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Competency Based Education
The document discusses the 2nd MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum held in 2015, focusing on the evolution of higher education through competency-based education (CBE). It provides insights into the advantages of CBE such as flexibility, personalized learning, and skill-based progression, while also addressing critiques and challenges related to its implementation. Additionally, it highlights the role of technology and MOOCs in enhancing CBE, as well as the necessity of partnerships with employers to ensure curricula align with industry needs.
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Competency Based Education
- 1. Organized by: “Towards TransformativeHigher Education in the MENA Region: The Role of Innovation in the 21st Century Digital and Knowledge based Society” The 2nd MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum 2015 9th -11th of November, 2015 | Dusit Thani, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- 2. Organized by: Tarek AlShawa Director, Education Business Solutions الشوا طارق Competency Based Learning
- 3. Organized by: 1. HistoryOf Credit-hours Education System 2. How Credit-hours System Works 3. Disadvantages Of Credit Hours 4. Technology Effect On Education Systems 5. Education Transformation 6. What Do You Think ? 7. Competency Based Education (CBE) 8. The CBE Model 9. How CBE Looks Like 10. CBE Example Agenda 11. Competency Map 12. Advantages Of CBE 13. Why Students Are Interested With CBE 14. CBE Vs Traditional Education 15. Critiques Of CBE 16. Challenges Applying CBE 17. The Art Of Possibility 18. Currently Provides CBE For Students 19. How CBE Can Benefit Business 20. What MOOCs Can Do For CBE 21. Questions And Answers
- 4. Organized by: When theU.S. federal government created financial aid programs in the 1950’s, accrediting agencies needed to create a “unit of learning” that could be reported, transferred and funded. Thus, the concept of the “credit hour” was born HISTORY OF CREDIT-HOURS EDUCATION SYSTEM
- 5. Organized by: A contacthour includes any lecture or lab time when the professor is teaching the student. A semester credit hour (SCH) is equal to 15-40 contact hours per semester, and does not depend on the duration of the course. universities use Semester Credit Hours to set tuition fees and scholarships for prospective students. HOW CREDIT-HOURS SYSTEM WORKS
- 6. Organized by: Attend roughly60 percent to earn the course credits and progress to the next course — and ultimately, graduate. the most important measure of passing or failing is time spent in the classroom, not a full understanding of the material Not Suitable for busy schedules who already have significant knowledge or even some college credits DISADVANTAGES OF CREDIT HOURS
- 7. Organized by: With theInternet, Distance Education appeared and it is perfect: • A course can be taken from anywhere by anyone at any time. • It requires none of the expensive buildings and grounds associated with most colleges. • Lower cost of delivery • Because students are not tied to the speed of a class, they can move as fast or as slow as they want TECHNOLOGY EFFECT ON EDUCATION SYSTEMS
- 8. Organized by: It makesmore sense to evaluate students on what they know, rather than how long they spent learning it. EDUCATION TRANSITION
- 9. Organized by: LET’S WATCHTHE MOVIE
- 10. Organized by: Competency-based educationis an outcome-focused approach that concentrates on the mastery of skills at the learner’s pace rather than within a specific period of time (Credit Hour). COMPETENCY BASED EDUCATION (CBE) Simply: In competency-based education, it’s not about time, it’s about what you know and are able to do.
- 11. Organized by: EDUCATION TRANSORMATION WHATDO YOU THINK ?
- 12. Organized by: Competency-based education measureslearning by demonstrated mastery of learning objectives. These objectives are created as modules, which contain the compentencies, suggested resources for obtaining the objective, guidance and feedback from a mentor or facilitator and some type of formative assessment. THE COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION MODEL
- 13. Organized by: HOW CBELOOKS LIKE Competencies are determined by faculty members at the university or college
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- 16. Organized by: No classes,no commutes. No set semesters or study times. The Flexible Option lets you start when you want, the first of any month, and work toward your degree online, on your own time, when and where your schedule allows ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Flexible
- 17. Organized by: You studyonly the material you need to master and never spend time or money revisiting things you already know. In addition, an Academic Success Coach will work with you to customize your learning plan based on your knowledge and goals. ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Personalized
- 18. Organized by: Take assessmentswhenever you are ready. Practice first to make sure. As soon as you prove mastery, you receive credit and move on, without having to wait for the next lesson or semester. Move quickly through material you know or take more time if you need it. ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Self-paced
- 19. Organized by: Receive personalizedmentoring and advising from an Academic Success Coach who will help you prepare for assessments and point you to learning resources you need to succeed, such as textbooks, web pages, and even free online resources offered by other universities. ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Supportive
- 20. Organized by: You makeprogress by passing assessments that show you have mastered the skills essential to your degree—not by accumulating credit hours, either in the classroom or online ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Skills-based
- 21. Organized by: By measuringand assessing your mastery of competencies, the Flexible Option provides proof to employers that you have the skills and knowledge your field requires. ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Respected
- 22. Organized by: Instead ofpaying by course or by credit, the Flexible Option lets you pay a flat rate for a subscription period of your choice. ADVANTAGES OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION Affordable If you are highly motivated and have significant experience related to your degree, you may be able to accelerate your progress and shorten your time to graduation, saving time and money.
