by a set learning process or timeline, students don’t have to move to the next level with any gap in their understanding or learning. When students become confident about their acquired knowledge, they can take the final assessment test, receive credit, and complete that particular level of learning.

2. Engaging Learning Approach

Competency-based education is a better approach to keep students engaged and attentive towards their lessons. Students feel more involved with the learning material as they are the ones who have ownership over their learning. Here, they are empowered to control when, where, and how they learn, without any external pressure for course completion.

Competency-based education also promotes personalized learning and accommodates a variety of styles. This experience increases engagement as the content is tailored to each student’s needs.

3. Students Can Advance to the Next Lesson After Demonstrating Mastery

The Competency-based education approach allows students to spend more time on the learning areas that they find difficult. Depending on their ability to grasp and understand the concepts, students can even advance beyond their grade level in some subjects or take more time for areas they find challenging.

4. Students Receive Timely Support Based on Their Requirements

With Competency-based education, students can have flexible time slots according to their availability to receive additional instructional support from teachers. Teachers ensure that the students’ doubts and queries are addressed quickly. For instance, when a learner fails to complete a course, he/she focus on the specific skills needed to do so, instead of retaking the entire course.

5. Helps Develop Soft Skills

Along with a flexible learning experience, Competency-based education also helps students develop a broad set of skills. In this learning approach, students actively learn critical-thinking and problem-solving techniques along with effective communication, collaboration, and cultural responsiveness. The overall learning experience that a competency-based curriculum provides helps students to adjust to the ever-changing, diverse workplaces.

Why Should Institutions Adopt Competency-Based Education?

To make the learning process more progress-oriented, educational institutions can consider adopting competency-based learning.

1. Flexible Learning Offers Better Outcomes

Competency-based education programs are extremely flexible; there are no rigid schedules or fixed semester system, or mandatory regular classes. This learning approach is student-centric. Students can attend classes according to their availability, and they can approach their instructor for any kind of assistance. So, students can get the guidance of their instructor or teacher when and where they need, to complete projects and assessments at their own pace.

2. Assessment-Based Evaluation Process Offers a Positive Learning Experience

The competency-based learning approach is based on assessments to evaluate the knowledge of a learner. Here, competency assessment tools and formative assessments offer prompt feedback to students, which helps both teachers and students to understand where the latter need help to master their objectives.

3. A Skill-Based Training Program Ensures Quality

To make learners workplace-ready, institutions must consider competency-based educational programs. This learning method focuses on real-world skills and competency development. The outcome is that students get an appropriate education to be employment-ready and have expertise in their chosen fields.

4. Cost-Efficient Learning Programs

In most cases, educational institutes can offer Competency-based education programs as eLearning courses. As online offerings, Competency-based education programs ensure reduced operating costs, which ultimately helps to reduce the tuition fees for a course. Students can get cheaper learning programs without compromising the learning quality.

The cost of Competency-based education programs can also vary with a student’s individual requirements and the duration that they need to complete a degree.

5. Competency-Based Education Programs Have Enough Room for Non-Traditional Learners

Students get individual attention from teachers when it comes to clarifying their doubts and achieving a better outcome after course completion.

6. Improves the Rate of Program Completion, with a Reduced Drop-Out Ratio

In competency-based educational programs, students can take the assessment when they are actually ready for it. This system reduces the dropout ratio, and more students can successfully complete courses.

Sum Up

Competency-based learning focuses on changing the nature of the learning experience with personalized programs. This approach is vigorous as well as affordable, guiding students with a tailored way of learning to achieve a degree/certificate that makes them workplace-ready.

With using cutting-edge technologies in the learning system and the implementing different techniques, competency-based learning is all about top-notch scalability and enhancement. Adopting a competency-based learning approach can improve a student’s experience and make the courses more effective for modern learners.

It prepares students for a world beyond their classrooms. They can thus overcome real-life challenges and adapt to the culture of an organization with ease. So get in touch with our team now to get started!