Indiana Commission for Higher Education Public Square February
13, 2014 Cathrael Kazin, JD, PhD Chief Academic Officer 0
Slide 2
1 What is College for America (CfA)? Southern New Hampshire
University University College Residential Campus (1932) College of
Online and Continuing Education (2007) College for America (2012)
Regionally accredited Private, non-profit
Slide 3
CfA Timeline 2011Innovation Lab created 2012Next Generation
Learning Challenges grant 2012NEASC approval 2012College for
America founded 2013Pilot launch 2013US Dept. of Education Direct
Assessment approval 2013First graduates 2013Operational Launch
2014Financial aid available 2014Additional AA and BA degrees to be
offered 2
Slide 4
What is Competency-Based Education? Competency-Based Education
(CBE): Focuses on the demonstration of articulated skills,
knowledge and abilities Defines learning but makes time flexible Is
not based on credit hours or seat time (though may translate to
credit hours for administrative convenience or necessity) 3
Slide 5
4 Why Competency-Based Education? Need better evidence of what
students know and can do Seat-time and credit hours not good
proxies for knowledge and skills Working adults come to higher
education with experience and skills Students learn at different
rates Need better alignment with workplace expectations Employers
speak competency Efficiency and productivity CBE increases
efficiency of higher education CBE can lower costs
Slide 6
5 Who is Competency-Based Education? InstitutionCBE
ProgramFundingDegrees Western Governors University N/APrivate,
NFPBachelors, Masters Southern New Hampshire University College for
AmericaPrivate, NFPAssociates, Bachelors in process
CapellaFlexPathPrivate, FPBachelors, Masters University of Northern
Arizona Personalized Learning PublicBachelors University of
Wisconsin Flexible OptionPublicBachelors
Slide 7
AA in General Studies with a business concentration Low cost
($2,500 per year all-inclusive) Flexible: online, self-paced and
self-directed Focused on 120 competencies, not courses Based on
mastery, not passing Offered through partners (employers and
community organizations) First CfA offering 6
Slide 8
What Does CfA Mean by a Competency? A can do statement that
represents a measurable and observable claim Examples: Can
negotiate with others to resolve conflicts and settle disputes Can
research an academic topic and summarize findings in writing Can
convey information by creating charts and graphs Can analyze,
evaluate and compare argumentative texts 7
Slide 9
8 Nine Competency Categories Foundational Skills Personal and
Social Skills Content Knowledge Communication Skills Critical and
Creative Thinking Quantitative Skills Digital Fluency and
Information Literacy Personal Effectiveness Ethics and Social
Responsibility Teamwork and Collaboration Elective (Business
Essentials) Science, Society and Culture
Slide 10
Goals Integrate Competencies AA degree is made up of 20 Goals
Each Goal integrates 5-8 Competencies from across competency
categories Each Goal contains multiple Projects that range in size
from small to large Completion of a Goal earns a student 3 College
credits 9
Slide 11
20 Goals Make Up AA Degree Access Information Analyze Data
Apply Economic Theories Build Teamwork Through Marketing Chart the
Evolution of Media Confront Culture Consider the Environment Decode
Media Develop a Budget Establish a Professional Presence Evaluate
Popular Psychology Examine Ethical Perspectives Experience Art
Experiment with Psychology Exploring Writing Investigate Business
Ethics Leverage Business Tools Manage People Plan for Success Solve
Problems 10
Slide 12
11 Primary form of assessment is evaluation of projects using
rubrics Students can revise and resubmit projects until they
demonstrate mastery Trained Reviewers provide encouraging, specific
and actionable feedback within 48 hours Students who complete a
Goal earn 3 college credits How is Competency Assessed?
Slide 13
12 Primary form of assessment is evaluation of projects using
rubrics Students can revise and resubmit projects until they
demonstrate mastery Trained reviewers provide encouraging, specific
and actionable feedback within 48 hours Students will also take 3
rd party, nationally normed assessments Sample Goal: Decode
Media
Slide 14
13 Students Choose Path within Goal
Slide 15
14 Sample Overview and Directions
Slide 16
15 Sample Rubric
Slide 17
Support for Student Learning STUDENT REVIEWER COMMUNITY
LEARNING PARTNER LEARNING COACH 16
Slide 18
Traditional AA Compared with CfA Model Standard is mastery AA
degree consists of 20 Goals Each Goal = 3 college credits Goals
integrate competencies Students earn 60 college credits and a
degree Standard is passing AA degree = 20-30 courses Each course =
1-3 credits Courses stand alone 17 TRADITIONAL MODELCfA
Slide 19
CfA Unbundles the Traditional Faculty Role TRADITIONAL MODEL
Single faculty member Advises students Provides subject matter
expertise Designs curriculum Instructs students Develops
assessments Evaluates student work CfA Dedicated experts Coach
students Provide subject matter expertise Design curriculum Curate
instructional resources Develop assessments Evaluate student work
18
Slide 20
Competency-based Education (CBE) Advantages Time is removed as
a barrier students can progress at their own speed Requires clear
articulation of what students should know and be able to do
Provides evidence of student achievement and proficiency Makes it
easy to track how students are progressing Offers potential cost
savings and greater efficiency Uses language that employers
understand Challenges Requires clear articulation of what students
should know and can do May be perceived as undermining faculty
autonomy May be perceived as devaluing intangibles of college
experience 19