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Meeting Students Where They Are: Profiles of Students in Competency-Based Degree Programs

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    Meeting Students Where They AreProfiles of Students in Competency-Based Degree Programs

    A publication of the Center for American Progress and the Council for Adult and Experiential Lear

    By Rebecca Klein-Collins and Elizabeth Baylor November 2013

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    Meeting StudentsWhere They AreProfiles of Students in Competency-

    Based Degree Programs

    A publication of the Center for American Progress

    and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

    By Rebecca Klein-Collins and Elizabeth Baylor November 2013

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    1 Introduction and summary

    3 What is competency-based education? A closer look

    5 Findings and policy recommendations

    9 Students in direct assessment programs

    15 Students in pioneering programs with a competency fo

    20 Students in business-specific CBE programs

    26 Conclusion

    29 Endnotes

    Contents

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    1 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Introduction and summary

    An educaed workorce is one o he bedrocks no jus o a srong American mid-

    dle class, bu also o a srong U.S. economy. o ensure ha America has he mos

    compeiive global workorce, Presiden Barack Obama ariculaed a goal ha, by

    2020, every American should coninue heir educaional raining afer high school

    so ha he Unied Saes will increase is proporion o college graduaes. Tis

    ambiious policy objecive will require our possecondary educaion sysem o

    embrace changes and find new ways o improve suden success while mainaining

    affordabiliy and qualiy.

    One way ha some possecondary insiuions are innovaing is by ocusing more

    on wha sudens learn, raher han where or how long he learning akes place.

    Tis can be a more efficien way or sudens o progress oward a degree, ye i

    is a very differen way or higher educaion o operae. For more han 100 years,

    possecondary educaion has been designed around he credi hour, a measure o

    how much ime sudens spend in he classroom. Alhough i was no originally

    designed or his purpose, he credi hour is used in higher educaion as a proxy

    or suden learning, wih he suden progressing oward a degree by accumu-

    laing a prescribed number o hese ime-based unis. Ta sysem omis acual

    measures o wha sudens learn.

    An alernaive approach is compeency-based educaion, which makes suden

    learningno imehe ocus. Compeency-based programs vary widely in heir

    design, bu hey all explicily ariculae wha sudens mus be able o know and do

    upon graduaionand assessmens validae ha learning hroughou a sudens

    experience in he program.

    Tis repor caalogues sories o average Americanssome who wen o collegedirecly afer high school, some who are reurning o possecondary educaion

    afer many years in he workorce, and ohers who are pursuing graduae sud-

    ies. All o hese sudens have one hing in common: Tey are paricipaing in a

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    2 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    compeency-based educaion program ha racks heir progress by measuring he

    knowledge and skills hey have acquired. Tis repor demonsraes he posiive

    qualiies o compeency-based learning and idenifies commonaliies among su-

    den experiences ha can inorm he policy prioriies or hose looking o expand

    and reorm possecondary educaional offerings.

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    3 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    What is competency-based

    education? A closer look

    Compeency-based educaion, or CBE, degree programs have been around or 40

    years. Insiuions have offered CBE in a variey o ormas, wih some insiuions

    assessing suden compeencies in he conex o a amiliar course- and credi-based

    sysem, while oher insiuions are designing degree programs so ha suden

    progress is defined primarily by successul compleion o compeency-based assess-

    mens.1Tis later orma, ofen reerred o as a direc assessmen model, can

    allow sudens o progress a heir own pace ouside o a radiional course schedule.

    Te various CBE offerings vary in erms o heir oher componens as well: Some

    are online, some are ace-o-ace, and some are blended models. Some offer pro-

    essor-led courses, some offer online bu srucured learning modules, and ohers

    offer no courses a all bu raher guide he sudens in independen sudy hrough

    open educaional resources. In erms o assessmen, some evaluae suden com-

    peencies based on he successul compleion o real-world projecs, some require

    sudens o presen wha hey have learned in a porolio or oher writen orma,

    and ohers have developed psychomerically sound compuer-delivered exams.

    Some programs may offer a combinaion o differen kinds o assessmens, wih

    each mehod cusom-chosen based on he specific compeency o be assessed.

    Undersanding hese variaions in program design are helpul or undersanding

    he landscape o CBE oday, bu undersanding he backgrounds and perspecives

    o he sudens who choose hese programs is equally imporan.

    Te Council or Adul and Experienial Learning, or CAEL, recenly inerviewed

    sudens who are atending or recenly graduaed rom CBE programs o learn

    who hey are and wha heir experiences have been in heir respecive programs.

    Tis repor shares he profiles o 13 individual sudens rom seven insiuions.Teir sories help bring he programs o lie or hose o us observing he resur-

    gence o compeency-based educaion. Tey also help all o us explore CBE

    hrough a differen lens and, hopeully, beter undersand he value o compe-

    ency-based educaion and assessmen.

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    4 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Ye hey are more han jus individual experiences. Common hemes emerge rom

    he suden profiles ha are noeworhy:

    Te rigor o academic programs ha require sudens o demonsrae learned

    compeencies

    Te ranserabiliy o acquired compeencies o workplace setings

    Te value o flexible ormas or adul reurning sudens

    Te relevance ha earning a degree has on a sudens career advancemen

    Te value ha peer ineracions have on suden learning and compleion

    Te imporance o coaches, advisors, and menors on compleion and persisence

    Te recogniion ha wha sudens have learned a work also can coun

    oward earning heir degree

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    5 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Findings and policy

    recommendations

    Te profiles in his repor are designed o share individual experiences, providing

    conex abou he backgrounds and aspiraions o some nonradiional sudens

    pursuing possecondary educaion, and ideniy common hemes in he

    experiences o sudens enrolled in compeency-based educaion programs.

    Tese hemes can inorm and guide policymakers in supporing he urher

    developmen o compeency-based approaches o possecondary learning. Tey

    include he ollowing:

    The rigor of demonstrating competencies.Sudens are aware ha hese pro-grams are very differen rom more radiional learning experiences, and many

    noed how challenging he assessmens could be. Several sudens old us ha

    one o he bigges challenges was he requiremen o prove wha hey knew

    in wriing. One suden said ha even hough i was difficul, Te wriing is

    where you reflec on wha youve learned and demonsrae wha youve learned.

