colin van ostern, vice president of workforce solutions southern …€¦ · competency-based...
TRANSCRIPT
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Learning at Work: New Pathways in Higher Education Colin Van Ostern, Vice President of Workforce Solutions Southern New Hampshire University June 27, 2017
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
HOW DO WE LEARN?
2
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Let’s begin with an experiment
Think of a time you learned how to do something new (not necessarily in a school setting).
Then take a few moments to consider:
How did you learn it?
• I learned from on instructor
• I learned on my own
How long did it take you to learn it?
• I learned it instantly
• It took multiple attempts
How did you know you had learned it?
• I took a test
• I could do it
3
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Principle 1: Learning can occur in many ways
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Principle 2: Time is not a good proxy for learning
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Principle 3: Performance is a good indicator of learning
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
In other words…
Learning can be acquired in many ways and in many settings
Time to mastery is less important than demonstration of mastery
Developing competency can require multiple attempts
What someone can do with what s/he knows is usually more informative than how s/he
learned it
Assessing competency directly through performance can be more informative than inferring it
from tests of content knowledge
Establishing a clear goal makes it easier to know if it’s been reached
Competency-based education (CBE) is based on these ideas
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Competency-based education
improves on traditional educational model
From… To:
Time fixed, learning undefined Time variable, learning defined
Faculty centered Student centered
Single faculty expert Robust academic support
Transcript is a black box Proof of learning
“Big chunk” courses Granular competencies
Learners come to the institution Learning comes to the student
• Focuses on the demonstration of articulated skills, knowledge and abilities • Is not based on credit hours or seat time
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
HOW DOES THIS PLAY OUT IN THE WORLD OF WORK?
9
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Is this likely?
Let’s hire this
candidate … she
has a B+ in
Introduction to
Sociology!
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Lack of information about what graduates can do
Black Box (even though it’s orange)
=
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. 12
Higher levels of education are increasingly a requirement
-Georgetown Center for Education and the Workforce
Of all jobs in the US
will require education
and training beyond
high school by 2020
65%
Of jobs created during
the economic recovery
have gone to workers
with a college degree
95%
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
The Skills Gap
Business executives
surveyed reported a skills
shortage within the
companies National Network of Business
and Industry Associations, 2015
95%
Even during the height of the recession with 15 million
unemployed…2.1 million positions went unfilled because
employers couldn’t find applicants with the skills to fill them.
“ ” Monica Herk, “Fixing our Broken Colleges; Competency-Based Education and
Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act”, Committee for Economic Development
(www.ced.org), May 14, 2015
Do college graduates have the
necessary skills and competencies to
succeed in the workplace?
Gallup, 2015
96% COLLEGE
PROVOST
S AGREE
11% BUSINESS
LEADERS
AGREE
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
How does CBE help bridge those gaps?
Establishes a common language between higher education and industry: employers already “speak competency”
Goals for learning are explicit and can be understood by all stakeholders (including students)
Provides a clear evidence base for assessment and evaluation
Facilitates linking to existing industry standards
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
PARTNERING WITH EMPLOYERS TO SERVE WORKING ADULTS
15
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
About Us
We were founded to use the power of learning to unlock
success in the workforce and transform people’s lives
Started with College for America: partnering with employers to bring working
adults a workplace-applicable higher education.
Using internal teams dedicated to academic development, workforce strategy, and learning insight, we connect learning
outcomes with workforce needs.
Support & oversight from: 100+ employer partners include:
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Our curriculum is composed
of real-world projects that
require those skills to
be completed.
Everything is online.
Focus on what a degree
represents—skills and
competencies
(not credit hours).
Each degree starts with a
list of competencies. These
are informed by: labor
market research, industry
experts, and academic
experts.
Completing those projects
is our version of courses
and credits. Mastery is
required to progress.
AA and BA degrees from
Southern New Hampshire
University. Accredited,
transferrable and valuable.
Students receive in-depth
feedback on every project
they submit (as many times
as it takes).
Every student has a
personal learning coach
who supports them through
the entire program.