- 23. Organized by: WHY STUDENTSARE INTERESTED WITH CBE
- 24. Organized by: CBE vsTRADITIONAL EDUCATION Traditional (Course-Based Degrees) MyPath (Competency-Based Degrees) Available Degree Programs 52+ degree programs in Arts & Sciences, Business & Professional Studies, Education, and Nursing & Health Professions Bachelor of Business Administration with four emphases: • Information Systems Management • Management and Organizational Leadership • Marketing • Supply Chain Management and Logistics Modality Depending on the program, you have the option to learn in a blended or fully online classroom environment MyPath is mobile ready. You have the option to learn on a computer (e.g. desktop, laptop) and an iPad. Which Path is Your Path? Our traditional course-based programs is perfect if you: • Operate better in an environment where deadlines are given to you and the weekly workload is more predictable • Prefer to learn in a more supportive classroom environment including weekly assignments with set due dates • Enjoy direct weekly interactions with classmates and professors MyPath is the right program if you: • Are a motivated learner that wants to dictate the pace of your learning • Have prior work experience that could apply to certain subjects. For example, a bookkeeper without formal coursework may be able to move at a faster pace through some of the accounting competencies • Prefer to work in a self-directed environment at your own pace with no set due dates Tuition You pay per credit hour. Total tuition is dependent on the program You pay a flat rate per billing period defined by the number of competencies and weeks of instruction Course Load You typically can complete 1-2 courses per 8-week term for a total of 8- 16 courses per academic year You can complete as many competencies as you want in a 6-month term
- 25. Organized by: CBE vsTRADITIONAL EDUCATION Traditional (Course-Based Degrees) MyPath (Competency-Based Degrees) Course Load You typically can complete 1-2 courses per 8-week term for a total of 8-16 courses per academic year You can complete as many competencies as you want in a 6-month term Textbooks Required textbooks are purchased or rented by students, on top of tuition All digital textbooks and course materials are included in the flat tuition rate Acceptance of Transfer Credit Prior coursework from regionally accredited institutions is transferable (grades of C or better) Prior coursework from regionally accredited institutions may provide clearance of certain competencies (B- or better) AND the content of such prior coursework covers all of the content of a particular competency or block of competencies Getting Started There are up to 6 starts per year, bi-monthly 48 starts per year (every Sunday), except for the two-week winter and two- week summer breaks Time to Degree Based on various factors, you will earn your degree within a predetermined timeframe. These factors include but are not limited to: • The number of credits in the enrolled program • The number of credits transferred • Your progress in 1-2 courses per 8-week term Move as quickly or as slowly as you would like. The time that it takes to complete your degree is entirely dependent on you and your schedule. If you have prior knowledge from work or other experiences, your time to degree may move even faster! Faculty Model Faculty members utilize their expertise in each course subject area to serve as the subject matter expert who shares his/her knowledge and experiences in the classroom. Faculty serve as mentors and evaluate you on your coursework Faculty support for MyPath students are comprised of three distinct roles: • Academic Coaches: Advisors who mentor and counsel you on your progress throughout your program • Tutorial Faculty: Faculty who function in a tutorial capacity. They use their proficiency in specific subject areas in one or more of your competencies to guide you in the learning process • Assessment Graders: Faculty who evaluate your submitted work and provide robust feedback in a timely manner
- 26. Organized by: Competency BasedTraditional education Skills Based Based on Contact Hour direct assessment of student mastery of competencies or proficiency Traditional Assessments (Quizzes, Tests) Coaching Instructing self-paced and online / Any Time Seat Time. CBE vs TRADITIONAL EDUCATION
- 27. Organized by: CBE vsTRADITIONAL EDUCATION Competency Based Traditional education Less Expensive More Expensive Variable Class Structure Standardized Class Structure Students finish as the are able to End of term Average 30 months to graduate Average 60 months to graduate
- 28. Organized by: • Cheapversion of a real education • Too flexible in terms of the kinds of learning that are accepted toward one’s degree or certification • How a student in a CBE program would fare if they transferred to another community college or to a university CRITIQUES OF CBE
- 29. Organized by: CHALLENGES APPLYINGCBE • The inability to innovate, losing competitive advantage, the high costs of reckless hiring, poor leadership and communication and regulatory nightmares. With the exception of regulatory problems • The speed at which changes are occurring is really troublesome for people who have stability in higher education • Will CBE be perceived differently by employers? • How will CBE programs validate each other’s competencies and proficiencies?
