etug unconference 2014 - competency to credential

Competency Based EducationMS

ETUG Fall Unconference

Competency Based Education

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Fill in your definition here…

Competency Based Education

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Traditional Academic Programs with a New CBE

(Pedagogical) Approach

• flexible option

• personalized learning

• focus on direct assessment (and PLA?) rather than credit hours

• bachelor of business degree

• etc

Traditional CBE Programs with a New (Educational

Technology) Approach

• health care education and training

• apprenticeship and trades training

• “Competency to Credential” approach

Traditional Academic Programs

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Implementing the “new” CBE Approach

• see ‘7 Things You Should Know About CBE’ at

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7105.pdf (February, 2014)

1. What is it?Competency-based education (CBE) awards academic credit based on mastery of clearly defined competencies. 2. How does it work?CBE is built around clearly defined competencies and measurable learning objectives that demonstrate mastery of those competencies. 3. Who’s doing it?In recent years, a growing number of other CBE programs have been developed at all levels of instruction4. Why is it significant?CBE replaces the conventionl model in which time is fixed and learning is variable with a model in which the time is variable and the learning is fixed.

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7105.pdf


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Implementing the “new” CBE Approach

• see https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7105.pdf (February, 2014)

5. What are the downsides?Ensuring the learning objectives are measurable and that the competencies can be demonstrated is not a trivial undertaking.6. Where is it going?The value of CBE credentials must be widely accepted, both by consumers (students and employers) and by providers (institutions and accrediting agencies)7. What are the implications for teaching and learning?Students emerge from CBE with a more consistent standard of learning, having met all of the competencies included in an educational program



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Implementing new CBE tools

• see ‘7 Things You Should Know About CBE’ Tools at

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7110.pdf (June, 2014)

“As competency-based education (CBE) programs become more prevalent, tools have emerged to support them, ranging from software utilities that enable a single type of student project to complex, custom-built, campus-wide solutions that accommodate multiple degree programs.

These tools can help define and document learning outcomes, map competencies to the curriculum, track student progress, or certify prior knowledge. CBE and the tools that support it encourage a rethinking of pedagogy, assessment, and the concept of the credit hour.”



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Implementing new CBE tools

• see ‘7 Things You Should Know About CBE Tools’ at

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7110.pdf (June, 2014)

3. Who’s doing it?To track competency-based learning in the trades and health care, the British Columbia Post-Secondary Education Office is using tools such as Totara LMS and IOMAD, which were designed to identify skills and competencies for enterprise employees. Individuals seeking a trade credential can complete an application and self-assessment, supplying evidence of competency in each area. Gaps are identified by human consultants, and the system generates a personalized education plan to address these gaps


Competency to Credential

What is ‘Competency to Credential’?

• A flexible and systemic approach to competency-based education,

training and recognition using Totara LMS, a custom distribution of the

Moodle LMS

• part of a (much) broader flexible and online learning approach

Topics

• A quick word about Totara

• Current Approaches

• Competency to Credential Approach

• (Totara demo shots time permitting…)

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Totara LMS

Totara LMS

• Totara LMS is an open source distribution of Moodle developed for

the corporate and government sectors with a focus on competency-

based education and training.

• has primarily been used in corporate training

• we’re applying to post-secondary education and training

• The current version of Totara LMS is 2.4 and is based on Moodle

2.4.

• Totara 2.5 is now/soon to be released

• http://totaralms.com

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http://totaralms.com

http://totaralms.com/

Totara LMS

Repositories

CalendarContent

ManagementUser

Management

Messaging &Notifications

LearningActivities & Types

CourseManagement

Integration w/other systems

Social Learning

AudienceManagement

F-2-F TrainingSupport

Competencies &Organizational Roles

IndividualLearning Plan

Enterprise ReportingDashboard

(Learners & Managers)

TotaraSync

ProgramManagement

TeamManagement

Badges

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Totara LMS

course/resource

programpositionsorganization competency

HIERARCHIES

user teamaudience

USER MANAGEMENT

f2f support

cycled scheduling

badges

ACCREDITATION

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Totara LMS

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Current Approach

Why a different approach?

Current Approach

• in competency-based education and training in areas such as health care

and trades, methods and solutions for the following are considered and

treated separately and independently

• full program training

• gap training

• the challenge process for out-of-province and international trained

candidates

• practice education and work experience

• however, these could be better dealt with more systemically using a

competency database or repository as a foundation

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Current Approach – Complete Program

• full training program

• students admitted, take complete program, graduate, are certified and

recognized as meeting provincial/national standards

• tends to be:

• closed materials, siloed approach with no open, common ‘library’ of

materials and resources

• lack of collaborative development and delivery

• no competency repository in most cases

• no cross referencing of competency frameworks to content at high and

granular level

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Current Approach – Gap Training

• gap training

• addresses gaps in knowledge, skills, experience

• if I’ve been trained elsewhere, why do I need to take the complete

program?