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
5,000 Students
served last year
1000+ Degrees
awarded
100+ Partners
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
What do we mean by a “competency”?
• A claim about what learners can do with knowledge and skills (“can do” statements)
• Agnostic as to how student acquired them, or how long it took
• Measureable and observable
• Reflects skills needed by employers
Examples: BA Level
• Can develop a marketing plan for a specific product or service
• Can evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
different management styles
• Can support or refute an argument using quantitative evidence
Examples: AA Level
• Can negotiate with others to resolve conflicts and settle disputes
• Can speak effectively in order to persuade or
motivate
• Can convey information by creating charts and graphs
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Projects
Students demonstrate mastery of
competencies by completing
Projects: authentic, engaging activities
that enable them to learn by doing
Examples:
Curating a virtual art exhibit
Create a marketing plan
Developing a budget for
international travel
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. 21
Assessments
Reviewers—trained educators with
advanced degrees and subject-matter
expertise—evaluate projects.
Detailed feedback is returned to students
within 48 hours of a project being submitted.
Instead of traditional grade points, every
project is evaluated as “Mastered” or “Not
yet.”
Students can revise and resubmit projects
until they demonstrate mastery—there is no
failure.
Every competency must be mastered to
achieve degree.
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Unbundling the faculty role
Project Reviewer
Curriculum and Assessment Development
Employer STUDENT Advisor
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. 23
Serving populations underserved in traditional higher education
College for America Students
88% age over 24
77% Women
30% Black
15% Hispanic
U.S. College Students
56% Women
15% Black
17% Hispanic
34% age
over 24
70% First generation in their family to attend college
98% Employed in at least one job
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. 24
Our offerings
120 advanced
competencies
Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees (120 credits)
Communications (concentrations in Healthcare or Business)
Healthcare Management (concentrations in Communications
or Global Perspectives)
Management (concentrations in Insurance, Services Logistics/Operations,
Public Administration)
120 core competencies Associate of Arts (AA) degrees (60 credits)
General Studies, Business
Healthcare Management
60 core competencies Certificate (30 credits)
Healthcare Management Fundamentals
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Case Study: Anthem-SNHU partnership
Their goals:
Improved employee satisfaction
Increased skills to build talent pipeline
Retain current employees
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
A workforce partner, not a benefits vendor
Co-branded & closely coordinated internal and external campaigns raise awareness for prospective students and generate great PR for the company: “benefits beyond salary”
Aligned with tuition reimbursement policies & processes
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
We work together to measure employee development, engagement, retention, and the impact
of workforce development.
Anthem Results in Year 1:
1,600 Enrolled Students 100+ Graduates
30% of Graduates Promoted (2x non-students) “very significant” increase in employee perception of
L&D opportunities as a result
Ongoing evaluation, and strong results
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Scaling the operation
• Building on success of competency-based degree pathways and employer partnerships
• Adding full spectrum of SNHU learning solutions (online, on campus)
• Using competencies as common currency & staying focused on learning outcomes.
becoming
Physical
Campus
Micro-
credentials
200+ online
degree
programs
Project
Based
programs
Competency
-mapping &
career
pathways
Workforce
Partnerships Project-based,
competency-based
degrees
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
USING LABOR MARKET INFORMATION TO SHAPE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
29
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Our learning solutions are designed to build specific competencies to fill workforce gaps
Literature Review
Healthcare industry trends: technology, consumer expectations & regulatory changes (ACA).
Secondary Analysis
Occupational projections & gap analysis sees rise in jobs like medical office specialist & patient navigator.
Primary Analysis
Interviews, surveys, & focus groups with industry groups, practitioners & subject matter experts to identify key competencies.
Certificate in Healthcare Management Fundamentals
Learning projects help employees develop 60 competencies needed for key roles.
Graduates receive 30 college credits (1/2 of associate’s degree).
