Competency-Based Education: How 1:1 Transforms Learning

April 4, 2013

Shared Purpose

“If we are focused on seat time, we are focused on the wrong end of the student.”

Ray McNulty (ICLE President)

A Compelling Case for Change Antiquated factory model of

education Demand for personalization Belief that failure is not an option A learning-based system will be more

meaningful than a time-based system Appropriate challenge = increased

student engagement and learning

CBE Defined

Competency-Based Education (CBE) A system in which learning is the

constant and time is the variable Students advance upon mastery through

flexible use of time, place, method, or pace (fastest path to goals that matter with anytime, anywhere learning and no restrictions on seat time)

2009 State Board Priority 2011 State Guidelines on CBE2011 Governor’s Blueprint on

Education2011 CBE Forum

CBE Timeline

CBE State Task Force 2012 Legislation eliminated the Carnegie

unit as the basis for credit in Iowa high schools and required a task force to Redefine the Carnegie unit into competencies Construct personal learning plans and templates Develop student-centered accountability and

assessment models Empower learning through technology Develop supports and professional development for

educators to transition to a competency-based system

Definitions Principles Policies Examples

http://tiny.cc/IowaCompEdGuidelines

State Guidelines

Preliminary Report: Recommendations

1) The Legislature should invite educators and students from schools that are experiencing success with competency-based pathways to present during the 2013 session.

Recommendations

2) Develop common language and vision for competency-based education and a shared operational definition of a competency.

Competency A student's ability to transfer her/his

learning in and/or across content areas and to the world beyond the classroom walls

Competency statements are designed by instructors around course or grade level essential learnings, which are assessed through proficiency levels tied to the Iowa Core Standards

A competency is not just knowing or understanding—it requires doing

Recommendations

3) Develop a continuum rubric that outlines the transformation from traditional to competency-based education.

Recommendations

4) Identify up to 10 school districts to serve as models across the state, and develop support for these districts to help them serve as Iowa-based models. Current pilots are in Muscatine, Spirit

Lake (January Term), and Newell-Fonda (Winter Explorium)

5) Conduct a review of current policies, administrative rules, and educational and para-educational practices that may block optimal implementation of competency-based education. State (such as Chapter 12 and the

“Scholarship Rule”) Local (attendance, credit, course sequence,

online learning, school year/days, etc.)

Recommendations

Recommendations 6)Establish a research partnership with an

institution of higher education to monitor and evaluate the work and to share findings.

7) Establish a collaborative team with higher

education to support smooth transitions for students with competency-based educational experiences in high school, to facilitate entrance into post-secondary institutions, and to work toward instituting training for pre-service teachers and aspiring administrators in competency-based environments.

Recommendations 8) Investigate how this work connects to, and could

support, the Governor’s STEM initiative and the recommendations of the Teaching Standards and Teacher Evaluation Task Force.

9) Members of the Legislature should join members of the Competency-based Education Task Force at the Iowa ASCD Conference “Define, Design, Deliver” on June 26-27 in Des Moines. Competency-based education is the conference theme.

10) Iowa should begin planning for a Midwest regional conference on competency-based education to be held in June 2014.

11) Establish the criteria for writing and critiquing competencies.

12) Statewide efforts should be made to develop model competencies aligned to the Iowa Core and the universal constructs.

Recommendations

MCSD Defining Competencies Competency Validation Tool Even before we measure student

success, we need to measure our own effectiveness Competency writing workshops Examination and critique of exemplars Critical conversations about the

differences between standards and competencies

Rubric construction vetted through collegial dialogue

Recommendations

13) The state should investigate and make recommendations on the development of an infrastructure that supports the connectivity necessary to provide every student with the opportunity to learn, no matter where they live. The Legislature should direct the Iowa Department of Education to investigate this need.

Recommendations

14) Develop templates, models, rubrics, and technology available to students for competency-based learning environments to work.

15) Develop what is needed to record and report in a competency-based environment and work with the student management systems to provide what is needed for this transition.

Reporting Learning Rubric (understanding, thinking,

skills) 5 (95%) Exceeding Proficiency with Standard (Evaluation

or Synthesis) 4 (85%) Meeting or Exceeding Proficiency with Standard

(Analysis) 3 (75%) Meeting Proficiency with Standard (Application)______________________________________________________________ (I) Approaching Proficiency with Standard (Understanding) (I) Emerging Proficiency with Standard (Knowledge) No Attempt

Reporting Grades/Scores

Reporting Learning

Reporting Learning

Self-Analysis & Monitoring

Reporting Learning: Pilot Software

Replicating Learning

Teacher A

Teacher B

Teacher C

Recommendations

16) Develop training for teachers in use of learning plans and recording and reporting processes that become increasingly dependent on reliable, connected technology.

