Competency‐based education as a force for equity

Abstract

In recent publications, critics and advocates of competency-based education (CBE) have raised questions about whether or not CBE advances the cause of equity in education. This article offers a response, by way of a case study, describing an openadmissions CBE program for adult students with graduation rates over double the US national average. Exploring this program's success, the article argues that CBE can advance equity, but doing so requires research-based understanding of, institutionwide respect for, and mission-focused commitment to adult and other "nontraditional" learners. K E Y W O R D Sadult learning, adult students, equity, nontraditional learners, post-traditional learners | INTRODUCTIONCritics argue and supporters worry that competency-based education (CBE) will deepen educational and, by extension, socioeconomic inequity by allowing the already privileged to customize and accelerate their education, while the underprivileged languish in workforce training masquerading as higher education. They are right to be concerned. Not because CBE leads inevitably to inequity, it does not, but because building and sustaining CBE programs that advance equity is no easy task. Outcomes have informed the development of several competence frameworks. Nevertheless, Schneider, 2016 essay "Quality, Inequity, and Disruptive Innovation" characterized some "so-called | THE EQUITY QUESTION

New Models of Higher Education

“…Evidence demonstrating the benefits of CBE was compelling. Research centered on adult learners suggested that CBE programs provide better social, academic, and professional outcomes for their students compared to traditional four-year pathways Navarre Cleary & Breathnach, 2017;. also found that because CBE programs are more directly associated with college and career readiness and flexible course pacing, CBE students show higher changes in intrinsic self-management, motivation, and cognitive control, which benefit them in situations and environments outside of the classroom setting .…”

Equity through innovation in teaching and learning: A student‐centered approach to systemwide implementation of direct assessment CBE

“…With this in mind, the design of direct assessment CBE programs was centered around equity and excellence. CBE programs are guided by a vision of equity in which education overcomes discrimination, oppression, bigotry, and biases that bar students from minoritized backgrounds, in particular adult learners, from gaining an education (Lopez et al, 2017). A focus on excellence helped determine the type of CBE programs to be offered and required a keen focus on student outcomes.…”

“…This is supported by findings by the American Institute for Research (AIR) which found that when students can directly align collegiate work with career readiness through a flexible course pace, they show improvements in intrinsic self-management, motivation, and cognitive control, which in turn benefit them in environments outside of the classroom setting such as the work office (Redding & Surr, 2017). Ultimately, this enables students to complete their programs with higher satisfaction rates, better grades, and increased confidence about next steps in their professional careers, and their ability to find a job with a significant wage increases (Kim & Baker, 2015;Lopez et al, 2017). Thus, CBE creates a learning environment that engages adult learners and prepares them for graduation and future educational and employment opportunities (Krauss, 2017).…”

“…Thus, CBE creates a learning environment that engages adult learners and prepares them for graduation and future educational and employment opportunities (Krauss, 2017). Therefore, not only is CBE helping improve the academic and professional outcomes for adult learners, but it is also projected to help close the equity gaps in achievement, attainment, opportunity, and skill rates that persist throughout our community colleges (Krauss, 2017;Lopez et al, 2017).…”

Balancing old and new: Integrating competency-based learning into CALL teacher education

“…Ȼ Some stakeholders may question the equitability of a cl approach. Cleary & Breathnach (2017), in their case study, argue that cl done well (i.e., based on an understanding of students and their needs) can support equity well.…”