Competency-Based Education (CBE) has gained popularity in technical trades education. This paper examines the implementation of three CBE programs for technical trades and the challenges encountered during the conversion and implementation processes. While the programs have demonstrated significant benefits for technical training, including optimized student learning and scheduling, it is apparent that the implementation process presents numerous challenges. These challenges include selecting a Learning Management System (LMS) that balances administrative needs with a learner-centric user experience, transitioning from traditional instruction to coaching and mentoring, motivating learners, facilitating student progress in a varied pace environment, utilizing a registration process that tracks learning progress rather than calendar-based scheduling, managing online learning content, and tracking student progress across multiple courses simultaneously.
Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort from instructors, administrators, and policymakers. Implementing competency-based education programs for technical trades can lead to significant improvements in teaching and learning, provided the challenges are addressed comprehensively. To this end, instructors must adopt a coaching and mentoring approach that guides learners towards practical application and mastery of skills. Learners must also be motivated to understand the relevance of the skills they are acquiring and provided with personalized learning experiences that cater to their unique needs. Instructors must acquire proficiency in novel methods of student engagement and interaction while ensuring that the online content remains pertinent. Furthermore, they must track the progress of students across multiple courses simultaneously.
Despite these challenges, proper investment and attention to these issues can result in significant improvements in teaching and learning. This paper presents insights and lessons learned from CBE implementations, providing a valuable resource for educators, administrators, and policymakers interested in the effective implementation of CBE programs for technical training.
Keywords
COMPETENCY BASED TRAINING
Additional Keywords