Shifting gears in the classroom—movement toward personalized learning and competency‐based education

The 21st century workforce must be able to address dynamic situations, think critically, and solve problems by accessing and analyzing information (Wagner, 2011). In response to employer requirements for skilled students, administrators at 4-year colleges have designed nontraditional approaches to learning which included CBE and PL-based learning (Williams, Moser, Youngblood, Young J., 2015). Competency-based learning awards credit based on student learning, not time spent in the classroom. Although competency-based learning does not have one standard definition, scholars have worked toward creating a common description. Torres, Brett, and Cox (2015) found two shared themes within competency-based learning programs: students earn credit or graduate after proving mastery of all competency requirements, and multiple assessments measure and determine mastery. McClarty, Gaertner, and a better understanding of the roles of faculty and mentors” (Travers, 2012, p. 45). Williams et al. (2015) described this shift for faculty under the competency-based model from that of “a sage on the stage” to a “guide on the side.” Boilard argued that the student-centered approach of the PL is more robust than a traditional learning system as it, “focuses on whether what needed to be learned was, in fact, learned” (2011, p. 57). In addition to changes in colleges and universities, paradigm shifts are noticed for learning and measuring skills in professional development courses. Leaders in the training industry have transitioned learning from traditional blocks of full days or weeks of training to smaller chunks of time. Micro-e-learning, for example, offers education seminars in smaller 4-5 minute learning sessions (Hurst, 2013). CBE and PL programs allow for student advancement based on mastery as opposed to a traditional progression of learning based in terms of credit hour or time spent in a classroom (Freeland, 2014). There is a transition in the way learners are accessing information. While traditional students may rely solely on learning from a brick and mortar institution, learners in the 21st century may seek out opportunities for education via you-tube sessions, lunch and learn training, case study review, and web-based learning tools (Detlor, Booker, Serenko, p. 5). Industry partnerships for colleges and for CBE programs may also help to promote student employment upon graduation (Nodin & Johnstone, 2015). Partnerships help to position colleges and universities as premier educational partners in global market (Williams et al., 2015). Sinclair Community College, for example, employed industry subject-matter experts to develop and align respective program competencies to prepare graduates for job opportunities (Nodin & Johnstone, 2015). Likewise, Austin Community College successfully developed a CBE model that utilized industry-related partnerships to design a program allowing for successful recruitment of students and post-graduation student placement in industry-specific jobs (Nodin & Johnstone, 2015). Educating and graduating students is just part of the CBE program process—the end goal would also include ensuring gainful employment for these graduates. Williams et al. (2015) explained the importance of fostering, “candidate feeder relationships with college and universities” (p. 2). Candidate-feeder relationship creates a win-win scenario allowing for educational partners who produce graduates with the skills and knowledge to meet industry demand (Williams et al., 2015). Garfolo and L'Huillier (2016) recognized that the long-term viability credibility of the CBE degree is connected to the business community's acceptance of that degree (p. 9). Leaders in the Accelerated Programmer Training (APT) at Austin Community College acknowledged the value of reaching out to and partnering with industry leaders for graduate job-placement (Nodin & Johnstone, 2015). To establish industry partnerships, Austin Community College's APT team provided industry leaders a list of competencies that graduates would achieve upon completion of their CBE program. By 2015, one hundred interested companies agreed to post the company logo as well as job openings on the Austin Community College Website (Nodin & Johnstone, 2015). Requiring competency-based skill sets such as exercises that allow students to demonstrate their prowess with creating, manipulating and evaluating documents could prove useful in our workforce. Radhakrishnan, Balachandran, Venkatesaperumal, and D'Souza (2013) reported benefits of learning new skills in a safe environment. “Simulation, when used as a learning strategy in theory courses, has generally resulted in increases in theory examination scores of 2.5% or greater” (Radhakrishnan et al., 2013, p. 253). At Excelsior College, nursing students are expected to, “…demonstrate theoretical learning and clinical competence” (McCarty & Gaertner, 2015). The nursing industry has consistently demonstrated the need for new nurses to benefit from hands-on training. Students enrolled in the CBE nursing program at Excelsior must perform on-the-job tasks at the same level to nurses who have similar work and educational background. Administrators, instructional designers, and instructors find merits of relying on CBE programs to include higher retention rates, incorporation of technology, and the ability to adjust or adapt curriculum to address the needs of the workforce (Garrick, Villasmil, Dell, & Hart, 2013). Williams et al., 2015 advised for administrators to establish and maintain viable relationships as industry partners, higher education institutions must adapt teaching practices and generate relevant changes in instruction methods to best prepare new graduates for the workforce. For CBE and PL instruction, faculty and course designers may rely on teaching formats to include blended learning, hybrid models, and the flipped classroom (Freeland, 2014). Instructors can author lectures and curriculum for online CBE programs or administrators may instead incorporate tested online reading tools or textbook-linked quiz material to provide personalized instruction based on individual student learning and progression. Relying on auto-grading systems or online grading platforms will provide immediate feedback for students, instructors, and administrators on degree progress (Garrick et al., 2013). A discussion of CBE must include mention