    Ohers noed he ac ha here is no such hing as parial credi or squeaking by

    wih a C. Said one, We had o maser he compeency. I i wasn masered, we

    were sen back o work wih he proessor or coach o ge i righ. Anoher said

    ha he would definiely recommend his program o ohers as long as hey know

    his is hard work.

    The transferability of competencies to the workplace.Sudens noed hahe compeencies hey have had o demonsrae hrough he programs assess-

    mens have been direcly applicable o heir day-o-day work lives. One suden

    said ha she saw his kind o insrucion as a real benefi, and she believes ha

    i gives her an edge over oher sudens in radiional programs. Tas wha

    employers look or, no how many hours you si in a classroom, she said. One

    suden learned so much ha was relevan or his job ha his boss flew his eamo him and had him aciliae a meeing abou creaing a mission saemen. He

    saw his example as he bigges indicaion ha Im acually learning.

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    6 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    The value of flexible formats for adult returning students. Working adulsappreciae programs ha allow hem o pursue degrees around heir work

    schedules. One M.B.A. suden old us, Tis was huge or me. I wouldn have

    gone back o school i I had o give up my job. I was only willing o go ino so

    much deb. Tere is no single bes way o make his happen. Some o he su-

    dens we inerviewed chose insiuions offering ace-o-ace classes on weekdayevenings, while ohers appreciaed having online opions o accommodae work

    and amily responsibiliies.

    The importance of a degree to advance in a career. Many o he sudens weinerviewed old us ha hey had gone back o school because heir employ-

    ers said hey could no advance in heir careers wihou a degree. One nurs-

    ing suden explained, I el I knew jus as much as my colleagues who had a

    [bachelors degree], bu I was passed over or advancemen because I lacked he

    degree. Ohers in business environmens have also worked heir way up a career

    ladder only o find ha heir progress is symied because hey lack a credenial.Some have always dreamed o geting a college degree, while ohers may no

    have. One suden admited, I wasn ha I waned o go o school. I waned

    o be considered as a high-poenial employee. I waned o play in ha circle. I

    hey are going o use ha as he crieria, Im going o go ge he degree.

    The value of peer interactions.Sudens in programs ha provided opporuni-ies or peer ineracions noed ha hese were imporan o hem. Meanwhile,

    sudens in programs wih primarily independen learning in online ormas

    missed having hose ineracions. CBE programs may wan o make sure ha

    some connecion o and learning rom peers is par o he program model.

    The importance of coaches, advisors, and mentors.Several sudens noedhe imporan role ha heir advisors played in helping hem undersand he

    programs expecaions and keeping hem moivaed. One suden described her

    menor as her bigges cheerleader. Ohers rely on heir coaches o keep hem

    ocused. Having consan conversaions going wih my coach helps me con-

    inue o say on op o my schoolwork and keep i an acive par o my lie, said

    one suden.

    The recognition that what they have learned at work also can count in a

    degree program.One suden recalled ha all o her papers drew on her expe-rienial learning. Tis made he course maerial, in her view, so much easier o

    learn and exciing o learn because I could relae i o my experiences.

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    7 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    As demonsraed by he profiles in his repor, compeency-based educaion has

    he poenial o help sudens wih varying backgrounds paricipae successully

    in he American possecondary educaion sysem so hey can progress in heir

    careers. I is encouraging o see so many new models emerging in recen years.

    Because compeency-based approaches do no easily operae wihin a credi-hour-

    based sysem, however, he number o exising programs is sill quie small.

    In is wide-ranging plan or economic prosperiy, 300 Million Engines o

    Growh, he Cener or American Progress saes ha policymakers should work

    o achieve ransormaive change in possecondary educaion delivery and design,

    srenghening i or he needs o he 21s-cenury workorce and suden popula-

    ion.2Te hemes in his repor demonsrae ha possecondary educaion reorm

    should encourage greaer paricipaion in compeency-based educaion and

    smooh he way or more insiuions o higher educaion o develop innovaive

    programs. Te ollowing are some recommendaions or promoing compeency-

    based educaion hrough policy change, which CAP plans o develop and expandupon in is coninuing body o work in his policy area:

    Experiment with authority for financial aid programs decoupled from the

    credit-hour standard.As previously recommended by CAP, compeency-based

    educaion needs broader auhoriy under he Higher Educaion Ac, or HEA,

    so ha sudens in his ype o program remain eligible or ederal financial aid.3

    Te nex reauhorizaion o HEA should ideniy alernaive means o appro-

    priaely measuring suden progress oher han by he credi hour ha would

    allow equivalen levels o aid o be disbursed. Tis change could allocae ederal

    resources in a way ha embraces compeency-based programs.

    Establish quality standards for competency-based education programs.Tegreaesresisance o compeency-based educaion is ocused on he worry haprograms will suffer in qualiy, paricularly programs where aculy serve as

    learning aciliaors raher han insrucors. Effors o expand he availabiliy o

    compeency-based educaion programs should engage wih accrediing bodies

    o develop a common se o qualiy sandards or compeency-based programs

    and assessmens. Such sandards would define good qualiy in he esablishmen

    o compeency rameworks and he developmen o valid and reliable assess-mens, suden suppor, and oher program componens.

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    8 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Enlist workforce stakeholders to define competencies.One o he key raionalesor embracing compeency-based educaion programs is ha sudens will be

    well prepared o ener he workorce. o ensure greaer alignmen beween pos-

    secondary educaion and he workplace, business and indusry sakeholders

    including employers, labor unions, proessional associaions, and ohersshould

    be enlised o help define he compeencies required or enry-level posiions aswell as or oher job opporuniies hroughou an individuals career pahway.

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    9 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Students in direct

    assessment programs

    Since he lae 1990s, Wesern Governors Universiy, or WGU, has offered online,

    compeency-based degree programs in which sudens progress oward a pos-

    secondary degree by passing a series o compeency-based assessmens. Curren

    offerings include eaching licensure and graduae programs, as well as bachelors

    and masers degrees in business, inormaion echnology, nursing, and healh pro-

    essions. WGU sudens do no atend radiional courses; raher, aculy coaches

    work wih hem o access he learning hey need rom a variey o online sources

    in order o prepare or he assessmens. Tis model o CBE promped Congresso include direc assessmen as one way ha insiuions migh bypass credi-

    hour regulaions relaed o ederal financial aid. Alhough WGU never used his

    provisionnor have oher well-esablished direc assessmen programs such as

    Excelsior Colleges School o Nursingoher insiuions have recenly requesed

    i or newer CBE programs.

