“The competency-based education (CBE) approach allows students to advance based on their ability to master a skill or competency at their own pace regardless of environment." - EDUCAUSE Library
The California Virtual Campus (CVC) is collaborating with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) to create and support direct assessment competency-based education programs at eight pilot colleges in the system.
For more about this project, the colleges, and their programs, visit the CCCCO’s Direct Assessment Competency-Based Education webpage.
The What and Why of CBE
Benefits for the California Community Colleges (CCC) System include:
- Brings new potential students and enrollments to the system; allows us to serve more students in non-traditional ways
- CBE better serves the diversity of our student population; encourages equal access to pathways and career opportunities
- Offers flexible, self-paced learning, with high-touch and high-tech student support; personalized learning experience unrestricted by time or locality
- Alignment with the CCC System’s Vision 2030 strategic plan
- Offers additional pathways for students to earn AA degrees and certificates
More About the CBE Program
- This project is developing “Direct Assessment” CBE (as defined by U.S. Department of Education):
- Direct Assessment CBE is not based on traditional academic terms or credit hours
- And the evaluation of student achievement and the award of a degree or credential is based solely on the demonstration or “mastery” of competencies
- Fully online or hybrid (for this phase)
- Most programs provide multiple “entry-points” for students
- Students proceed at their own pace rather than progressing through traditional courses offered in traditional academic terms
- Does not necessarily assign conventional grades. Instead students earn M for “mastery” or M+ for “mastery with distinction.”
- Each program establishes credit-hour course equivalencies for achievement based on the college’s CBE program map, which relates program competencies with traditional credit program courses. CBE students receive a “dual transcript,” which lists the competencies achieved along with the equivalent traditional course credits earned.
- Pilot programs will launch in spring and fall of 2025.
Support for CBE Pilot Colleges
CVC’s role in the pilot project has been to identify technology and processes that can help the colleges design, develop, and deliver high-quality CBE programs most efficiently. This work has focused on five general areas.
- Learning Management System (LMS): Identify and share out effective practices for using Instructure Canvas to develop and deliver quality CBE programs
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: Identify CRM systems that can assist colleges in promoting and delivering quality CBE programs
- Financial Aid: Facilitate implementation of Regent Education software to help colleges process financial aid for CBE students
- Dual Transcript: Identify technology to help colleges document “credit-hour equivalencies” and student competency achievement on transcript(s)
- Evaluation: Develop and deploy an evaluation plan for CBE technology ecosystem, to be part of a “how to” CBE Guidebook for other CCCs
TIn 2024, CVC wrote an Analysis & Recommendations for CBE Technology 2023-2024 to continue support for the system’s work in CBE.
Helpful CBE Resources
