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Competency-Based Education

Transforming Higher Education

Through collaboration with administrators, faculty, external agencies and other universities, we support the development and growth of CBE programs at East Texas A&M, across the state and nationwide.

Want to Bring CBE to Your institution?

We serve as a campus, state and national collaboratory for innovation in order to:

  • Assist institutions and state agencies with the development of competency-based programs.
  • Work with policymakers and others to determine the effectiveness of competency-based programs.
  • Share best practices in the development, implementation and study of competency-based education.

We are able to help you in the following areas of competency-based education:

  • Program design and development
  • Training and workshops
  • Speaking engagements
  • Data and research
  • Access to subject matter experts
  • Webinars and conferences
  • Other consulting services

What is Competency-Based Education

At East Texas A&M University, Competency-Based Education (CBE) puts you in control of your learning. Instead of logging hours in a classroom, you’ll move forward by showing what you know and can do. With personalized guidance from your instructor and advisor, you set the pace—learning when and how it fits your schedule. And because CBE is fully online and built for flexibility, it’s designed to fit around your busy life, helping you earn your degree on your terms.

Student Journey map
Learn More About CBE at East Texas A&M

Spring Webinar Series Archive

January 28th @ 2 p.m. Central

Carlos Rivers and Courtney Clanton form the Institute for Competency-Based Education will showcase the lessons learned over five years as Texas A&M University-Commerce built and implemented their first and second CBE programs. Reflecting on the journey, this presentation/discussion will cover defining characteristics of CBE, recommendations for starting points to include operational best practices and current logistical issues within a CBE program. The presentation will also include how similar modalities like Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) connect to CBE as well as how CBE connects to Competency-Based Learning (CBL). The final segment of the presentation will show how these modalities/programs are currently linked to the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate (TAB) program and how they are working to ensure the stated goals of 60X30TX.

Watch the Recording

March 4th @ 2 p.m. Central

Kelle Parsons and Jessica Mason from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will share the results of their collaborative study of student outcomes at 7 institutions offering CBE programs, focusing on progression, completion, time to degree and total price to students. The team will examine how CBE outcomes compare to outcomes for similar students in traditional programs; also sharing tips to consider if you would like to evaluate outcomes in your own CBE programs.

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March 25th @ 2 p.m. Central

This panel includes the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Associate Dean of Digital Learning & Innovation – Dr. Susan Wegmann, Student Success Coach – Tesha Graham, Director of Recruitment CBE – Marissa Boughtner, Financial Aid CBE – Greta Wheeler, and Instructional Designer – Kelsie Livingston. An effective CBE program requires buy-in and engagement from multiple people on campus. This panel will discuss various roles needed to provide an optimal CBE program. Speakers will share best practices in their respective areas, and a Q and A session will occur at the end.

April 8th @ 2 p.m. Central

George Swindell, Instructor, College of Innovation & Design, Texas A&M University-Commerce, will share his tips on the construction of a CBE course. The purpose of this session will be to present a demonstration of how a Core-Curriculum course can be structured to meet both university and state goals. We will discuss best practices when designing a CBE course as well as tips to help facilitate the learning process for all learners. Participants will receive some basic knowledge of curriculum mapping when discussing course design as well as get a hands-on look at the application of a CBE course in action.

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April 22nd @ 2 p.m. Central

What should one expect in seeking regional accreditation approval for competency-based education programs? What should universities consider during the design phase of building CBE programs that align with regional and national standards? Please join Dr. Laurie G. Dodge, Vice Chancellor of Institutional Assessment & Planning and Vice Provost at Brandman University, to learn more about the regional accreditation process and expectations for approval of competency-based education programs. Dr. Laurie Dodge will share best practices in seeking regional accreditation approval and introduce the new USDOE regulations for direct assessment competency-based education programs.

