Competency-Based Education. 9th Report on the Condition of Higher Education in Ohio

Overview & Synopsis

Traditional education has benefited millions of students--preparing them for college, jobs and careers--and it continues to do so. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend of higher education institutions considering an alternative, competency-based education (CBE), to serve the needs of nontraditional or underserved adult students. CBE is self-paced and personalized. It provides flexible schedules and pathways to meet individual needs. The time necessary to complete a CBE program can be reduced as it takes prior learning, prior knowledge and a mastery of competencies into consideration, rather than seat time or the number of hours spent in class. This report on the Condition of Higher Education in Ohio addresses four questions surrounding competency-based education. The questions are: (1) What is competency-based education and why is it important? (2) Are Ohio's colleges and universities engaging in or planning to engage in CBE? (3) What are best practices for implementing competency-based education programs? and (4) What are the next steps for Ohio? Three appendices are included: (1) Ohio CBE Survey; (2) Competency-Based Education Design Planner (Provided by C-BEN); and (3) CBE Quality Standards (DRAFT VERSION) by C-BEN. [For the "8th Report on the Condition of Higher Education in Ohio," see ED572751.]