- 30. Organized by: THE ARTOF POSSIBILITY There are many factors that contribute to making competency based education a possibility today Essential Elements: 1. Flexible, Anytime/Everywhere Learning (Made possible by technology) 2. Redefine Teacher Role and Expand “Teacher” 3. Project-Based, Authentic Learning 4. Student Driven Learning Path (Increased knowledge of students and students as consumers) 5. Mastery/Competency-Based Progression/Pace (Growing dissatisfaction with cost and business model of higher education) Policy Enablers: 1. Redefine Use of Time (Carnegie Unit/Calendar) 2. Performance-Based, Time-Flexible Assessment (technology) 3. Equity in Access to Technology Infrastructure (technology and mobile devices for learning) 4. Funding Models that Incentivize Completion (decreased public funding for education and student loan crisis)
- 31. Organized by: THE ROLEOF NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPLEMENT CBE The need to apply and enhance the following 1. Sophisticated programs 2. Communication tools, networks and mechanisms 3. Usage of multimedia like graphics, audio, and videos 4. Search mechanisms and tools 5. Electronic libraries 6. Web portals
- 32. Organized by: CURRENTLY PROVIDESCBE FOR STUDENTS • Antioch University • Argosy University • Brandman University • Broward College • Capella University’s Flex Path • Charter Oak State College • City University of Seattle • Depaul University • Excelsior College • Lipscomb University Roughly 600 colleges are in the design phase for a new competency-based education program, are actively creating one or already have a program in place. That’s up from an estimated 52 institutions last year. • Salt Lake Community College • Southern New Hampshire University’s College for America • Northern Arizona University • University of Maine at Presque Isle • University of Maryland University College • Westminster College • University of Wisconsin Flexible Option
- 33. Organized by: “Required competenciesfor each degree program are defined in collaboration with employers, HOW CBE CAN BENEFIT BUSINESS ensuring that students graduate with real- world knowledge and skills employers need.”
- 34. Organized by: Often, competency-based programssuggest open educational resources to students. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is an incredible tool for student-led learning and competency- based education WHAT MOOCs CAN DO FOR CBE
- 35. Organized by: There’s noshortage of potential when MOOCs meet competency-based education; these two concepts offer a number of shared advantages and complementary features: • Affordability • Verifiable mastery • Endless educational options • Easy transitions • Credit-bearing alternatives WHAT MOOCs CAN DO FOR CBE
- 36. Organized by: Thank Youfor your attention
Editor's Notes
- #3 Who is who
- #5 The student credit hour was invented as a tool for smoothing transitions from K–12 into higher education and was reinforced by foundations wanting to encourage business models—including competition and unit-cost analysis—in higher education.
- #6 The number of credits for lectures, independent project work, laboratory time and internships vary depending on specific institution requirements. A standard full-time study load is usually 30 credit hours per year. Typically, in order to graduate with a degree, universities expect students to complete: 120-130 credit hours for a Bachelor’s degree 30-64 credit hours for a Master's degree Some universities use Semester Credit Hours to set tuition fees and scholarships for prospective students.
- #7 As long as the learner has attended class and achieved roughly 60 percent of the requirements for the course, they earn the course credits and are allowed to progress to the next course — and ultimately, graduate. the most important measure of passing or failing is time spent in the classroom, not a full understanding of the material Not Suitable for busy schedules who already have significant knowledge or even some college credits Typically, in order to graduate with a degree, universities expect students to complete: 120-130 credit hours for a Bachelor’s degree 30-64 credit hours for a Master's degree Some universities use Semester Credit Hours to set tuition fees and scholarships for prospective students.
