Some experts think competency-based learning could get a boost amid the pandemic, in part because of the flexibility CBE programs offer to students.

To get the lay of the land, we spoke with Charla Long, executive director of the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), a national consortium of colleges and systems. Long talked about the outlook for CBE and what might take it to the next level.

We also spoke with Dick Senese, the president of Capella University. Senese described how Capella began focusing on competencies long ago and was among the first to offer direct assessment, which is untethered from the credit hour.

This episode is sponsored by Capella University, a subsidiary of Strategic Education, Inc. Capella University’s online degree programs offer working adults the flexibility of a guided or self-paced learning model so learners can gain the relevant skills and qualifications they need to help advance in their jobs or to launch new careers. To learn more about our competency-based education, visit Capella University at https://www.capella.edu/capella-experience/competency-based-education/.