“Competency-Based Education:
The Future is Now in Davenport’s New MBA Program”
Wynalda TLI Presentation
August, 2014
Dr. Frank Novakowski, Associate Dean Graduate Programs, MCB
Dr. Wayne Sneath: Program Director Experiential Learning
Jim Gort: Associate Department Chair, Management
Session Objectives
 To explain the concept of Competency-Based
Education (CBE) and its national context
 To present the structure of DU’s new MBA
curriculum—the CMBA Program
 To discuss the changing role of faculty and
students in CBE models
 To generate discussion on the implications of CBE
for Davenport and higher education in general
Basic Tenants of CBE
CBE:
• Awards academic credit based on mastery of clearly
defined competencies or “can do” activities favored by
business and industry
• Explodes traditional models of course credit hours and
seat time
• Recognizes prior learning and learning outside the
scope of a course, regardless of where, when, or how
that learning took place.
• Supports greater student self-directed learning
• Encourages access to a broader set of learning
resources (MOOCs, Badges, etc.)
• Focuses on direct assessment of competencies
Student and Instructor Roles
• Instruction often takes the form of facilitation and
guidance for learners—mentoring and coaching
• Feedback is quick and frequent, often structured as
scaffolded formative assessments, building from
knowledge to skill demonstration
• Assessment is an integral part of the learning
experience rather than occurring at the end
• Students progress through the material until they
demonstrate mastery of the content and related skills
Primary Goals of CBE
Moving beyond proving content knowledge to
demonstrating competency through
applying knowledge
The mantra of most CBE programs is:
“Time is variable, learning is fixed”
Rather than a traditional model in which:
“Time is fixed, learning is variable”
CBE in Context: History & National Models
• Long history (since the 1970s) of Prior Learning Assessment and
other types of Credit for Prior Learning
• Academic curriculum is increasingly influenced by business and
industry standards and certifications
• Increased efforts to define common competencies for college
graduates: Lumina Foundation’s Degree Qualifications Profile,
AAC&U VALUE Rubric project
• Response to changing student demographics and concerns about
time to degree completion and cost of education
• Western Governors University launched in the late 1990s and has
experienced 30-40% annual enrollment growth in the last 3 years
• Southern New Hampshire University is another major player
History & National Models: Western Governors University
Major Elements of the WGU Model
• Students sign up for a six-month term for flat tuition rate
• Work online to complete as many competency-based assessments
as they can–an “all you can learn and demonstrate” model
• Program is not credit hour-based, rather 30 competencies make up
the equivalent of a typical 120 credit hour Bachelor’s degree
• Students must complete at least 12 competencies per year (in two 6
month terms) to make satisfactory progress, but can complete more
• A Bachelor’s degree could be completed in 2 ½ years or less
• $6000 per year tuition
Other Trends and Models
• Programs being developed at all levels: Associates through Doctorates
• Many programs are fully online, but several have emerged as hybrid
models in which students can choose CBE as an alternative completion to
semester-bound in-seat, blended, or online deliveries
• Another large player is…
Southern New Hampshire’s College for America:
 Associates Degree in General Studies w/ Business Emphasis:
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Low cost ($2,500 per year all-inclusive)
Flexible: self-paced and self-directed
Organized around 120 competencies, not courses
Mastery not based on grades or seat time, but on passing
demonstrating knowledge and skill through direct assessments
Southern New Hampshire University
SNHU Competencies are defined as:
“Can do” statements representing observable,
measureable behavior which demonstrates what a
student knows and can do”
Examples
Disciplinary and Lifelong Learning Skills:
– Can negotiate with others to resolve conflicts and
settle disputes
– Can speak effectively in order to persuade or
motivate
– Can define and use marketing terminology and
concepts
The Future of CBE: Some Challenges
The Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL)
has indicated some of the following as challenges for
CBE programs:
• establishing federal financial aid eligibility
• building faculty support and expertise
• developing a common language or narrative of CBE
terms
• working with regional accrediting bodies
• gaining a better understanding of the kinds of
assessments being used and their quality
(Klein-Collins, 2012)
The Future of CBE: Many Possibilities
Growth is assured as:
• Defining the competencies required for graduation
helps to ensure the quality of graduates
• Competency-based assessments validate learning
• CBE programs meet increasingly diverse students
“where they are”
• Approximately 140 institutions nationwide are offering
some level of CBE programming
• DU is on the cutting edge!