    Te firs program o apply or he direc assessmen provision, Souhern New

    Hampshire Universiys, or SNHU, College or America program, was recenly

    approved by he U.S. Deparmen o Educaion.4Launched in 2012, College or

    America ollows a very similar model as WGU. Wih he help o a coach, each

    suden works hrough a se o 120 compeencies or an associaes degree, using

    learning resources available o hem online.

    Oher direc assessmen models provide more srucured learning experiences

    hrough online courses or shorer modules, boh o which have embedded

    assessmens or he required compeencies. One example o his is he Kenucky

    Communiy and echnical College Sysem, or KCCS, Learn on Demand

    program, which began enrolling sudens in 2008. Offerings include associaes

    degrees in he ars, science, business adminisraion, compuer and inormaionechnologies, and nursing; shor-erm cerificaes in compuer and inormaion

    echnology; argeed raining or specific jobs; and college-readiness courses.

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    10 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    In his secion, we hear rom hree sudens in direc assessmen programs:

    Marcus, a nursing suden in KCCSs Learn on Demand program; Julie rom

    SNHUs College or America; and Lvia, a nursing suden a WGU. 5A ourh

    suden, Laura, used KCCSs Learn on Demand o complee he one course she

    needed o earn her bachelors degree, showing he flexibiliy ha a compeency-

    based approach can offer he nonradiional learner.

    Marcus Carmicle: Building on what he already knows

    School:Kentucky Community and Technical College System Learn on Demand

    Degree goal:Bachelor of science in nursing

    When Marcus Carmicle graduaed rom high school in 1989, here was no doub

    in his mind ha he would ener he nursing proession. Nursing was a amily

    affair: his moher was a licensed pracical nurse, or L.P.N., and his wo siserswere a various sages in heir nursing careersboh would evenually become

    regisered nurses, or R.N.s. Marcus remembers: I liked hearing abou how

    someone could nurse anoher back o healh and care or someone else. I

    waned o care and nurse ohers back o healh mysel. My amily insilled in me

    he imporance o helping ohers.

    Marcus compleed a nurse aide cerificaion course a he Bluegrass Communiy

    and echnical College, or BCC, in Lexingon, Kenucky. Once cerified, he

    worked in a nursing home or one year and hen in a hospial. In 1993, he reurned

    o BCC o earn his L.P.N. license.

    For he pas 19 years, Marcus has worked as an L.P.N. in a variey o setings,

    including hospials, nursing homes, and managed care sysems. He now works

    wih he sae Medicaid program as a concurren review nurse overseeing paien

    care in he hospial and coordinaing discharge plans o ensure ha paiens reurn

    home saely. Marcus has horoughly enjoyed his enure as an L.P.N., bu he has

    always planned o reurn o school o ge his R.N. degree like his sisers. In addi-

    ion o he increased demand and job opporuniies, Marcus wans o be able o

    do more or paiens as an R.N.

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    11 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Work and financial concerns had always convinced him o pu off going or he

    R.N. unil he ound he online associae degree in nursing program offered by

    KCCSs Learn on Demand. For Marcus, he program was he perec fi or his

    credenials, experience, and scheduleand he price was righ. Cheaper han

    oher programs he researched, KCCS will cos Marcus around $18,000 o com-

    plee his degree.

    Te ac ha almos all o KCCSs courses are offered asynchronously and online

    was a big draw or Marcus. Currenly, he works ull ime, and Learn on Demand

    courses are accessible online 24/7. Being able o sar a class and do his course-

    work whenever he wans, as opposed o being resriced by semeser daes or class

    schedules, has allowed Marcus o jumpsar his educaion.

    When enering he Learn on Demand program, sudens ake compeency ess

    in mah, reading, and wriing o deermine i hey mus ake Learn on Demand

    college-readiness courses or i hey can proceed direcly o college-level courses.Marcus needed jus one mah-readiness course.

    All college-readiness courses and he 77 Learn on Demand courses are augh

    in five-week modular ormas wih hree o five modules per course. In order or

    sudens o progress, each module mus be compleed and passed beore moving

    on o he nex.

    Alernaively, sudens can es ou o modules compleely by aking he requisie

    modular pre-es. I he suden scores high enough, hey can skip direcly o he

    modules pos-es. Tis modular pre- and pos-esing is anoher way KCCS

    can recognize prior learningwhich is he hrus o he Learn on Demand

    modelallowing experienced sudens like Marcus o skip modules in subjecs

    hey have already masered and move aser hrough he coursework needed o

    complee he degree.

    Anoher aspec o he program ha appealed o Marcus was he amoun o sup-

    por sudens receive. Sudens are paired wih an advisor who helps hem develop

    an educaional plan or degree compleion and a suden success coach who

    enrolls sudens in courses and answers any quesions abou he program isel.When sudens enroll in a module, hey work wih he module insrucor who is

    available o answer quesions abou course opics.

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    12 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Marcus advises ha i akes a moivaed person o mee he demands o he

    program, saying, A Learn on Demand suden mus be compleely dedicaed and

    sel-moivaed because here is no one sanding over you elling you when hings

    are due, and each module mus be compleed wihin he five-week period.

    All in all, however, Marcus loves he program. I mees his needs in erms o imecommimen, cos, suden suppor, and prior learning. In he uure, Marcus

    looks orward o using his degree o become a supervisor or a direcor o a uni, a

    nursing home, or even a deparmen. Marcus explained enhusiasically, I canno

    imagine doing anyhing else in my lie.

    Julie Braley: Showing that there is more than one way to achieve

    School:Southern New Hampshire University College for America

    Degree goal:Associate of arts in general studies

    Afer high school, Julie Braley pursued a degree in compuer science a he

    Universiy o Vermon, bu i was no a good mach or her. She changed course

    and esablished a successul career as a recruier. Julie ound he work reward-

    ing, bu she coninued o hink abou her educaion: Te company hired a new

    vice presiden o human resources, and she ook me under her wing and gave me

    exposure o skills I never knew beore. I realized ha i I waned o coninue o

    advance, I needed o finish my degree.

