Competency based vs Self Paced

[rlw74]

I seem to hear schools throw around "competency-based" and "self-paced" as if they are one and the same thing. To me, there is a difference. If you can test out of a competency and move onto the next competency that sounds competency-based. But if a school expect you to compete all assignments, projects (which are built into the course and require reading all the material), but you can do that at your own pace, that sounds self-paced, not competency-based. I'm curious about WGU (or some of these other schools that are talked about on this board). Do any of them let you test out before you start the course? Do you still need to complete all projects and papers? If not, how does one get through an MBA in one term?

[jsd]

I was thinking about this the other day while I was comparing the Patten model vs the WGU model.

Patten seems more self paced and WGU seems more competency based.

Patten requires you to do one project and one exam per course, and optional assignments that will count towards your grade if you choose to do them. In either case, you end the course with a letter grade. You don't have to read any of the material, but the exams do have some specific questions from the material (and a ton of questions about topics never addressed in the material, but that's a whole other issue).

WGU you can jump right to the final exam (or project, depending on course... Some require both, but that's not the usual). The assessments are not specific to the material, bit the overall concepts. The courses result in pass/fail, never a letter grade.

[Ideas]

Yeah, I agree that competency-based should mean you can test-out. I think that I would still call it competency-based if there was something like a lab skills check, or other skills exam. So for a language class, I would still say it's competency based even if you had to record a speech. Or for a writing class, I think it's still competency based if you had to write papers. But to me, you have to be able to rely only on prior knowledge.

But I think many schools and companies misuse the terminology and mix them up. So in reality, you don't know what it will be like.

[Life Long Learning]

Yeah, I agree that competency-based should mean you can test-out. I think that I would still call it competency-based if there was something like a lab skills check, or other skills exam. So for a language class, I would still say it's competency based even if you had to record a speech. Or for a writing class, I think it's still competency based if you had to write papers. But to me, you have to be able to rely only on prior knowledge.

But I think many schools and companies misuse the terminology and mix them up. So in reality, you don't know what it will be like.

Great point!

[Thorne]

Honestly, every school is competency-based. You aren't rated, mos of the time, on how well you brown-nose your professors. Certainly that can affect your grade, but the lion's share comes from how well you understand the material.

The idea of competency-based education a la Patten, Hodges, WGU, and every similar option is very much rooted in self-paced coursework, which permits those who are competent in the subject to move more quickly than those who are incompetent in the subject.

[sanantone]

The purpose of competency-based programs is to allow people to move as slowly or as quickly as needed, with limitations, and skip over unneeded lessons. The traditional format is based on time, and everyone is required to complete a predetermined set of assignments regardless of prior knowledge.

[Life Long Learning]

I am finding condensed online courses are 95% "self-paced" within the term.  I love these short-term courses and I cut them down to only 1/3.

Fall I, Excelsior College, Capstone 8-week course (I completed in first 3 weeks).
Fall II, FTCC 8 week Course (I completed in first 2 weeks).
Spring 2018, HC, 10-week course (I just completed in 1 week).

All books read before course started.  All papers, online exams, initial posts (12-21 avg each) all completed in first 1-3 weeks.   
In two weeks, I will start reading Spring II term books that start on 3.15.2018.

Reply to student discussions are easy, but I have to wait for them (5%).

[dfrecore]

I think competency-based and self-paced are almost interchangeable (if you already know the material, your pace will be faster than someone who is just learning it for the first time). You can also move onto the next course more quickly because you can finish a course as quickly as you want/are able to.

Like Sanantone said, traditional models are time-based - it's an 8-week or 12-week or 16-week course, with a schedule already set out for when assignments are due and exams need to be taken. You could do the work faster, but you won't get your grade until after the time period has elapsed. You can't progress faster through the course or overall program due to already knowing the material.

So really it's competency-based/self-paced vs. time-based (and not competency-based vs self-paced).