The Journal of Competency-Based Education最新文献

Over the past several decades, workplace demands have changed from having an industrial emphasis on physical inputs and natural resources, to a knowledge based economy with a reliance on intellectual capabilities (Block, 1990; Ronchi, 1985; Sum & Jessop, 2013). The knowledge economy is defined as “production and service based on knowledge-intensive activities that contribute to an accelerated pace of technological and science advance, as well as equally rapid obsolescence” (Powell & Snellman, 2004, p. 201). This definition highlights that employers and the economy at large will rely on higher-level skills possessed by those with advanced training and certifications. This shift is embodied by competency based education (CBE), as students demonstrate what they know and have learned in a way that clearly connects learning and work.

Although CBE itself is not a new model, online CBE has gained attention as a response to traditional education for adult learners and those with “some college” and no degree. The national need to increase degree completion is illustrated by declarations from former President of the United States (U.S.), Barack Obama, who in the midst of the 2009 recession, set a national goal for educational attainment: by 2020, the U.S. will lead the world in the share of its population with a college degree (Cynamon, Fazzari, & Setterfield, 2013; Nodine & Johnstone, 2015). This paper will examine barriers to adopting online CBE for institutions of higher learning using contingency theory as a lens to prepare a conceptual analysis that develops new insights into the challenges faced by traditional institutions considering implementation.

Organizational change is best explained using theories that account for the interdependence of organizations, institutions' reaction to shifting resources, and the evolution of organizations. For these reasons, contingency theory was selected for this analysis. As organizations attempt to maximize their performance, they sequentially seek to minimize the effects of environmental and internal constraints. Contingency theorists believe organizations are all different because of the unique environments in which they operate. Thus, organizations are structured to accommodate different problems and opportunities that are specific to their environment (Scott & Davis, 2007). One enduring characteristic of open systems is their ability to continue functioning despite a failure in one subsystem (Scott & Davis, 2007). This further supports the validity of the contingencies identified because postsecondary institutions will not make organizational adjustments in their faculty structure or pedagogy unless the environment is favorable for them to make these changes, nor will they fail entirely by not adapting to these environmental circumstances.

While there is no one be

In the next 7 years, the number of high school graduates in the Republic of Korea will greatly diminish; one estimate predicts a decrease of 30% from 560,000 to 400,000 students (Yoon, 2015). The critical drop of young people is becoming a hot issue in industries as well as academia. A sudden reduction of students will critically affect the entire system of postsecondary education.

There are two primary postsecondary education programs in Korea: 4-year universities (chosen by 63% of Korean students) and 2-year (or 3-year) vocational colleges (selected by 37% of students). Korean education system is presented in Figure 1, where vocational college is marked. In vocational colleges, more emphasis is laid on the training of hands-on skills. Though both universities and vocational colleges will encounter a deep reduction in student population, the sustainability of vocational colleges might be gradually threatened. Japan has struggled with a similar depletion trend for decades (Kazuyoshi, 2015). To make the matters worse, in general, private colleges are heavily dependent on tuition. And for many years, the Korean government has urged all colleges and universities not to increase tuition.

Since early 2010, the government has strongly encouraged reform of the current educational system to more training-oriented programs (Yoon, 2015). The Korean government at that time announced plans to provide financial support to only 100 of 137 currently active vocational colleges. It is quite interesting that most of the government beneficiaries should incorporate a new training program called the Korean National Competency Standards (NCS). The beneficiaries should adopt the NCS program at rates of 50% or more in each academic departmental curriculum within the next few years and NCS program percentages will become the vital index of school evaluation in the next few years. It is expected that the Korean NCS program will be popular in vocational colleges and then it will possibly expand to include 4-year universities.

In terms of sustainable trained workforce, vocational college program reform looks indispensable. However, vocational college faculties and school facilities are not quite ready to employ the Korean NCS program within a few years without trial-and-error. Apart from faculty training, all vocational colleges need to reserve more teaching resources, such as adjunct faculty, training facilities, and equipment. Adjunct faculty, ideally, would be well-experienced personnel from industry. This is reasonable in terms of knowledge transfer from colleges to industries (Garraway, Volbrecht, Wicht, & Ximba, 2011; Hills, Robertson, Walker, Adey, & Nixon, 2003; Knight & Yorke, 2003). In addition, consensus of training curriculum may be shared among faculty with different work experience backgrounds.

The objective of this study is to trigger active di

The competency-based educational (CBE) model has been implemented in numerous colleges and universities across the United States since its inception. While some of these institutions have elected to adopt CBE within a limited number of academic departments or programs, others have chosen to build their entire curriculum in such a way that requires all students to demonstrate what they know, what they are able to do, and their level of proficiency within specific skill sets. Educator preparation programs, also commonly known as teacher education programs, are particularly well-suited for a competency-based educational model given that state departments of education responsible for issuing professional licenses or certificates expect that graduates will be ready to teach upon completion of their institution's preparation program. Prior to receiving their state license, these individuals must first demonstrate their proficiency in content knowledge, pedagogy (instructional methods), classroom management, and other skills required for effective teaching. Institutions that adhere to a competency-based educational model can experience significant challenges when seeking program approval from a state whose requirements remain antiquated and may not be conducive to the CBE model. It is often incumbent upon institutional representatives to articulate the competency-based educational model to state education officials, and to espouse its relevance to effective teaching and powerful learning. A simple way of understanding CBE is that learning is emphasized over seat time—the belief being that it is more important for students to demonstrate what they know and are able to do rather than simply complete a course and then move on. Students must achieve competency in every course or they are not allowed to progress onward in a CBE model.

Some state department of education officials are receptive to a conversation about competency-based education and how it aligns with traditional requirements. Other state departments are unable to consider alternative learning models such as CBE due to limitations within their current state statutes. Regardless, it is imperative to properly articulate some of the basic tenets of a competency-based educational model to stakeholders who are not already familiar with CBE:

Instead, it is a different way to earn a degree. It is just as rigorous and just as challenging as a degree completed within a traditional educational framework—and in some instances, even more so. Students must demonstrate that they know the content and are able to apply it at a high level of expectation, which is typically far more demanding than simply attending a class, completing a set of assignments, and passing midterm and final examinations.

In order to create a rich, robust set of competencies within each program, it is essential to start with standards that have been adopted by state, national, and professional entities withi