    Julies firm sared a new parnership wih College or America and she was

    atraced o he program because o is nonradiional model. In he overview,

    hey alked abou he compeencies, Julie says. I liked ha he classes seemed o

    direcly relae o wha I am doing now.

    Julie has had o demonsrae a high level o proficiency o accomplish each projec,

    using boh echnical and sof skills. I orced me o rehink my approach, adjus

    my presenaion, and be mindul abou wha ype o inormaion I had o include.

    I see a major parallel in he projecs I work on wih my [College or America] ask

    amilies and he ypes o projecs I do a work.

    Overall, Julie says, I wan my children o see ha educaion is imporan,

    bu I also wan hem o be comorable o find he pah has righ or hem.

    Paricipaing in a program like College or America shows hem heres more han

    one way o achieve.

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    13 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Lvia Weisinger: The appeal of learning independently

    School:Western Governors University

    Degree goal:Bachelor of science in nursing

    Lvia Weisinger received her firs bachelors degree in 1988 in ar and ashion busi-ness. She worked in he ashion indusry beore realizing ha i was no a good fi

    or her. Lvia wen back o school in 1992 o earn an associaes degree in nursing

    and has been a regisered nurse or close o 17 years.

    However, Lvia decided o pursue a bachelor o science in nursing, or B.S.N., a

    Wesern Governors Universiy o progress in her career. I el I knew jus as much

    as my colleagues who had a B.S.N., bu I was passed over or advancemen because

    I lacked he degree, she says. Wih her previous educaion and years o experience

    in he field, Lvia was able o bring a lo o prior learning o her degree program,

    which helped her save boh ime and money. Tey wen over my ranscrip andgave me credi wherever possible.

    A Wesern Governors Universiys B.S.N. program, he learning and compe-

    encies are assessed hrough wriing. Each course requires several papers. You

    really have o process, hink, and apply, Lvia says. Tis program is perec or

    aduls who have some compeency in he subjec area. I hey jus do he asks

    required or each course, hey will knock hem ou. I he subjec is new o hem,

    he program will each hem how o find he inormaion hey need o prove heir

    compeence and hey will succeed.

    Laura Gibson: Using the competency approach to fill small gaps

    School:Kentucky Community and Technical College System

    Degree goal:Bachelors degree

    Someimes all someone needs is one courseor even a par o one courseo

    mee a learning need. A compeency-based approach can make ha possible and

    allow he suden o reach a goal on a flexible schedule.

    Afer a 30-year career as a physicians assisan, Laura Gibson decided ha she

    waned a change. She pursued a job a Sullivan Universiy as an insrucor in is

    medical assisan program, bu here was only one problem: She needed a bache-

    lors degree or he job. Te good news was ha she only needed o ake one mah

    class o finish he degree she had sared a Easern Kenucky Universiy.

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    14 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Laura learned abou KCCSs Learn on Demand program, which allowed her o

    ake a single class and complee her degree.

    Laura now eaches in he medical assisan program a Sullivan Universiy and ook

    anoher job a KCCS eaching remedial algebra, developmenal mah, and general

    educaion developmen, or GED, courses. Te Learn on Demand program aKCCS helped Laura mee her goal. I you wan o change direcions in your lie

    and wan o ry somehing ou, Learn on Demand is he way o do i, she says. I

    would highly recommend his o anyone who preers learning a heir own pace.

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    15 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Students in pioneering programs

    with a competency focus

    As noed above, compeency-based approaches o possecondary educaion have

    exised or he pas 40 years, geting heir sar in several adul-learner-ocused

    insiuions ha emerged in he 1970s. wo o hese insiuions are DePaul

    Universiys School or New Learning, or SNL, in Chicago, and Alverno College in

    Milwaukee.

    Tese programs were launched in a very differen era o higher educaion, so hey

    sill offer sudens some o he more radiional componenssuch as ace-o-ace coursesas opions or sudens. Tey were decidedly ahead o heir ime,

    however, in defining he compeencies required or a degree, assessing sudens

    on each o he required compeenciesSNL uses he erm compeences while

    Alverno uses he erm abiliiesand recognizing suden learning no mater

    where or how he suden acquired i. Tese programs are considered by organiza-

    ions such as CAEL o be leaders in he use o prior learning assessmen, paricu-

    larly porolio assessmen, which requires suden o submi a writen documen

    ha describes wha hey learned, how hey learned i, and how hey have applied

    ha learning. Suden reflecion on he learning process is paramoun.6

    In his secion, we share he sories o our sudens: Joy, Franchon, and Linda

    rom SNL and Jennier rom Alverno.

    Joy Boggs: Drawn to the rigor

    School:DePaul University School for New Learning

    Degree completed:Bachelor of arts

    When Joy Boggs graduaed rom high school in 1989, she could no wai o go off o

    college. She sared a Kalamazoo College in Michigan, only o reurn home a year

    and a hal laer. Joys aher was ill, and she had o work and help suppor her amily.

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    Over he pas 25 years, Joy has worked in large nonprofis and moved up o posi-

    ions in he upper ier o he organizaions. She has worked or large companies

    such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield and has developed an impressive background

    in process and adminisraive managemen and organizaional perormance. Joy

    reached he posiion o adminisraive supervisor or he Office o he General

    Counsel a he Chicago Housing Auhoriy, bu she always el he urge o reurno school and finish her undergraduae degree. Joy ook a new job as he business

    manager a he Office o he General Counsel a DePaul Universiy and resumed

    her sudies a DePauls School o New Learning.

    Joy did no have he luxury o ime and knew she had o find a program ha fi boh

    he consrains o her demanding career and caring or her wo elderly parens. She

    recalls hinking, Te SNL program is impressive. I is rigorous; i akes rigor o be

    in ha environmen. Tis was my meric: Does he program accep pas college

    credi and experience, and is i sensiive o he needs o working aduls?

    Joy ound a menor wih whom she would work over he nex wo years and who

    was insrumenal in building a relaionship o muual respec and undersanding.

    [My advisor] undersood me; i was like being in he presence o a proessional

    parner. I explained who I was, how I work, my raining, and wha I would bring o

    he able. I old him I need you o suppor me in navigaing hrough his insiu-

    ion. We were very efficien.

