Understanding the Meaning of Competency-Based Learning

Understanding the Meaning of CompetencyBased Learning

By Prof. Jonathan Acuña Solano Sunday, October 11, 2015 Twitter: @jonacuso Post 194

What is competency-based learning? Though CBL can be defined as the “demonstration of skills and knowledge in required subject areas through a series of carefully designed assessments” (Competency Based Learning, n.d.), it still lacks the core of its real essence. “The competency-based education (CBE) approach allows students to advance based on their ability to master a skill or competency at their own pace regardless of environment” (Competency-Based Education, n.d.), but still no real definition is fully provided here. The real meaning of CBL is still elusive.

Competency-Based Learning, from a neophyte’s stance, is the development of competences in a learner. Thus, a competence must be understood as “the quality of being competent of performing an allotted function” and “the quality or condition of being

legally qualified to perform an act” (Competence, n.d.). Based on these two denotations of competence, it is important to state here that competency-based learning is an instructional approach that intends to provide learners with knowledge aiming at producing in them a skill. However, being skillful is not enough to be legally entitled to perform a given working task; that skills, -whatever it is-, must then be transformed into a competence, a quality that will allow students to perform competently at work.

As pointed out by Laureate Education (An Overview of Competency Based Learning, 2013), “due to the nature of this model and its widespread use in everything from formal academic settings to workplace trainings, little consensus exists on how to formally define competency based learning.” And when my personal definition of CBL is compared to Laureate’s, I sense a lot of discrepancies but more similarities on what I believe. Our main difference is in the fact that “competencies are met or achieved when students demonstrate mastery of content through a valid and reliable assessment” (An Overview of Competency Based Learning, 2013), yet the chronological sequence to test this “mastery of content” is not visualized in the acquisition of knowledge, the subsequent development of skills, and the ulterior creation of competencies.

No matter what definition of CBL is held, the traditional model of learning in higher education is miles away. As Laureate Education posits (An Overview of Competency Based Learning, 2013), “With a traditional learning model, students are essentially given knowledge; teachers tell students what they need to know. With the competency based learning model, teachers provide active learning opportunities so students can create their own transferrable knowledge.” In the traditional style of teaching, instructors are “essentially” conveyors or transmitters of knowledge but with no end purpose; learners are just told what they need to “learn” for a test, not how to apply it in meaningful contexts for their field of study. CBL is a door to produce deep learning among students and a way to move away from surface learning or mere memorization of facts that will not guide learners towards the development of competencies.

Trying to visualize the transition between the traditional way of teaching at my workplace and a real competency-based learning environment, I see reluctance in the horizon. Traditional teaching does not imply much planning for an instructor; they just show up to class and basically follow the metaphor of the granny feeding her hens, some of them will approach to get their corn, but others will stay away and get just a few ears.

But there will be some who will simply not get near and will not profit from the instruction provided by the faculty member and consequently will not develop neither skills nor competencies.

Learners must be empowered with their learning but giving them chances to apply the theory the professor is providing them. “The one problem with this curricular orientation [the traditional way] is that though the purposes are praiseworthy, nothing guarantees that autonomy in learning can be attained by every single individual who has been exposed to itâ€? (AcuĂąa, 2015). Learners are meant to work at their own pace and learning styles, to be engaged and motivated into what they are studying, to apply what they are learning in real-life situations, to acquire teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills, and to be prepared to function competently in their current or future workplaces. All of these can be attained by means of competency-based learning.

References Acu単a, J. (2015, January). The Academic Rationalism: A Curriculum Model. Retrieved from https://www.dropbox.com/s/y1swpuomb22dt5t/The%20Academic%20Rationalis m%20Model.docx?dl=0

An Overview of Competency Based Learning. (2013). Retrieved from Faculty Development Laureate Education: https://lnps.elearning.laureate.net/bbcswebdav/institution/LPS1/FD/APSK/LPS1.F DEV.APSK.CBLE.EN.ON.V1.MASTER/readings/LNPS_APSK_CBLE_EN_Unit01_anO verviewOfCompetencyBasedLearning.pdf

Competence. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2015, from Dictionary.Com: http://dictionary.reference.com/cite.html?qh=competence&ia=ahsmd

Competency Based Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from Western Governors University: http://www.wgu.edu/why_WGU/competency_based_approach

Competency-Based Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from Educause: http://www.educause.edu/library/competency-based-education-cbe