Competency -Based Education: How 1:1 Transforms Learning

1. April 4, 2013 Competency-Based Education: How 1:1 Transforms Learning

2. Shared Purpose “If we are focused on seat time, we are focused on the wrong end of the student.” Ray McNulty (ICLE President)

3. A Compelling Case for Change • Antiquated factory model of education • Demand for personalization • Belief that failure is not an option • A learning-based system will be more meaningful than a time-based system • Appropriate challenge = increased student engagement and learning

4. CBE Defined • Competency-Based Education (CBE) • A system in which learning is the constant and time is the variable • Students advance upon mastery through flexible use of time, place, method, or pace (fastest path to goals that matter with anytime, anywhere learning and no restrictions on seat time)

5. CBE Timeline • 2009 State Board Priority • 2011 State Guidelines on CBE • 2011 Governor’s Blueprint on Education • 2011 CBE Forum

6. CBE State Task Force • 2012 Legislation eliminated the Carnegie unit as the basis for credit in Iowa high schools and required a task force to • Redefine the Carnegie unit into competencies • Construct personal learning plans and templates • Develop student-centered accountability and assessment models • Empower learning through technology • Develop supports and professional development for educators to transition to a competency-based system

7. State Guidelines • Definitions • Principles • Policies • Examples http://tiny.cc/IowaCompEdGuidelines

8. Preliminary Report: Recommendations • 1) The Legislature should invite educators and students from schools that are experiencing success with competency-based pathways to present during the 2013 session.

9. Recommendations • 2) Develop common language and vision for competency-based education and a shared operational definition of a competency.

10. Competency • Astudent's ability to transfer her/his learning in and/or across content areas and to the world beyond the classroom walls • Competency statements are designed by instructors around course or grade level essential learnings, which are assessed through proficiency levels tied to the Iowa Core Standards • A competency is not just knowing or understanding—it requires doing

11. Recommendations • 3) Develop a continuum rubric that outlines the transformation from traditional to competency-based education.

12. Recommendations • 4) Identify up to 10 school districts to serve as models across the state, and develop support for these districts to help them serve as Iowa-based models. • Current pilots are in Muscatine, Spirit Lake (January Term), and Newell-Fonda (Winter Explorium)

13. Recommendations • 5) Conduct a review of current policies, administrative rules, and educational and para-educational practices that may block optimal implementation of competency-based education. • State (such as Chapter 12 and the “Scholarship Rule”) • Local (attendance, credit, course sequence, online learning, school year/days, etc.)

14. Recommendations • 6)Establish a research partnership with an institution of higher education to monitor and evaluate the work and to share findings. • 7) Establish a collaborative team with higher education to support smooth transitions for students with competency-based educational experiences in high school, to facilitate entrance into post-secondary institutions, and to work toward instituting training for pre-service teachers and aspiring administrators in competency-based environments.

15. Recommendations • 8) Investigate how this work connects to, and could support, the Governor’s STEM initiative and the recommendations of the Teaching Standards and Teacher Evaluation Task Force. • 9) Members of the Legislature should join members of the Competency-based Education Task Force at the Iowa ASCD Conference “Define, Design, Deliver” on June 26-27 in Des Moines. Competency-based education is the conference theme. • 10) Iowa should begin planning for a Midwest regional conference on competency-based education to be held in June 2014.

16. Recommendations • 11) Establish the criteria for writing and critiquing competencies. • 12) Statewide efforts should be made to develop model competencies aligned to the Iowa Core and the universal constructs.

17. MCSD Defining Competencies • Competency Validation Tool • Even before we measure student success, we need to measure our own effectiveness • Competency writing workshops • Examination and critique of exemplars • Critical conversations about the differences between standards and competencies • Rubric construction vetted through collegial dialogue

18. Recommendations • 13) The state should investigate and make recommendations on the development of an infrastructure that supports the connectivity necessary to provide every student with the opportunity to learn, no matter where they live. The Legislature should direct the Iowa Department of Education to investigate this need.

19. Recommendations • 14) Develop templates, models, rubrics, and technology available to students for competency-based learning environments to work. • 15) Develop what is needed to record and report in a competency-based environment and work with the student management systems to provide what is needed for this transition.

20. Reporting Learning • Rubric (understanding, thinking, skills) • 5 (95%) Exceeding Proficiency with Standard (Evaluation or Synthesis) • 4 (85%) Meeting or Exceeding Proficiency with Standard (Analysis) • 3 (75%) Meeting Proficiency with Standard (Application) ______________________________________________________________ • (I) Approaching Proficiency with Standard (Understanding) • (I) Emerging Proficiency with Standard (Knowledge) • No Attempt

21. Reporting Grades/Scores

22. Reporting Learning

23. Reporting Learning

24. Self-Analysis & Monitoring

25. Reporting Learning: Pilot Software

26. Replicating Learning Teacher A Teacher B Teacher C

27. Recommendations • 16) Develop training for teachers in use of learning plans and recording and reporting processes that become increasingly dependent on reliable, connected technology.