    Te programs compeencies were assessed hrough wriing. Joy reflecs on he

    inensive wriing she was required o do and considers his he greaes skill she

    has aken away rom he program. I became a beter wrier, she says. Ta is

    worh he price o admission. Te ac ha I was rained o wrie as ofen as I was

    prepared me or graduae school. I was no a big deal or me o wrie a response

    paper, provide analysis, and offer criique. Joy compleed a maser o ars wih

    disincion in women and gender sudies in 2013. Te ac ha he program is

    compeency driven and ha he compeencies are evaluaed hrough wriing was,

    or Joy, exraordinary. Te majoriy o wha I do, influencing decisions impacing

    many people, is done in wriing. Tis was he righ program or me. I relaes o

    wha I do every day.

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    Franchon Foster: Proving her competence

    School:DePaul University School for New Learning

    Degree completed:Bachelor of arts in organizational leadership

    When Franchon Foser was in high school in he 1980s, she ook advanage oa work-sudy opion o begin a career in he financial indusry. She advanced o

    high levels o responsibiliy, bu evenually Franchon realized she would need a

    degree in order o progress urher. I waned o be considered as a high-poenial

    employee, Franchon says. I hey are going o use ha as he crieria, Im going o

    go ge he degree. Bu i sill ook me hree or our years o ge here in my mind.

    Afer doing a lo o research on various degree programs, Franchon chose DePaul

    Universiys SNL. She came o appreciae DePauls use o compeencies. She

    explains, For me, having he expecaions clearly defined is imporan. In every

    course, I was given a compeence saemen, and hen I would need o ake mylearning and use ha o demonsrae a compeence. o earn her quaniaive-

    reasoning credenial, Franchon was able o draw on her work experience. I was

    already able o work wih an Excel spreadshee or Access daabaseand hose are

    par o he way o demonsrae his compeency. Being able o draw on my work

    experience was helpul.

    Six monhs afer saring a SNL, Franchon go a new job as manager, ye she

    kep going o school and reached her goals righ on schedule. When she sops o

    hink abou i, she canno help bu find i amazing ha she sared rom a place o

    no waning o go o college, bu hen she wen and did well. Is such a sense o

    accomplishmen, she says.

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    Linda Jepsen: Using her experiential learning

    School:DePaul University School for New Learning

    Degree completed:Bachelor of arts in organizational management

    Afer high school, Linda wen direcly o college, and, alhough amily and finan-cial issues prevened her rom compleing her degree a ha ime, i was always a

    goal. Linda worked in spors adminisraion or local colleges and a college ah-

    leic conerence, rising o he level o direcor o spor services. Despie her srong

    work hisory, she could no advance o he op posiions wihou a bachelors

    degree. Linda, now 57, enrolled in DePauls SNL. She recalls, I ran around and

    old everyone I jus enrolled in SNL, Im going o ge his degree, because I el

    like he more people I old, he harder i would be or me o back ou.

    A SNL, here is a deliberaive approach: sudens have an academic advisor and

    proessional advisors, and hey ideniy heir academic and career goals. Teprogram is mapped ou sep by sep by sep, Linda says.

    Sudens demonsrae masery o compeences in any o hree ways: atending

    on-campus or online classes, independen sudy, or a prior learning porolio ha

    demonsraes sufficien knowledge in he subjec. When aking courses, Linda

    recalls ha all o her papers drew on her experienial learning. Tis made he

    course maerial, in her view, so much easier o learn and exciing because I could

    relae i o my experiences.

    Now ha she has earned her degree, Linda no longer has a ceiling prevening her

    rom moving ino any posiion ha fis her ineress. She adds, Te sel-confi-

    dence he degree gave me is somehing I could never have imagined.

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    Jennifer Hidalgo: Coming out of her shell

    School:Alverno College

    Degree goal:Bachelor of science in nursing

    When Jennier Hidalgo enered college, she was iniially on he deans lis bu ranino rouble afer major lie changes inerered. Because o anxiey, Jennier says,

    I would end up giving up halway hrough a course. A age 23, she ound hersel

    working in reail and was worried ha she would be suck working a minimum-

    wage job or he res o my lie.

    Jennier decided o go back o school and pursue a degree in nursing. Nursing is

    he perec blend o science, healh, and eachinghree hings I was always iner-

    esed in, she says. A he urging o her cardiologis uncle, Jennier researched he

    nursing program a Alverno College and was immediaely inrigued by is unique

    abiliy-based curriculum.

    Alvernos abiliy-based curriculum requires oucomes or objecives or every

    assignmen, which serve as guidelines or how o successully complee a ask. Te

    B.S.N. program a Alverno also requires a pracical applicaion o knowledge, as

    well as a concepual masering o he compeencies.

    Jennier paricularly liked ha he classes help prepare or he NCLEX, he nurs-

    ing licensure exam. Te exams ha nursing majors ake or heir classes do a

    grea job a prepping sudens or he acual NCLEX because we ge used o ha

    orma, she says.

    Alverno College also requires is bachelors degree sudens o ake 20 credis in

    a field ouside o heir field o sudy. Jennier was able o ranser all o her general

    educaion prerequisies.7Tey make i easy or aduls wih prior college credi o

    go back o school and earn a degree.

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    Students in business-specific

    CBE programs

    radiional business-degree programs have long required sudens o apply wha

    hey have learned in he conex o real-world scenarios or case sudies. Tus,

    i canno be surprising ha many compeency-based programs offered oday

    are in business adminisraion. Te compeency rameworks are requenly

    developed in collaboraion wih employer or indusry represenaives, and

    assessmens are designed o resemble he acual aciviies ha are required in a

    business environmen.

    Te srucure o a business-ocused CBE program, however, can vary widely. wo

    insiuions demonsrae his well. Souhern New Hampshire Universiy offers a

    hree-year bachelors degree in business adminisraion ha was designed around

    a se o compeencies. In his program, classes are inerdisciplinary modules

    raher han he radiional hree-credi courses, and conen is planned delib-

    eraely across he modules. Each semeser, sudens paricipae in a weeklong

    inegraing experience, a group projec in which sudens use wha hey have

    learned o solve real business challenges. Trough his program design, sudens

    maser he same knowledge and skills in hree years as hey could in a our-year

    radiional program, saving boh ime and money.8

    In he Wesminser College projec-based M.B.A. program, sudens learn hrough

    he process o compleing 25 differen projecs ha require hem o demonsrae

    masery o 80 differen compeencies. Sudens progress a heir own speed

    hrough he program wih he assisance o a aculy coach. Sudens spend wo

    days on campus each semeser in workshops, and he res o he program is

    compleed online.9Wesminser offers a similar program or a bachelors degree in

    business adminisraion.