- #8 Then, with the Internet came online education, letting learning jump the banks of the classroom and campus. The advent of online courses freed students — particularly working adults− from the commuting and seat time requirements of a traditional class. Distance education has two defining features: A course can be taken and provided from anywhere by anyone at any time. It requires none of the expensive buildings and grounds associated with most colleges. This creates several problems with the credit hour and the business of higher education: Because students are not tied to the speed of a class, they can move as fast or as slow as they want. The idea of a “credit-hour” no longer makes sense. It makes more sense to evaluate students on what they know, rather than how long they spent learning it. By changing the unit, new educational models can be incorporated into the federal financial aid system. Lower cost of delivery creates the potential for lower prices for students. Yet, most colleges are accustomed to setting prices for online course that are the same or higher than the prices offace-to-face courses. Indeed, over 93% of colleges do this. Under the credit hour model, most colleges have been reluctant to build lower-priced programs for fear of losing the revenue from their existing online programs. Because only colleges could offer college credit, no new providers could easily offer lower-priced online courses that would appeal to students. For the last 15 years, credit-bearing online education has been priced and offered likeface-to-face
- #9 By focusing on what you know rather than how much time you spend learning, competency-based education puts you in charge of your education as never before. No longer are you confined to a rigid set of courses and semester schedules. Instead of working at an instructor’s pace, studying material you may already know, competency-based education makes it possible for you to work at your pace, studying only the things you need to learn.
- #10 Let’s watch the video and continue
- #11 Competency-based education may be the solution for working adults wanting to further their education affordably and quickly; however, many individuals do not understand what competency-based education is or why it is so important. Competency-based education is an outcome-focused approach that concentrates on the mastery of skills at the learner’s pace rather than within a specific period of time. Students master learning objectives, and prove their mastery of these objectives by taking formative assessments. These assessments prove competency, and the student is then allowed to move on to the next objective.
- #12 As demand rises for less-expensive alternatives to the traditional postsecondary degree path, competency-based education (CBE) has emerged from relative obscurity to become a viable option offered by mainstream institutions. CBE, which focuses on the knowledge and skills that graduates develop, rather than what goes into the curriculum, has understandably intrigued both higher education leaders and policymakers, but a recent survey shows that large majorities of the public also support the underlying principles of CBE. Lumina Foundation and Gallup. 2013. America’s Call for Higher Education Redesign: The 2012 Lumina Foundation Study of the American Public’s Opinion on Higher Education. Washington, DC: Gallup.
- #13 These assessments do not take place at the end of the learning process as with traditional instruction. Instead, the learner has the option of taking an assessment multiple times, making corrections or revisions until he or she can demonstrate understanding. A learner who brings a sufficient amount of knowledge and experience can test right away, but students are not penalized if they discover areas in which they need to learn more. The result? Students move on only after they’ve demonstrated adequate mastery of the subject, and are well-prepared for subsequent courses, graduation or employment.
- #18 The Flexible Option recognizes and rewards prior learning by giving you the opportunity to pass assessments using knowledge you already have. You study only the material you need to master and never spend time or money revisiting things you already know. In addition, an Academic Success Coach will work with you to customize your learning plan based on your knowledge and goals.
- #23 The cost of higher education rose more than 600 percent between 1980 and 2010, leading to the widely shared view that “higher education is overpriced, inefficient, elitist, and inaccessible,” according to David Schejbal, dean of continuing education, outreach and e-learning at the University of Wisconsin. But competency-based education helps address these issues by providing better access at a more affordable rate. Competency-based education can be more affordable for adults who can accelerate their degree through the application of prior knowledge. Even if students progress at the average rate, competency-based programs are typically several thousand dollars cheaper per year. Competency-based programs also offer savings to students by allowing them to take advantage of open educational resources. These programs provide learners with lists of resources to help them gain competency, but most do not require students to use specific resources. Thus, in addition to drawing from prior knowledge, students are able to seek out open-source textbooks, massive open online courses (MOOCs) and a network of learners and mentors to help them gain understanding.
- #24 Survey
- #27 The cost of higher education rose more than 600 percent between 1980 and 2010, leading to the widely shared view that “higher education is overpriced, inefficient, elitist, and inaccessible,” according to David Schejbal, dean of continuing education, outreach and e-learning at the University of Wisconsin. But competency-based education helps address these issues by providing better access at a more affordable rate. Competency-based education can be more affordable for adults who can accelerate their degree through the application of prior knowledge. Even if students progress at the average rate, competency-based programs are typically several thousand dollars cheaper per year. Competency-based programs also offer savings to students by allowing them to take advantage of open educational resources. These programs provide learners with lists of resources to help them gain competency, but most do not require students to use specific resources. Thus, in addition to drawing from prior knowledge, students are able to seek out open-source textbooks, massive open online courses (MOOCs) and a network of learners and mentors to help them gain understanding.
