When Failure Is Not an Option: Designing Competency-Based Pathways for Next Generation Learning

Proposes an online learning-assisted model in which students advance by demonstrating mastery of subjects based on clear, measurable objectives and meaningful assessments. Examines innovation drivers, challenges, and philanthropic opportunities

Student-Centered Learning: Functional Requirements for Integrated Systems to Optimize Learning

The realities of the 21st-century learner require that schools and educators fundamentally change their practice. "Educators must produce college- and career-ready graduates that reflect the future these students will face. And, they must facilitate learning through means that align with the defining attributes of this generation of learners."Today, we know more than ever about how students learn, acknowledging that the process isn't the same for every student and doesn't remain the same for each individual, depending upon maturation and the content being learned. We know that students want to progress at a pace that allows them to master new concepts and skills, to access a variety of resources, to receive timely feedback on their progress, to demonstrate their knowledge in multiple ways and to get direction, support and feedback from—as well as collaborate with—experts, teachers, tutors and other students.The result is a growing demand for student-centered, transformative digital learning using competency education as an underpinning.iNACOL released this paper to illustrate the technical requirements and functionalities that learning management systems need to shift toward student-centered instructional models. This comprehensive framework will help districts and schools determine what systems to use and integrate as they being their journey toward student-centered learning, as well as how systems integration aligns with their organizational vision, educational goals and strategic plans.Educators can use this report to optimize student learning and promote innovation in their own student-centered learning environments. The report will help school leaders understand the complex technologies needed to optimize personalized learning and how to use data and analytics to improve practices, and can assist technology leaders in re-engineering systems to support the key nuances of student-centered learning

A Primer for Work-Based Learning: How to Make a Job the Basis for a College Education

Provides an overview of the Jobs to Careers model, in which employers and colleges collaborate to embed curricula and training in the work process, as a way to meet healthcare labor force needs. Includes grantee profiles, lessons learned, and worksheets

IMPLEMENTASI PEMBELAJARAN KONTEKSTUAL (CONTEXTUAL TEACHiNG LEARNING) SEBAGAI REALISASI PELAKSANAAN KURJKULUM TINGKAT SATUAN PENDIIML4N (KTSP) DI SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI 3 KUTABANJARNEGARA KECAMATAN BANJARNEGARA KABUPATEN BANJARNEGARA

The objectives in doing this research are for: 1) knowing the factors which support the implementation of Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP) at SD Negeri 3 Kutabanjarnegara, 2) knowing the factors which prevent the implementation of Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP) at SD Negeri 3 Kutabanjarnegara, 3) knowing the level of understanding of the teacher about Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL), 4) knowing the level of ability of the teacher in constructing a Lesson Plan (RPP), 5) knowing the level of ability of the teacher in implementating the learning process based on Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL). mnmn This research was conducted at SD Negeri 3 Kutabanjarnegara, Banjarnegara, and academic year 2007/2008. The approach which was used in this research is qualitative descriptive approach to reveal the Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL) as the realization of KTSP at SD Negeri 3 Kutabanjarnegara, Banjarnegara. The data was collected from the head master, teachers, school keeper, and the other side which has same importance. The data was collected by using observation, deep interview and documentation, while the data validity process uses data triangulation and investigator triangulation. Data analysis uses interactive model with the main activity collecting data, data reduction, data serving, and making conclusion. mnmn The result of the research concludes that the implementation of Contextual Teaching Learning at SD Negeri 3 Kutabanjarnegara was done well although not optimaly, that influenced by some cases are: 1) the school management and the teacher readiness are able to implement the Contextual Teaching Learning carefully, 2) internal conditions as the obstacle for the optimaly contextual teaching learning implementation, 3) the level of understanding of the teacher about Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL) may be said good, 4) the teachers have good ability to construct a lesson plan based on Contextual Teaching Learning, 5) the big part of the learning which is done at SD Negeri 3 Kutabanjarnegara was appropriate with the characteristics, focuses, principles, and the strategy which lead to contextual learning. The obstacle found is the change of the curriculum, from the competence based curriculum become the unity degree of education curriculum in short time which doesn’t responded well yet. mnmn Based on this result, the researcher gives some suggestions as follow: First, in order to improve the understanding and the competency of the teacher about contextual learning, school and the government should always held refreshing activity like training, workshop, and other activity which are related to curriculum or contextual based learning models. Second, the government, in this case is Education Department, and the other side which have same importance should help school in supplying reference books about curriculum or contextual learning

Towards a competency model for adaptive assessment to support lifelong learning

Adaptive assessment provides efficient and personalised routes to establishing the proficiencies of learners. We can envisage a future in which learners are able to maintain and expose their competency profile to multiple services, throughout their life, which will use the competency information in the model to personalise assessment. Current competency standards tend to over simplify the representation of competency and the knowledge domain. This paper presents a competency model for evaluating learned capability by considering achieved competencies to support adaptive assessment for lifelong learning. This model provides a multidimensional view of competencies and provides for interoperability between systems as the learner progresses through life. The proposed competency model is being developed and implemented in the JISC-funded Placement Learning and Assessment Toolkit (mPLAT) project at the University of Southampton. This project which takes a Service-Oriented approach will contribute to the JISC community by adding mobile assessment tools to the E-framework

Competency Education Series: Policy Brief One, An Emerging Federal Role for Competency Education

After two decades of standards-based reform, a new education paradigm has begun to take hold -- the rise of competency education. This new vision builds on the strong foundation of new college and career ready standards, challenging stakeholders to design an education system that emphasizes mastery of content standards and the transferable skills critical to success in college and today's workforce.A competency education system puts students at the center, replacing rigid time-based structures with flexible learning environments that ensure students receive the support and extra time they need to succeed. This highly-personalized approach provides clear, individualized pathways to student proficiency that help mobilize stakeholders around the collective goal of college and career readiness for all students. A growing number of states and districts have begun to embrace this vision for education, leading to an explosion of new policies, pilot initiatives, and tools designed to help schools implement competencybased approaches.The success of the competency movement depends heavily on the federal government's willingness to partner with states and districts as they design education systems that put students at the center. A true partnership will grant states the flexibility to innovate and develop equally ambitious accountability and assessment policies that better align with student centered education to ensure all students graduate with the knowledge and skills to succeed. This paper is the first in a series to help policymakers define the appropriate role for the federal government supporting competency education in the nation's K-12 schools

Cracking the Code: Synchronizing Policy and Practice for Performance-Based Learning

Proposes a policy framework for integrating performance-based learning into the education system, synchronizing policy and practice, and ensuring collaborative state leadership and flexible federal leadership. Lists state policy issues and exemplars

Exploring metadata standards for competence descriptions in the business & management domain

This paper explores the development and use of competency metadata standards. As there has recently been a surge of a number of standards to address the challenge of representing competencies and there is a rising need to develop a common methodology, as well as methods and tools for developing, reusing, adapting, integrating such standards, this research is now becoming important and timely. We explore this within the context of the OpenScout project, which is building a federation of repositories with content in the areas of business and management. Thus this study is limited to metadata standards for competencies in the business and management fields, but it is aimed that the lessons from this domain can transfer to other fields and will inform the wider debate on the development and use of such standards. The paper revisits a set of standards for competence descriptions and provides recommendations as to which standard would suit better the nature of the repository, the requirements of stakeholders, and the Open Content resources. In particular, the paper proposes an adaptation and extension of the IEEE-RCD model, employing an application profiling approach, and taking into account the granularity of the European Qualifications Framework and the requirements of Open Content resources.OpenScout project (Contract no.: 428016, “Skill based scouting of open user-generated and community-improved content for management education and training”