    In his secion, we hear rom our sudens: Samanha and James rom SNHUs

    hree-year honors program, K.C. and Jordan rom Wesminser Colleges M.B.A.

    program, and ravis rom Wesminsers bachelors degree program.

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    Samantha Colby: Its all about mastering

    those skills and competencies

    School:Southern New Hampshire University 3Year Honors Program

    Degree goal:Bachelors degree in business administration

    Samanha Colby graduaed rom Whiman-Hanson Regional High School in

    2010. While she led he lie o a ypical eenager growing up in Massachusets

    holding pre-college jobs in ood service and earning minimum wage, here was

    nohing ypical abou Samanha. She had a plan or her uure. I waned o break

    ino he business world, she says. Samanha oured Souhern New Hampshire

    Universiy iniially because i was close o home, bu she was quickly sold on he

    hree-year honors program in business adminisraion. Ive always been a grea

    suden, and I waned o be challenged, she remarks. Te honors program caugh

    my eye. I was only hree years, and he cos savings was a big draw or me.

    On he campus our, Samanha knew his was no jus a ypical college program.

    Te aculy and saff were engaged and passionae, which was no he experience

    Samanha had visiing oher universiies. You could see he passion hey had

    or sudens, and hey immediaely ook an ineres in my career goals, she says.

    Samanha did no learn abou he compeency-based aspec o he program righ

    away, unil he program direcor explained i o her. Once i was explained o me,

    I go i. Is all abou masering hose skills and compeencies.

    Insrucion was delivered in a variey o ways: radiional courses in a classroom

    seting, inensive hands-on projecs, and research cases involving real companies.

    Te class size was small, which appealed o Samanha. From he very beginning,

    Samanha was inroduced o eamwork and collaboraion hrough he many group

    projecs and presenaions. I was in he same classes wih he same 35 sudens.

    Tey pushed me o be a beter suden.

    Each semeser, he hree-year honors program in business has a weeklong ine-

    graing experience, a group projec where sudens use wha hey have learned

    o solve real business challenges. Sudens have worked wih he Robin Hood

    Foundaion, Disney, and Nissan, gaining valuable proessional and academicexperience applying compeencies in everyday lie. I sared o noice changes in

    mysel, and I could reflec in hindsigh how I used cerain compeencies such as

    sraegic managemen or research.

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    Anoher asse o he program is he buil-in neworking componen. During he

    inegraing experience sudens inerac wih cliens and businesses o demon-

    srae wha hey have learned, bu sudens are also required o nework beyond

    class. I ook me a while o nework, Samanha says. My proessors pushed me

    and now I realize how valuable i is. Tere is a grea nework or sudens here,

    hrough he communiy and alumni.

    Samanha sees he compeency-based insrucion as a big benefi because i

    allowed her o showcase he skills she learned along he way, which she eels give

    her an edge over oher sudens in radiional programs. Tas wha employers

    look or, no how many hours you si in a classroom.

    Samanha el he program advisors wen above and beyond wha is normally

    required, working on behal o he sudens. Tey reaed us wih a high level

    o respec, she says. Tere was a check-in hroughou he semeser where we

    could reflec, alk abou our goals and how he classes were going, wha we likedand did no like. Tey respeced wha we were saying and helped us wih wha

    we waned or needed.

    Annual uiion a SNHU is $40,000 per year, which includes room and board.10

    Trough he hree-year honors program in business, Samanha was able o save

    he cos o a ourh year, or $40,000. Addiionally, Samanha received a $15,000

    per semeser academic scholarship rom SNHU, as long as she held a 3.0 grade-

    poin average. Her oal coss o receive her bachelors degree were $75,000, which

    she paid or hrough financial aid and suden loans.

    Te hree-year honors program in business proved o be a perec fi or

    Samanharom he small class sizes o he inense and challenging eam proj-

    ecs. She also liked he easy ineracion wih he advisors; she el comorable o

    ask or guidance and help when she needed i. I ruly go a grea educaion.

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    James Wersackas: A program tailored to career goals

    School:Southern New Hampshire University 3Year Honors Program

    Degree goal:Bachelors degree in business administration

    James Wersackas, a 20-year-old rom Lynnfield, Massachusets, chose SNHUshree-year honors program because o is convenien locaion, small class size,

    and pracical experience.

    James paricularly appreciaes he real-world scenarios inroduced a he begin-

    ning o each course and analyzed hroughou he erm. Sudens ofen refleced on

    how one scenario relaes o conceps learned during prior course projecs. During

    a calculus class, or example, James had had o orecas he annual earnings o a

    sample company, using knowledge rom prior coursework on research mehods

    and corporae filing documens, as well as newly acquired calculus skills. Tis

    exercise synhesized he conen o hree courses ino one assignmen or compe-ency demonsraion.

    According o James, anoher beneficial approach is ha he program requires su-

    dens o paricipae in group projecs so hey learn o inerac well wih ohers who

    invariably have differen approaches and perspecives. Group askssuch as agree-

    ing on he presenaion conen, dividing up asks, holding each oher accounable,

    and compleing he work wihin a single weekhave given James experience in

    conflic managemen and developing producive business relaionships.

    Te combinaion o compeency-based learning and he abiliy o ailor class

    assignmens o specific career goals provides James wih increased confidence

    ha he will be prepared o develop valuable business soluions or his uure

    employers and cliens.

    K.C. Oakley: Olympic business ideas

    School:Westminster College

    Degree goal:Masters degree in business administration

    K.C. is a graduae suden rom norhern Caliornia who is currenly on he U.S.

    Olympic skiing eam and is compleing a masers degree a he same ime. K.C.

    atended he Universiy o Caliornia, Berkeley, and majored in psychology.

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    Afer graduaion, K.C. qualified or he Olympic eam, where she ook advanage

    o heir 80 percen uiion-assisance policy o atend Wesminser Colleges

    M.B.A. program.