of regulation and politics this method of education. Traditional methods of be applied to these new (CBE) The Education Department position with that the CBE education system is and does not meet the Department of Education's for a and significant relationship between faculty and of CBE question the ability of learners to general education skills such as critical thinking over a of time (McClarty et al., 2015). that academic credit for work outside of the classroom would academic knowledge and academic and that CBE does not necessarily apply to all degree programs & 2013, (2013) the with higher education in the is not graduating those students. et al. (2015) reported that competency-based learning may be a for improving graduation rates, and for ensuring graduates the skills and knowledge for their respective administrators may rely on PL or CBE programs to and international students. to PLs and CBE learning programs allow for and of skills, and learning. student learning and knowledge to and outcomes will provide nontraditional students with immediate feedback on degree that may to higher retention (Garrick et al., 2013). The question is how leaders create a relationship between the and the of the higher education (Boilard, 2011). viability of CBE programs can be to methods used to assess learning. should be and a set of based on multiple sources of evidence to learning should be (McClarty et al., 2015). The credibility of learning assessments requires a clear between the objectives to be tasks and the competencies. et al. (2015) shared for creating courses, and assessments within CBE programs. key for success included defining all between skills and the allowing for of student and performance on competencies with other measures of like and the relationship between assessment scores and Online such as or allow administrators to student progress information n.d.). and may provide opportunities for students to competencies for which mastery was not demonstrated (Freeland, 2014). The learning for course to learning and course a PL for example, course may goals Course or goals to assessments and is in the The includes a selection of tools for tracking and measuring student across course and course competencies n.d.). education administrators and faculty need to understand the of new technologies in the their with skill sets and competency mastery that apply in the workforce (Williams et al., 2014). Instructors and course tools such as or for learning and development in the classroom. CBE and course must in information and materials to student learning. practices the CBE and PL assessment models may also provide the use of blended learning, hybrid models, and the flipped classroom (Freeland, 2014). Online reading tools and quiz material based on reading may provide personalized instruction based on student learning and progression in the classroom. and continue to develop materials in the online classroom with tools such as online student focused learning via reading and that students to and & 2013). that include reading allow students to navigate through the reading materials and about the subject the Students who demonstrate mastery of quiz may through the materials. such as reading can be included in a student assessment to determine and post course learning. the use of that is may be for student (2015) found that the use of a resulted in students who were better and were more in the classroom. and (2015) found that training system a on students and learning for students. technologies may also be into the CBE and PL curriculum to students with an of to use for workforce and The personalized learning model requires students to on personal and professional roles as well as the in which they continue to focus on improving skill sets & 2013). The is using an scenario program 2014). program scenarios for nursing students 2014). and (2015) found that students to develop and skills as well as their and technologies allow students to gain and in working with through the degree program. online competency-based learning degree programs in 2013). Students to Personalized program may choose from and earn as as the student can complete within a from to the PL team at for courses to learning outcomes and the competencies for competencies were the team relying on the students could a a and upon successful completion of the the student could move on to complete the mastery or mastery a student the has the opportunity to move through the course materials and the when The move on when design is with adult learners who may have years of industry and knowledge that can be via competency By instruction to address the skill set and knowledge of both blended and online learning platforms may to student and Boilard that programs that CBEs and PLs assessment and to as to how students best meet the skills and knowledge for their respective field. the use of PLs and CBEs allow students to focus on their own learning and retention and may the for & 2013, p. The purpose of this article was to provide a survey of existing literature and to the growing body of research that focuses on competency-based education (CBE) and personalized learning programs. century employers to who have demonstrated mastery of competencies in the and who are to perform the skills and tasks necessary in the workplace. By a competency-based learning approach that measures student skills and mastery of colleges and universities may address the needs of our 21st century workforce (Wagner, 2011). A review of current literature highlights the merits for relying on CBE. CBE programs include tools which allow for immediate access of information about student progress within a and use of competency-based education (CBE) and personalized learning programs in higher requires a shift in of what a paradigm to a free of time practices for CBE design continue to be developed as progress through CBE degree programs. for research into programs should focus on program competency education regulations, and best began teaching at in as an at to business and courses. and students in the online classroom. is a of the the of and has on the review for the of in a of in from a of from the of and a of from the of Social provided the opportunity to gain professional and academic to within a company in the in a of in from a of in from a of from and a in from is an faculty at and College, to and courses. goal in the online classroom is to promote learning, and in the online classroom.