- #28 30 Months is just an approximate percent of 60 months duration for traditional learning
- #29 Likely the greatest criticism of CBE is that it is nothing more than a cheap version of a real education. A student who guides him or herself through independent study is not on par with a student who attends class and whose thinking is challenged by a subject-matter expert. There is no equal value there. A budget education, they say, is the same as having a fast-food dinner: it’s cheap, quick and easy, but in the end, doesn’t provide you with many long-term benefits. A second concern is that competency-based education is too flexible in terms of the kinds of learning that are accepted toward one’s degree or certification. Some programs give the same amount of credit to a student who has demonstrated their learning through playing video games as they do to a student who has attended a semester-length class. Such programs are far less concerned with how a student acquires their knowledge, so long as they are able to show what they have learned. Another grey area is how a student in a competency-based program would fare if they transferred to another community college or to a university. Since competency-based programs do not operate on a per-credit basis, ensuring that the work students have completed will translate into credits at their new college could cause headaches for college admissions officers and registrars, at least in the interim. A potential solution to this problem would be for students to be granted credit equivalencies for their work in a competency-based course. For example, once a student completed all the necessary competencies for Business Math 101, they would earn equivalent credit for the conventional Business Math 101 course. This traditional credit would be noted on the student’s transcript, thus making it more likely another institution will accept their work.
- #31 The Art of Possibility There are many factors that contribute to making competency based education a possibility today, some of these were identified by at the Software & Information Industry Association 2010 Symposium, the notes in parentheses are mine: Essential Elements: Flexible, Anytime/Everywhere Learning (Made possible by technology) Redefine Teacher Role and Expand “Teacher” Project-Based, Authentic Learning Student Driven Learning Path (Increased knowledge of students and students as consumers) Mastery/Competency-Based Progression/Pace (Growing dissatisfaction with cost and business model of higher education) Policy Enablers: Redefine Use of Time (Carnegie Unit/Calendar) Performance-Based, Time-Flexible Assessment (technology) Equity in Access to Technology Infrastructure (technology and mobile devices for learning) Funding Models that Incentivize Completion (decreased public funding for education and student loan crisis)
- #33 As interest in CBE has grown, the Lumina Foundation created the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) in the spring of 2014 and also funded the CBE Jump Starttechnical assistance project for programs. C-BEN is comprised of a group of 18 colleges either offering or planning to offer CBE. These institutions are: Antioch University Argosy University Brandman University Broward College Capella University’s Flex Path Charter Oak State College City University of Seattle Depaul University Excelsior College Lipscomb University Salt Lake Community College Southern New Hampshire University’s College for America Northern Arizona University University of Maine at Presque Isle University of Maryland University College Westminster College University of Wisconsin Flexible Option Though competency-based education is not new, political and economic environments are now ripe for change. The business world has already embraced competency-based education through in-house training, certification programs and other regulatory training. With the White House now calling for innovation in higher education in order to reduce costs and open access to working adults, many colleges and universities are heeding the call. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is one such university. “We are transforming the entire university. In the next four years, all of our programs will be proficiency-based,” says Presque Isle president Linda Schott. One of the driving forces behind the University of Maine’s transition is the need to develop programs that better serve workforce-readiness needs in an affordable manner. The university plans to focus on solving real-world problems through hands-on experience and competencies that match the skills that employers are seeking. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded $2.3 million to the Association of American Colleges and Universities to support the development of a “portable and competency-based framework for general education.” The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is pursuing a similar initiative to develop a transferable core of general-education competencies. University of Wisconsin system UW FLEXIBLE OPTION ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Nursing, information science and technology, diagnostic imaging, communications, and associate degree programs are the first programs to be offered by partnering UW System institutions in the self-paced, competency-based UW Flexible Option format. By emphasizing competency over seat time, Flexible Option programs let you make the most of your prior learning and experience so you can advance toward a UW degree at a pace you decide.