• tends to be:

• re-creation or repurposing of resources, delivery and assessment

• lack of consistent process for foreign credential recognition

• inconsistent, labourious, time consuming and costly PLAR processes

• lack of recognition tools

• lack of process means learners opt for full program – disadvantage of

length, cost

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Current Approach – Challenge Process

• challenge process

• an alternate pathway to credential, professional certification

• if I have equivalent knowledge, skills and experience, why can’t I

demonstrate that and be recognized as such without having to re-train?

• tends to be:

• re-creation or repurposing of resources, delivery and assessment

• lack of quantitative or qualitative self-assessment as a predictor of

success

• lack of relationship for recognition between training organizations and

professional associations

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Current Approach – Practice Education

• practice education and work experience

• educational component of education and training done in the

workplace, e.g., clinical practicum, apprenticeship

• tends to be:

• a formal, well documented and assessed area for health care programs

• informal or infrequent competency assessment in practice setting for

trades areas

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Current Approach – are labour market needs addressed for skilled trades?

• To better address:

• labour market needs,

• the BC Jobs Plan,

• enhance labour market mobility and

• re-skilling

in a systematic and more expedient fashion, we propose that the

comprehensive linking of professional or industry competency profiles and

frameworks to an open library of common resources through a flexible

learning approach can more efficiently address full program, gap training, the

challenge process and practice education

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Needs

Need for ‘horizontal’ competency profiles across ‘vertical’ professions• became clear that a means of referencing competency profiles to content

was required for:

• tracking progress and achievement of ‘horizontal’ competency profiles

• prior learning assessment

• gap analysis and training

• individualized learning plans

• record book, log book

• common modules of content

• recognition (badging, reporting)

• through BCcampus collaborative projects such as :

• Care Management (MoH, AVED)

• Health Care Assistant

• Elder Abuse Reduction

• go2 ITO Gap Training

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Competency to Credential Pilot in Professional Cook

• Harmonization

• Labour mobility

• Innovative and flexible training delivery

• Improved completion rates

Government strategic priorities

Pilot Objective – go2hr

• To identify the potential for using a blended learning model to address gaps in prior experience, particularly for those who gained most of their experience without formal training.

Strategic priorities - BCcampus

Strategic priority on expanding collaborative program strategies across sectors includes:

• Collaborative training and education

• Collaborative processes for open educational resources, open education and program structures

• Models for processes that improve access, completion rates and student success

• Collaborative innovation to facilitate the design of new approaches to learning and teaching services

Pilot Objectives - BCcampus

• Introduce a Competency-Based Flexible Learning Approach to support a wide range of candidates, trades and stakeholders

• Apply this ‘Competency to Credential’ Flexible Learning Approach by means of a limited pilot, expanded pilot and systemic implementation

• Consider the current approach to training and issues associated with it; contrast to a new flexible, systemic approach

“Competency to Credential” Approach

“Competency to Credential” ApproachLa

bo

ur

Mar

ket

Ne

ed

s

Learner Needs

Go

vern

me

nt

Pri

ori

tie

sLearnerFull TrainingProgram

PLAR + Gap training

PLAR + Challenge

BC Resident

Out of Province (Canadian)

International / New immigrant

Workplace Trained

New Apprentice

CURRICULUM LIBRARY (LMS or CMS)

COMPETENCY LIBRARY (WEB-BASED)

Pilot – Professional Cook

• True collaborative, blended learning model

• Leverage existing resources and “unbundle” apprenticeship program

• Create online portal to identify gaps

• Match individual “lessons” with skill gaps

• Provide activities and hands on training for practical skills

Resultss

Bccampus.ca

Results

Collaboration

Gap Training

Resource Library

go2hr

BCcampus

Totara LMSTraining Provider Content

Government Funding

User Feedback

Scalability

Mid-Term Goals 2014-2015

• New challengers offered use as support

• Additional support for apprentices going through regular delivery

• Tracking workplace activities through mentorship and logbook

• Custom training programs linked to provincial standards

• Build out resource library to include other related programs

• Expansion to support all BC Cook program participants

Long Term Vision

go2hr BCcampus Training Providers and Government

Flexible training options that meet industry’s needs

Collaborative, blended learning

Innovative and efficient training delivery

Better linkages betweenworkplace and training system

Central resource library linking competencies to curriculum

Increased and clearer pathways to certification

Improved support for industry skill development

Systemic, scalable approach

Improved success of students, apprentices, and challengers

Testimonials

Pilot participant

• “I was really happy to hear the news when this pilot came out. Great job and look forward to seeing how far this goes.”

College instructor

• “Going through the gap training , which I think is just brilliant, not only for students but also as a tool for instructors. It's just what has been missing for so long!”

Testimonials

Employer

• “This looks amazing. I see so much potential to bring my kitchen managers up to a Red Seal level using this tool.”

College Dean

• “This is one of the first things I’ve seen since coming to BC that gives me hope we are on the right direction in post secondary education. Thank You!”

Thank You

Questions?

Bccampus.ca

Sample Business Process

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Competency Repository

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GAC Framework

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Competency

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Self-Assessment

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Evidence

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Individualized Learning Plan

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Review Gap Training Components

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Review Gap Training Components

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Workplace Components

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Record of Learning

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Validation

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Validation

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