In competency-based learning, or competency-based education (CBE), each concept or standard is considered one single unit. Students learn one at a time with mastery as the goal. This method ensures that students learn foundational skills that are necessary to understand and learn more complex concepts.
The Aurora Institute defines CBE to include the following:
Students have individual learning pathways, with varied pacing based on progress based on evidence of mastery instead of seat time.
Students learn actively using different schema and varied pacing based on individual needs and goals.
Students see assessment as a meaningful, positive, and empowering learning experience, with timely, relevant, and actionable feedback.
Students are provided with common, rigorous expectations for learning (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) that are explicit, transparent, measurable, and transferable.
Classworks offers support to CBE efforts in many ways. Skill competency is assessed through customized assessments as well as monitored through formative assessment built into each skill unit. Individualized learning is informed for each student using competency-based assessments, making sure that students master early competencies within the Classworks learning Progression to prepare them for more complex concepts as they work through the progression.
Students receive feedback as they move through individualized instruction at their own pace. Motivation is high as they earn trophies, shields, and characters. Students track their progress using their My Scores dashboard and track goals using the Classworks Goal Tracker. The combination of competency-based assessment, individualized learning, real-time data, and feedback combine to provide ideal support for your CBE initiative.
Custom Assessments
Custom assessments are created based on specific competencies and allow teachers to see exactly where students stand within each standard while assigning students skills they still need to master. The assessments are used as a pre and post test and reports show student growth between administrations.