Competency Based Education Questioned

by Laura McCrary

computers-332238_1280Competency based learning is not really new, but it is newly promoted.  Students use computer-based courses broken into chunks of content.  They can move at their own pace within a course and across grade levels.  Strategies vary.  Some programs grant credit for relevant experience.  Some combine online and in class instruction.  Many collect student data which is used to track progress.

The concerns raised relate to quality and intrusive data.  Opponents argue that competency based learning is really a cost saving tool with very questionable quality control.  The federal government supports projects.

We have an online charter high school that uses this approach.  Its graduation rate is about 17%.  We should pay attention.  Read Laura’s comment.

“I am going to be blunt here. If parents don’t wake up and take a stand right now, this year, we will only have ourselves to blame. Ask yourself this. How do you see education in four to six years? I can promise you it won’t be the friendly teacher driven classrooms we are seeing today. Changes are being made from the top down right now as you are reading this, and it isn’t pretty. It is called Competency Based Education”

We have 2 bills going through right now. SB1365

We need to fight this  and SB 1714.

There is a competency based curriculum website you can visit.

Posted in Curriculum, Florida, Online Education.

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