Challenges in Learning Competency Design

(Three Trends That Will Influence Learning and Teaching in 2015, 2014)

Challenges in Learning Competency Design

By Prof. Jonathan AcuĂąa Solano Sunday, October 18, 2015 Twitter: @jonacuso Post 197

From writing competencies to aligning them with learning objectives and assessments, the task of designing learning competencies can be challenging. When transitioning to the competency based model of learning, you must identify and overcome potential design challenges to ensure successful learning experiences for students. A welldesigned, quality competency might be the difference between an engaged and motivated student and one who is discouraged and overwhelmed by course expectations.

(Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.)

Competency-based learning seems to be a great way to embark one’s students into real deep learning, and a nice way to abandon any kind of surface learning practice

in teaching and learning. CBL comprises lots of nice ways of having students develop their working competencies prior their setting their feet in a company. But there are certain things we educators must keep in the lookout to avoid standardizing competency evaluation, the use of CBL in licensure programs, and the wrong conceptualization of what CBL entails.

Standardization of competencies must be avoided. “According to Ralph Wolff, president of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, institutions must guard themselves

from

standardizing

the

mechanisms

in

which

competencies

are

demonstrated” (Gibson, 2013). In the case that a faculty member wants to start using competencies to guide his/her planning and teaching, it is indispensable that these practices are carried out only within his/her course. Unless two colleagues agree on working together and assessing learners with the same competency instruments (tasks and rubrics), the use of similar performance demonstrations to verify student understanding should be avoided, especially if learners do not cover the same content and experience the same in the classroom or in an online platform.

Competencies need to be avoided in licensure programs. “A CBL model is an effective approach to both education and practice. However, academic programs that require professional licensure may be slow to embrace competency programs divorced from any observable measures of contact hours” (Gibson, 2013). Basically what Gibson is stating, and which I agree with 100%, is that certain program such as the ones in medical school (medicine, optometry, nursing, ophthalmology, etc.) are not exactly ready “to embrace” the use of competencies to demonstrate content understanding. A surgery is not the same kind of project if compared to a mock up building in architecture or in civil engineering. In terms of monitoring and the amount of time used to grasp the contents for the creation of a project like this will take time, and not same lapse for an engineer or for a doctor.

The correct conceptualization of what CBL entails must be guaranteed for student learning and the right application of this teaching approach. How long does it take an instructor to fully understand the domain of CBL? The answer is not clear, especially if CBL theory is applied to it. “Students,” as well as faculty members learning how to use CBL, “will enter […] at various levels of competency and with diverse learning style preferences” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013). Somehow instructors must be quite sure that their understanding how CBL works must be ensure prior its use in a course continuum. The right application of competency-based learning may take some time to sink in, and it would also be a good idea that professors have a chance to discuss their competency-developing projects with other colleagues to guarantee that they are not offtrack.

The use of CBL in a higher education institution is a great idea. “By focusing on

what you know rather than how much time you spend learning competency-based education puts you in charge of your education as never before” (Competency-Based Education: What It Is, How It’s Different, and Why It Matters to You, 2014). This is what the instructor must always bear in mind and transmit the very same idea to his/her students. CBL allows learners to be in charge of their learning and the demonstration of what they are really learning in a course, not exactly inside the classroom.

Referencias Competency-Based Education: What It Is, How It’s Different, and Why It Matters to You. (2014, January 24). Retrieved from University of Wisconsin: http://flex.wisconsin.edu/blog/competency-based-education-what-it-is-how-itsdifferent-and-why-it-matters-to-you/ Gibson, C. (2013, August 2). Competency-Based Learning: Four Challenges and Impediments. Retrieved from The Evolllution: http://evolllution.com/opinions/competency-based-learning-challengesimpediments/

Laureate Education, Inc. (2013). Best Practices for Designing Learning Competencies.

Retrieved from Faculty Development: https://lnps.elearning.laureate.net/bbcswebdav/institution/LPS1/FD/APSK/LPS1.F DEV.APSK.CBLE.EN.ON.V1.MASTER/readings/LNPS_APSK_CBLE_EN_Unit02_best PracticesForDesigningLearningCompetencies.pdf Laureate Education, Inc. (n.d.). Journal 2: Challenges in Learning Competency Design.

Retrieved from Faculty Development: http://global3.laureate.net/#/home/faculty