- #34 A 2012 Gallup, Ernst, & Young report identified five major threats to business: the inability to innovate, losing competitive advantage, the high costs of reckless hiring, poor leadership and communication regulatory nightmares Most job descriptions list competency-based skills, but job requirements still list degrees. Competency-based programs must do a better job of helping students convey their knowledge and understanding in a tangible way. Employers no longer trust in grades alone, says Dan Phalen, president of Jackson College. Grades can be inflated. Employers need to know the specific skills that employees have. Phalen calls the development of competency-based education programs “important and urgent,” bringing up the need to develop stackable credentials with real market value.
- #35 Often, competency-based programs suggest open educational resources to students. Open education is an incredible tool for student-led learning and competency-based education MOOCs fit particularly well with competency-based education because they do not make a distinction between “knowledge obtained from an online course or knowledge gained through prior learning” Affordability: While competency-based education offers a degree of affordability, MOOCs reduce the price of education to free! Excelsior College president John Ebersole is excited about the possibilities of utilizing open educational resources to help adults gain knowledge at an affordable price. Excelsior College already encourages students to use open educational resources as study guides, and he believes that these resources remove the barriers that many students face by providing diversity and increased access at an affordable price. Verifiable mastery: Many education experts envision competency-based education portfolios of prior learning from open educational resources, MOOCs, work experience and other sources. Proponents of open educational resources believe that universities should accept prior knowledge if it can be demonstrated and verified. “The proof is in the pudding,” says Melanie Booth, dean of learning and assessment at Marylhurst University. “The source does not matter. Show me what you know.” Educational programs following this model may require the student to demonstrate understanding through the university’s own evaluation process; however, if the student can do so, prior knowledge can greatly reduce the cost of earning a degree. Endless educational options: “In Personalized Learning, we strive for 40 percent OER content,” says Corrine Gordon, referring to Northern Arizona University‘s liberal arts programs. “We find huge value in drawing on the ever-growing catalog of openly available educational resources to enhance the variety of learning modalities we offer. We recognize that students have different preferences in the types of material they interact with, so we try to provide as many options as we can to truly personalize the learning experience.” Easy transitions: Open educational resources provide a natural transition into competency-based programs. While many competency-based programs do not accept MOOC assessments for credit, these assessments can provide practice for the competency-based assessments. Credit-bearing alternatives: “At StraighterLine, we decided in 2008 to ignore traditional accreditation,” saysSmith. “Instead, we received a college credit recommendation from the American Council on Education’s Credit Recommendation (ACE Credit) and created credit transfer relationships with most adult serving colleges. This demonstrated that when online, you don’t need to be a college to offer college credit.”
- #36 MOOCs fit particularly well with competency-based education because they do not make a distinction between “knowledge obtained from an online course or knowledge gained through prior learning” Affordability: While competency-based education offers a degree of affordability, MOOCs reduce the price of education to free! Excelsior College president John Ebersole is excited about the possibilities of utilizing open educational resources to help adults gain knowledge at an affordable price. Excelsior College already encourages students to use open educational resources as study guides, and he believes that these resources remove the barriers that many students face by providing diversity and increased access at an affordable price. Verifiable mastery: Many education experts envision competency-based education portfolios of prior learning from open educational resources, MOOCs, work experience and other sources. Proponents of open educational resources believe that universities should accept prior knowledge if it can be demonstrated and verified. “The proof is in the pudding,” says Melanie Booth, dean of learning and assessment at Marylhurst University. “The source does not matter. Show me what you know.” Educational programs following this model may require the student to demonstrate understanding through the university’s own evaluation process; however, if the student can do so, prior knowledge can greatly reduce the cost of earning a degree. Endless educational options: “In Personalized Learning, we strive for 40 percent OER content,” says Corrine Gordon, referring to Northern Arizona University‘s liberal arts programs. “We find huge value in drawing on the ever-growing catalog of openly available educational resources to enhance the variety of learning modalities we offer. We recognize that students have different preferences in the types of material they interact with, so we try to provide as many options as we can to truly personalize the learning experience.” Easy transitions: Open educational resources provide a natural transition into competency-based programs. While many competency-based programs do not accept MOOC assessments for credit, these assessments can provide practice for the competency-based assessments. Credit-bearing alternatives: “At StraighterLine, we decided in 2008 to ignore traditional accreditation,” saysSmith. “Instead, we received a college credit recommendation from the American Council on Education’s Credit Recommendation (ACE Credit) and created credit transfer relationships with most adult serving colleges. This demonstrated that when online, you don’t need to be a college to offer college credit.”