In this episode, Rob and Jared chat with Nate Brock, Lead Evaluator in the Science Education Department at Western Governors University. They discuss WGU’s approach to Competency-Based Education and the key features that make WGU’s programs distinct.

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Western Governors University is a fully competency-based institution that designs their courses with a student-centered mindset. If a student can complete a course in a shorter amount of time, that benefits the student as they progress through the degree. This competency-based approach enables a student to progress at their own rate while ensuring they have mastered the course's competencies.

 In order to evaluate if students are meeting competencies, WGU uses two types of assessments that are both evaluated based on rubrics. For some students, they are able to meet the competencies quickly. This is quite a shift from other higher ed institutions, but he extends a helpful reminder that the instructor's mindset for CBE needs to be different than for more traditional educational models. Homework: Follow backward design and consider how competency-based education can help students gain mastery of a portion of your course.

Resources

WGU’s Guide for Implementing a CBE Program

Nate recently posted more thoughts on CBE on our Flip. Discuss this series with him!