28. Muscatine’s Proposed Path Forward: Year One • Step 1: Knowledge-Building • Step 2: Shared Vision • Step 3: Desired Outcomes • Step 4: Action and Communication Plans • Step 5: Pilot Project Development • Step 6: Implementation • Step 7: Progress Monitoring (reflect & revise) • Step 8: Build Capacity

29. Year Two • Cohorts 2 and 3 are underway • Representation from all buildings and grade levels • Diversity in disciplines represented • Cohort 1 provides mentorship to Cohort 2 • Any SBG pilots move toward CBE • Ongoing professional development • Cohort 4 is established (spring/summer 2014) • SBG conversations in elementary buildings • SBG pilots (build capacity)

30. A System for Learning • Competencies • Standards • Unwrap Iowa Core content areas • 21st Century Learning Skills • I-CAT process at all levels • Clarity of purpose • Learning targets • Rubrics • RtI

31. Recommendations • 17) The state should bring together state experts in assessment and competencies to develop an Assessment Validation Rubric that complements the Competency Validation Rubric suggested by the competency work group. • 18) Develop a plan toward successful assessment and accountability for competency-based educational opportunities for students.

32. Assessment FOR Learning • Emphasis on formative • Student-driven (multimodal) • Most recent vs. average • Self and peer assessment • Learning is transferable • Within course or content area • Across disciplines • Beyond the school walls (multidirectional)

33. Fidelity of Implementation Assessment Table • How will we measure success? • How do we know that CBE is “working”? • How will we communicate this to our stakeholders? • Measures short- and long-term outcomes • Addresses gaps through goals and data collection

34. Recommendations • 19) Establish a collaborative group of professional development and competency-based education experts to create professional development to help educators understand what competency-based learning environments look like at different levels, from preschool/kindergarten through high school. • 20) Create professional development for administrators that includes understanding and leading the paradigm shifts being made by their teachers, students, parents, and community members. • 21) Investigate what to provide for parents, community members, legislators, State Board of Education members, and other stakeholders. • 22) Future consideration of mandated competency-based opportunities for all students.

35. Other Personnel Required • District and building leadership • Registrar and counselor support • Tech support for SIS and grade book support • Outside experts • School Board • Parents, students, other community members

36. Stakeholder Pool • Once CBE design is underway, the stakeholder pool will widen • Community • Higher education • Department of Education • State Task Force • Legislators

37. MCSD’s 1:1 Initiative • Planning and community preparation 2011-2012 • Teachers received laptops • Professional development (sharing ideas/sites) • Implementation 2012-2013 • 6-12 laptops • Increased mobile labs in the elementary buildings

38. CBE and 1:1 • Teacher survey • How many days per week on average do your CBE students use their laptops? • 33% >5 days • 33% 5 days • 17% 4 days • 17% 3 days

39. Google Apps

40. Presentations & Technology

41. Tracking/Reporting of Learning

42. Collaboration • Group projects • Paperless peer editing/review • Blogging & participation on wikis • Shared presentations • Paperless lab reports

43. Blended/Online Learning • Video tutorials and notes • Linking assessments and discussions through Edmodo • Online social studies textbook • TeenTribune.com • Virtual labs • APEX courses • ALEKS

44. Time • Google docs and Edmodo for anywhere/anytime submissions • Flipped classroom methodology • Google calendar pacing • Chat and other collaboration not limited to the school day • Students can work beyond the parameters of the class because they can stay connected

45. Place • No computer lab necessary = flexibility • Students with extended absences can stay connected • 24-hour access to teacher websites • Can work anywhere in the community (Internet hubs or pre-downloaded material) • Re-watch videos/tutorials from home • Message capabilities = answers anywhere

46. Method • Wide range of tech-based methodology accepted for demonstration of proficiency • Work completed from another course or outside the school • Self-directed projects • Teachers coach instead of prescribe • Assignments moving away from what can be “googled”

47. Pace • Google calendar to self-pace • Working beyond the end of the semester to remediate or demonstrate a higher level of proficiency • Faster feedback and corrections • Employability skills = appropriate pacing

48. Questions? • Contact Information • Andrea Stewart, District G/T Coordinator • ajstewar@muscatine.k12.ia.us; 563.263.6141 • ChandaHassett, English Teacher and Curricular Leader • cvhasset@muscatine.k12.ia.us; 563.263.6141 • Shane Williams, Director of Innovation & Instruction and Technology • smwillia@muscatineschools.org; 563.263.7223 • Diane Campbell, Director of Innovation & Instruction • dmcampbe@muscatineschools.org; 563.263.7223