Example: worked with a large health care provider (65,000 employees) to identify key competency gaps facing frontline workers
due to nationwide industry changes, and fill them with a new Certificate in Healthcare Management Fundamentals
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Example: Retail bank career path typically requires growth in skills & education level
Teller Customer Service
Representative
Responsible for meeting or exceeding sales goals
Assess customer information and suggest product solutions
Provides sound advice to ensure customer’s financial needs are met
Maintains strong product and sales knowledge
Leads, coaches and models quality customer interaction
Establish and solidify customer relationships
Resolves customer problems
Provides excellent customer service with support
Establish and solidify customer relationships
Resolves customer problems
Provides exceptional customer service with support
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Responsible for meeting or exceeding sales goals
Assess customer information and suggest product solutions
Provides sound advice to ensure customer’s financial needs are met
Maintains strong product and sales knowledge
Leads, coaches and models quality customer interaction
Establish and solidify customer relationships
Resolves customer problems
Provides excellent customer service with support
Establish and solidify customer relationships
Resolves customer problems
Provides exceptional customer service with support
Sell Like a Professional
Connect with Customers
Analyze Customer Needs
Represent the Brand
Build Teamwork through Marketing
Competencies developed by these CfA learning modules*
* Each module = one college course. From two accredited degrees: AA in General Studies w/concentration in Customer Experience and BA in Management.
Teller Customer Service
Representative
Example: Retail bank career path typically requires growth in skills & education level
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Workforce insights research as a service
Competency mapping
Career pathing
Informing new curriculum development to support worker advancement
Measuring impacts on students and business
Promising practice research
Thought leadership
33
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
OUR IMPACT
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
CriticalThinking
Reading Writing Mathematics Humanities Social Sciences NaturalSciences
SK
ILLS
SU
BS
CO
RE
ETS Proficiency Profile Scores (2015)
AA-SOPH CfA 60+ Comps
Our AA students
outperform students in
traditional 2-year
programs in 6 of 8
subject matter areas in
the ETS Proficiency
Profile test of core
skills.
CfA students’ total
score 439.5 is in the
67th percentile.
External validation of CBE approach
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. Source: Internal CfA Survey, June 2016
• Tuition Assistance and Reimbursement College for America Students
Say their College for America
work helps build skills for their
current job
89% 89%
Would recommend College for
America to others
96%
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Employers observe impact on student retention, engagement, and promotion
say CfA students are
more likely
to stay, with the
rest saying retention
rates will not be
eroded
48% 43%
say CfA students are
less likely
to be absent, with the rest saying
there is no impact on
attendance
say CfA students are
more likely
to move
laterally within
the company
33%
say CfA students are
more likely
to be
promoted
43%
0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% Much more Somewhat more About the same Somewhat less Much less
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
Many employers already see an impact on the overall workforce
Believe their workforce is more
loyal
33%
Believe their workforce is more
satisfied
52%
… as a result of the CfA partnership
Much more
Somewhat more
About the same
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
5% 5%
24%
67%
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Pe
rcen
t o
f re
sp
on
din
g p
art
ne
rs
On a scale of 0-10,
how likely are you to recommend continuing to
offer College for America to employees?
0 - Not at all likely
10 - Extremely likely
Employers show very high satisfaction rates
Net Promoter Score
(N=21)
90.5
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved.
“As an employer, I know that when an employee finishes a
College for America degree, he or she will be able to
demonstrate specific competencies that are applicable to
the job. In terms of ROI, CfA is stronger than general
college courses, so becoming a partner was a no-brainer.”
President, Anthem, Inc.
“From my standpoint, people on the program gain a better skill of
analyzing data and can apply it to business. A definite connection.
That is so rare with education! Our employees learn something and
can
then immediately use it. It's positive for the business and the student.”
Executive Vice President, Human Resources, McDonald’s Corp
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. 41
Questions and Discussion
Gryffindor or
Ravenclaw?
What skills do
businesses
need most in
new hires?
How can mature
schools pilot
innovation like SNHU
did with College for
America?
© 2016 Southern New Hampshire University. All rights reserved. 42
• Thank you!
Colin Van Ostern
SNHU Workforce Partnerships
Contact me at:
Learn more about College for America at:
collegeforamerica.org