Muscatine’s Proposed Path Forward: Year One Step 1: Knowledge-Building Step 2: Shared Vision Step 3: Desired Outcomes Step 4: Action and Communication

Plans Step 5: Pilot Project Development Step 6: Implementation Step 7: Progress Monitoring (reflect

& revise) Step 8: Build Capacity

Year Two Cohorts 2 and 3 are underway

Representation from all buildings and grade levels

Diversity in disciplines represented Cohort 1 provides mentorship to Cohort 2

Any SBG pilots move toward CBE Ongoing professional development Cohort 4 is established (spring/summer

2014) SBG conversations in elementary buildings

SBG pilots (build capacity)

A System for Learning

Competencies Standards

Unwrap Iowa Core content areas 21st Century Learning Skills I-CAT process at all levels

Clarity of purpose Learning targets Rubrics

RtI

17) The state should bring together state experts in assessment and competencies to develop an Assessment Validation Rubric that complements the Competency Validation Rubric suggested by the competency work group.

18) Develop a plan toward successful assessment and accountability for competency-based educational opportunities for students.

Recommendations

Assessment FOR Learning Emphasis on formative Student-driven (multimodal) Most recent vs. average Self and peer assessment Learning is transferable

Within course or content area Across disciplines Beyond the school walls

(multidirectional)

Fidelity of Implementation Assessment Table How will we measure success? How do we know that CBE is

“working”? How will we communicate this to our

stakeholders? Measures short- and long-term outcomes Addresses gaps through goals and data

collection

19) Establish a collaborative group of professional development and competency-based education experts to create professional development to help educators understand what competency-based learning environments look like at different levels, from preschool/kindergarten through high school.

20) Create professional development for administrators that includes understanding and leading the paradigm shifts being made by their teachers, students, parents, and community members.

21) Investigate what to provide for parents, community members, legislators, State Board of Education members, and other stakeholders.

22) Future consideration of mandated competency-based opportunities for all students.

Recommendations

Other Personnel Required

District and building leadership Registrar and counselor support Tech support for SIS and grade book

support Outside experts School Board Parents, students, other community

members

Stakeholder Pool

Once CBE design is underway, the stakeholder pool will widen Community Higher education Department of Education State Task Force Legislators

MCSD’s 1:1 Initiative

Planning and community preparation 2011-2012 Teachers received laptops Professional development (sharing

ideas/sites) Implementation 2012-2013

6-12 laptops Increased mobile labs in the elementary

buildings

CBE and 1:1

Teacher survey How many days per week on average do

your CBE students use their laptops?▪ 33% >5 days▪ 33% 5 days▪ 17% 4 days▪ 17% 3 days

Google Apps

Presentations & Technology

Tracking/Reporting of Learning

Collaboration

Group projects Paperless peer

editing/review Blogging &

participation on wikis

Shared presentations

Paperless lab reports

Blended/Online Learning

Video tutorials and notes Linking assessments and discussions

through Edmodo Online social studies textbook TeenTribune.com Virtual labs APEX courses ALEKS

Time

Google docs and Edmodo for anywhere/anytime submissions

Flipped classroom methodology Google calendar pacing Chat and other collaboration not

limited to the school day Students can work beyond the

parameters of the class because they can stay connected

Place

No computer lab necessary = flexibility

Students with extended absences can stay connected

24-hour access to teacher websites Can work anywhere in the

community (Internet hubs or pre-downloaded material)

Re-watch videos/tutorials from home Message capabilities = answers

anywhere

Method

Wide range of tech-based methodology accepted for demonstration of proficiency

Work completed from another course or outside the school

Self-directed projects Teachers coach instead of prescribe Assignments moving away from

what can be “googled”

Pace Google calendar to

self-pace Working beyond the

end of the semester to remediate or demonstrate a higher level of proficiency

Faster feedback and corrections

Employability skills = appropriate pacing

Questions?

Contact Information Andrea Stewart, District G/T Coordinator

▪ ajstewar@muscatine.k12.ia.us; 563.263.6141 Chanda Hassett, English Teacher and Curricular Leader

▪ cvhasset@muscatine.k12.ia.us; 563.263.6141 Shane Williams, Director of Innovation & Instruction and

Technology▪ smwillia@muscatineschools.org; 563.263.7223

Diane Campbell, Director of Innovation & Instruction▪ dmcampbe@muscatineschools.org; 563.263.7223