    Wesminsers compeency-based M.B.A. program requires sudens o complee

    20 projecs ha are designed around compeencies. Te projecs are organized inosequences o six projecs per semeser ha ocus on a given heme. For example,

    K.C. is currenly in he second sequence wih projecs ha ocus on he differen

    aspecs o markeing a produc, including veriying produc viabiliy, adverising,

    and promoion. I is very ocused on your goals and applying he maerial o where

    you see yoursel in your career. I am acually using wha Im learning in my cur-

    ren sequence o develop he markeing plan or he oundaion I am working on.

    Ohers, I know, are using i in heir businesses where hey work.

    K.C. is very saisfied wih he program, and noes, Now ha I undersand so

    many o he differen pars o how business works, I find my mind racing andexcied abou all o he businesses ha I wan o sar. So [he program] is defi-

    niely preparing me or he nex sep afer skiing.

    Jordan Jones: Learning in a real-world environment

    School:Westminster College

    Degree goal:Masters degree in business administration

    Jordon Joness college experience was ulimaely successul, bu also a exbook

    example o odays mobile learner. He ook classes a Uah Sae, he Universiy

    o Uah, and a communiy college, and finally finished his bachelors degree a he

    Universiy o Phoenix.

    Now age 34, Jordan has worked or many years as a sales operaion consulan

    wih Verizon Wireless. In recen years, Jordan developed a new passion or reading

    and learning, which led him o pursue an M.B.A. a Wesminser College.

    Te bes par o he program or Jordan is he pracical applicaion o knowledge.When I was looking a degree requiremens, he advisor spoke abou his projec-

    based M.B.A. program ha was unique o Wesminser, ha i was modeled afer

    a real world ype o environmen, he says. She old me ha wih a projec-based

    M.B.A. program, I would be demonsraing an undersanding o he maerial a

    my own job. Ta sood ou or me.

    Photo courtesy of Terah Rae

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    Jordan has been able o demonsrae his leadership skills and ranslae his aca-

    demic experience o he workplace. For example, afer compleing an exercise on

    corporae values a Wesminser, Jordan helped develop a mission saemen or

    his eam a Verizon.

    Halway o earning his M.B.A., Jordan is also impressed by he level o atenionhe receives rom saff, aculy, and advisors in he program. Jordan was assigned a

    menor a he beginning o he program who has aken a personal ineres in his

    success. He always keeps me aware o opporuniies around me, makes sure Im

    no misdireced, and ha Im finding a pracical applicaion or my knowledge.

    Travis Dom: Putting his learning to use

    School:Westminster College

    Degree goal: Bachelors degree

    ravis Dom comes rom a amily o six and is he second in his amily o atend

    college. ravis sared his college career sraigh ou o high school, bu lef or a

    wo-year mission o Peru. When he reurned, he go married and began working

    ull ime. Frequen changes in his work schedule prevened him rom atending

    radiional classes. Las year, he was promoed o a human resources generalis

    role where his superiors began encouraging him o complee his bachelors degree

    afer several monhs.

    Wesminsers compeency-based bachelors degree program is a good fi or him

    because I don have o worry abou schedules. Is all done on my own, and I

    have coaches who are all abou helping me, even on holidays. Alhough ravis

    sill has several sequences o complee, he is already using wha has been learning

    a his company. He explains, When I speak abou he [ools or echniques] well

    use [o make improvemens], I know abou wha i really can do and how we can

    really use i. For ravis, his has demonsraed he value o geting a degree even

    beore he has finished he program.

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    Conclusion

    Te impac ha compeency-based educaion can have on he workorce prospecs

    o he sudens profiled is clear. As an adul who had no finished college direcly

    afer high school, Jennier Hidalgo had ew skills and was acing long-erm

    minimum-wage employmen. Alverno Colleges nursing program used pracical

    applicaions and required Jennier o maser he compeencies needed o become

    a licensed nurse wih a bachelors degreea field wih remendous employmen

    prospecs in he 21s-cenury economy. Samanha Colby, a more radiional

    suden, was able o use compeency-based educaion o complee her degree in jushree years, lowering he cos and shorening he ime she spen in he classroom

    wihou shorchanging he qualiy and deph o her academic experience. Our

    naional imperaive o a well-prepared and educaed populace prepared or he

    jobs o his cenury requires new mehods o possecondary educaion delivery.

    Compeency-based educaion should be a he cener o hese innovaions.

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    For further reading

    Fain, Paul. 2013. Rise o Cusomized Learning.Inside Higher Ed(htp://www.

    insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/compeency-based-educaion-conin-

    ues-spread[November 2013]).

    Klein-Collins, Rebecca. 2012. Compeency-Based Degree Programs in he U.S.:

    Possecondary Credenials or Measureable Suden Learning and Perormance.

    Chicago: Council or Adul and Experienial Learning (htp://www.cael.org/

    pds/2012_CompeencyBasedPrograms).

    Laiinen, Amy. 2012. Cracking he Credi Hour. New York: New America

    Foundaion and Educaion Secor (htp://higheredwach.newamerica.ne/sies/

    newamerica.ne/files/policydocs/Cracking_he_Credi_Hour_Sep5_0.pd).

    LeBlanc, Paul J. 2013. Tinking abou Accrediaion in a Rapidly ChangingWorld.EDUCAUSE Review48 (2) (htp://www.educause.edu/ero/aricle/

    hinking-abou-accrediaion-rapidly-changing-world).

    Acknowledgments

    CAELs Becky Klein-Collins edied his collecion o inerviews, wih addiional

    ediorial inpu rom David Bergeron a he Cener or American Progress. Te

    suden inerviews were conduced and prepared by Klein-Collins, along wih

    Kahleen Glancey, Holly Holbrook, and Avi Kauman.