The DU CMBA Program
NEW CMBA – Winter 1 – 2015: Characteristics of Program
• Reduced time to completion of degree requirements
and overall cost to the student
• Provides recognition of demonstrated competency in 14
major subject areas common to an MBA degree
• Provides an opportunity for Credit for Prior Learning
(CPL)
• Serves a high percentage of non-traditional students
who have relevant career experience
• Uses nationally-normed MBA competency exams as
means for determining student preparedness
NEW CMBA – Winter 1 – 2015: Student Profile
Individuals most likely to seek and select a CMBA are:
• Highly motivated and self-directed with strong selfdiscipline and organizational skills
• Focused on career development, with a clear sense of
purpose and direction, and are willing to explore nontraditional paths
• Comfortable with technology and savvy regarding the
ability of technology to enhance learning in their lives
• Open to new experiences and willing to risk trying
something new
NEW CMBA – Winter 1 – 2015: Delivery Method & Structure
• Offered online only
• All content (texts, learning materials, assignments,
assessments) is online and the focused equivalent of 13
three credit hour courses.
• 15 total Professional Competencies:
* 14 relate directly to academic competencies
* 1 provides professional development assessment
• Competencies have an average 6 proficiency modules
each totaling 84 modules
Content Groupings:
What are the Professional Competencies?
Business Acumen (6)
Accounting, Finance, Economics, Marketing,
Quantitative Business Analysis, Legal
Management & Administration (6)
Business Ethics, Organizational Behavior,
HR Management, Information Management,
Operations Management, Global Dimensions
Strategic Leadership & Personal Development (3)
Strategic Management,
Leadership, Personal Development
What is a Proficiency Module?
Proficiency Overview
Build Knowledge
Develop Skills
Demonstrate Ability
• Proficiency outcomes listed
• Context and overview of Proficiency
• Pre-assessment of Proficiency
• Text chapters, articles
• Video presentations, webinars, best practices
review
• Discussion /interaction with peers, faculty on topics
• Practice sets
• Interactive learning, mini-cases, quizzes
• Q & A - Discussion Board
• Formative assessment with feedback
• Assessment directions
• Assessment rubrics
• Assessment(s)
Stages in the CMBA – Evaluation and Planning
1. Assigned Student Support Coach and Faculty Coach
2. Complete Peregrine MBA Exam for development of
individualized Program Plan
3. Evaluate transfer and other CPL credit and
recommend PLA options to complete based on
experience, knowledge, and readiness
4. Formation of a Degree Plan, schedule of direct
assessments, and scheduling into Professional
Competency Areas
Stages in the CMBA – Registration for a Competency
1. Registration for Professional Competency Areas
2. Billed for semester access to Proficiency Module
materials
3. Given access to Proficiency Module materials in
Blackboard, schedule of module instruction, and a
student degree progress dashboard
Stages in the CMBA – Completion of Competencies
1. Completion of modules and assessments, awarding of
Competency Area credits, establishment of a GPA, and
updating of the student degree completion dashboard
2. Periodic review of dashboard progress on Professional
Competency Areas toward completion (SAP) with
Student Support Coach and Faculty Coach.
3. Ongoing scheduling of Professional Competency Areas
by semester
4. Complete outbound Peregrine MBA Exam before
graduation
5. All Professional Competency Areas completed
New Roles in the CMBA – Faculty Coaches & Module Faculty
1. Faculty Coaches serve as:
• Mentors
• Facilitators of individualized instructional paths
• Evaluators and monitors of overall academic
progress for a group of assigned CMBA students
2. Proficiency Module Faculty serve as:
• Subject Matter Experts to verify knowledge and skills
building content
• Formative and summative assignment graders and
evaluators
• Providers of student support and guidance on
content throughout semester
New Roles in the CMBA – Student Services Coach
3. Student Services Coaches serve as:
•
Facilitators of DU scheduling, financial aid, and
academic calendar processes to support
assigned CMBA student success
Progress in the CMBA
Standards of Academic Progress
•
Dashboard view of Professional Competencies and
Modules achieved
•
Frequent communication with coaches
•
Ability to begin modules in a semester and cross
over to the next semester
•
Completion – typically in 20 months
Cost of the CMBA
•
Tuition is $4,000 per semester! – not per credit
hour, not per course
•
Students may take a number of Competencies,
or Modules per the plan they develop with their
Faculty Coach
•
Financial aid, scholarships and discounts will apply
Questions & Discussion