The Seven Components of the Competency-Based Classroom
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week, it was likely the school would be forced to move to such a model for a short time. As everyone in education would soon discover, that “short time” went from days to weeks to months. Suddenly, Brian and his fellow educators had to find new ways to support students in their learning with the absence of an in-person experience. Everyone seemed to be on a steep learning curve to figure it out.
©️2022 by Solution Tree Press
Brian’s experience as an educator during the pandemic mirrors the experiences of many in classrooms across the globe. As educators reflect on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, new priorities have emerged about how best to support student learning. As educators reflect on Suddenly, educational strategies and models that could deliver flexible, personalized, and student-centered lessons learned during the approaches have taken on increased meaning for all. COVID-19 pandemic, new priorities have emerged about It is not surprising why the years following the how best to support student global pandemic that began in 2020 will likely be learning. Suddenly, educational viewed as the time of the greatest advancement of the competency-based learning model in schools. strategies and models that could deliver flexible, personalized, and student-centered Competency-Based approaches have taken on Learning: A Definition increased meaning for all. Over the years, competency-based learning, defined as a comprehensive learner-centered system that allows students to move on upon demonstrated mastery of transferable learning objectives and skills, In competency-based learning, has become a prevalent phrase in education reform learning is organized by a dialogues. It is born from the notion that elemenstudent’s ability to transfer tary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of knowledge and apply skills higher education cannot be confined by the limitaacross content areas. Students tions of “seat time” and the Carnegie Unit (credit refine their skills based on the hours) when organizing how students will progress feedback they receive through through their learning. In competency-based learnformative assessment and, when ing, learning is organized by a student’s ability to they are ready, demonstrate their transfer knowledge and apply skills across content understanding by performing areas. Students refine their skills based on the feedback they receive through formative assessment and, thoughtfully developed when they are ready, demonstrate their understandsummative assessment tasks. ing by performing thoughtfully developed summative assessment tasks.