    Te Cener or American Progress and he Council or Adul and Experienial

    Learning are graeul o he seven insiuions ha inroduced us o he sudens

    profiled in his publicaion. In paricular, we acknowledge:

    Jennier Share, College or America

    Jeana Abromei, Alverno College

    Chris Hoffman, Wesminser College

    Sally Johnsone and Silvia Navehar, Wesern Governors Universiy

    http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/competency-based-education-continues-spreadhttp://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/competency-based-education-continues-spreadhttp://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/competency-based-education-continues-spreadhttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Cracking_the_Credit_Hour_Sept5_0.pdfhttp://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Cracking_the_Credit_Hour_Sept5_0.pdfhttp://www.educause.edu/ero/article/thinking-about-accreditation-rapidly-changing-worldhttp://www.educause.edu/ero/article/thinking-about-accreditation-rapidly-changing-worldhttp://www.educause.edu/ero/article/thinking-about-accreditation-rapidly-changing-worldhttp://www.educause.edu/ero/article/thinking-about-accreditation-rapidly-changing-worldhttp://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Cracking_the_Credit_Hour_Sept5_0.pdfhttp://higheredwatch.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Cracking_the_Credit_Hour_Sept5_0.pdfhttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/competency-based-education-continues-spreadhttp://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/competency-based-education-continues-spreadhttp://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/05/competency-based-education-continues-spread
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    Jay Box and Sandra Cook, Kenucky Communiy and echnical College

    Sysems Learn on Demand

    Ashley Liadis, Souhern New Hampshire Universiys 3Year Honors Program

    Ann Sanord, DePaul Universiy School or New Learning

    We are also graeul o he sudens who generously shared heir sories:

    Julie Braley, Souhern New Hampshire Universiys College or America

    Marcus Carmicle, Kenucky Learn on Demand

    Lvia Weisinger, Wesern Governors Universiy

    Laura Gibson, Kenucky Learn on Demand

    Franchon Foser, DePaul Universiy School or New Learning

    Joy Boggs, DePaul Universiy School or New Learning

    Linda Jepsen, DePaul Universiy School or New Learning

    Jennier Hidalgo, Alverno College

    Samanha Colby, Souhern New Hampshire Universiy 3Year Honors Program

    James Wersackas, Souhern New Hampshire Universiy 3Year Honors Program

    K.C. Oakley, Wesminser College

    Jordan Jones, Wesminser College

    Finally, we are graeul or suppor rom he Bill and Melinda Gaes Foundaion

    and he oundaions leadership in promoing compeency-based educaion.

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    29 Center for American Progress | Meeting Students Where They Are

    Endnotes

    1 Rebecca Klein-Collins, Competency-Based DegreePrograms in the U.S.: Postsecondary Credentials forMeasureable Student Learning and Performance(Chicago: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning,2012), available athttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedPrograms.

    2 Jennifer Erickson and Michael Ettlinger, 300 MillionEngines of Growth: A Middle-Out Plan for Jobs,Business, and a Growing Economy (Washington:Center for American Progress, 2013), available athttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growth.

    3 Louis Soares, A Disruptive Look at Competency-BasedEducation: How the Innovative Use of TechnologyWill Transform the College Experience (Washington:Center for American Progress, 2012), available at http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/is-sues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdf.

    4 For more information, see College for America, AMilestone for Competency-Based Higher Ed, availableat http://collegeforamerica.org/latest/entry/a-mile-

    stone-for-competency-based-higher-ed(last accessedNovember 2013).

    5 For more information, see Western GovernorsUniversity, available at www.wgu.edu(last accessedNovember 2013); College for America, About Collegefor America, available athttp://collegeforamerica.org/about (last accessed November 2013); Kentucky Com-munity and Technical College System Online Learn onDemand, available at http://learnondemand.kctcs.edu(last accessed November 2013).

    6 For more information, see DePaul School for NewLearning, available at http://snl.depaul.edu(last ac-cessed November 2013); Alverno College, available atwww.alverno.edu(last accessed November 2013).

    7 Alverno College, Alverno Advantage, 2013-14 Bulletin,

    available at http://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocol-lege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bul-letin.pdf(last accessed November 2013).

    8 For more information, see Southern New HampshireUniversity, 3Year Honors Program in Business (BS),available at http://www.snhu.edu/2220.asp(last ac-cessed November 2013).

    9 For more information, see Westminster, The Project-based MBA, available at http://www.westminstercol-lege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282(last accessed November 2013).

    10 College Navigator, Sothern New Hampshire University:Tuition, Fees and Estimated Student Expenses, avail-able athttp://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=southern+new+hampshire&s=all(last accessed November2013).

    http://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growthhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growthhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growthhttp://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdfhttp://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdfhttp://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdfhttp://collegeforamerica.org/latest/entry/a-milestone-for-competency-based-higher-edhttp://collegeforamerica.org/latest/entry/a-milestone-for-competency-based-higher-edhttp://www.wgu.edu/http://collegeforamerica.org/abouthttp://collegeforamerica.org/abouthttp://learnondemand.kctcs.edu/http://snl.depaul.edu/http://www.alverno.edu/http://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocollege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bulletin.pdfhttp://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocollege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bulletin.pdfhttp://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocollege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bulletin.pdfhttp://www.snhu.edu/2220.asphttp://www.westminstercollege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282http://www.westminstercollege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282http://www.westminstercollege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=southern+new+hampshire&s=all&id=183026http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=southern+new+hampshire&s=all&id=183026http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=southern+new+hampshire&s=all&id=183026http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=southern+new+hampshire&s=all&id=183026http://www.westminstercollege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282http://www.westminstercollege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282http://www.westminstercollege.edu/mba/index.cfm?parent=1086&detail=1419&content=11282http://www.snhu.edu/2220.asphttp://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocollege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bulletin.pdfhttp://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocollege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bulletin.pdfhttp://www.alverno.edu/media/alvernocollege/admissions/pdfs/Alverno%20Advantage%20Bulletin.pdfhttp://www.alverno.edu/http://snl.depaul.edu/http://learnondemand.kctcs.edu/http://collegeforamerica.org/abouthttp://collegeforamerica.org/abouthttp://www.wgu.edu/http://collegeforamerica.org/latest/entry/a-milestone-for-competency-based-higher-edhttp://collegeforamerica.org/latest/entry/a-milestone-for-competency-based-higher-edhttp://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdfhttp://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdfhttp://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2012/06/pdf/comp_based_education.pdfhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growthhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growthhttp://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/06/13/66204/300-million-engines-of-growthhttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedProgramshttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/2012_CompetencyBasedPrograms
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    The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute

    dedicated to promoting a strong, just, and free America that ensures opportunity

    for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to

    these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values.

    We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and

    international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that

    is of the people, by the people, and for the people.


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