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May 6th @ 2 p.m. Central

Dr. Yvonne Villanueva-Russel and Ricia Montgomery from Texas A&M University-Commerce will share an insider perspective. Taking a look at the process and results of an integrative approach to maximize teaching load, pay scale, and course enrollment caps for adjunct and full-time instructors within the College of Innovation and Design at Texas A&M University-Commerce which houses both traditional and competency-based education programs. We will share a customizable Excel spreadsheet and will consider implications for scaling programs while aiming to adhere to accreditation standards and best practices.

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Yvonne Villanueva-Russell, Dean, College of Innovation & Design, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Jimmy Womack, Coordinator, TAB CJ Program, Texas A&M University-Commerce Presenters will share their tips for innovation in the rapid design of a criminal justice competency-based program that was constructed and implemented in 11 months. Strategies to “lean in” by seeking collaboration with campus partners will be discussed along with strategies to “lean out” by utilizing an advisory board and outside consultants. Participants will receive practical advice about how to sidestep landmines and overcome obstacles to achieve a successful launch of a new program.

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As new education models emerge in the higher education landscape, constituents and stakeholders increasingly demand greater evidence of the return on investment to both students and the institution. The purpose of this presentation is twofold. First, the presentation will show a program performance comparison of two completer degree programs targeting adult learners. The comparison analyses key student success metrics including student enrollment, retention and graduation rates, as well as other data points such as time-to-degree, cost-to-degree and student debt scenarios for both a CBE program and a comparable traditional program. Second, the presentation will showcase six years’ worth of financial data for the program, highlighting both revenues and expenses associated with launching competency-based programs. The findings of this presentation suggest that the CBE program results in higher performance across all key performance indicators for the adult learner population. The results also support the notion that institutions should expect a competency-based program of this type to break-even by the fifth year of operation and a strong long-term financial outlook. While further research is needed, this presentation adds to the limited body of knowledge to understand both the return on investment for both students and institutions alike.

Watch the Recording

Please join us to discuss findings from the 2019 National Survey of Postsecondary CBE, focused on exploring the “state of the field” for CBE. The discussion will include what types of institutions are adopting CBE, their path toward adoption, and barriers and facilitators of the process. Following a brief presentation, we’ll open up for Q&A and discussion.

Presenters: Kelle Parsons & Jessica Mason

Watch the Recording

Competency-based academic and workforce programs have proven to be one of the most effective innovations in higher education to increase student recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. This presentation, based on the soon-to-be-published book, “Competency-Based Education Made Easy: A Step-By-Step Handbook for Developing and Implementing Competency-Based Education Programs in Institutions of Higher Education,” offers a step-by-step guide on how to plan, develop, implement, and administer CBE programs. The presentation is designed to be timely and relevant to attendees, ranging all the way from beginners to more experienced colleagues who are looking for ways to develop and/or improve an existing CBE program. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing and implementing CBE online courses and entire CBE online programs in response to recent and possible future restrictions on student mobility associated with the Corona Virus. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign-up to receive a free copy of “Competency-Based Education Made Easy: A Step-By-Step Handbook for Developing and Implementing Competency-Based Education Programs in Institutions of Higher Education.”

Watch the Recording

Presenter:

  • Charla Long, Competency-Based Education Network

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Presenters:

  • Kelle Parsons, AIR
  • Howard Lurie, eduVentures

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Presenters:

  • Dr. Yvonne Villanueva-Russell, Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • James Fountain, Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • Carlos Rivers, Texas A&M University-Commerce

Presenters:

  • Dr. Ali Esmaeili and Dr. Emma Miller, South Texas College

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Presenters:

  • Carlos Rivers and James Fountain, Institute for Competency-Based Education

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Presenter:

  • Cali Morrison, American Public University System

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Presenters:

  • Howard Lurie – Principal Analyst| EduVentures
  • Carlos Rivers – Operations Research Analyst | Institute for Competency-Based Education, Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • Dr. Christopher Sessums – Learning Strategies Consultant | D2L

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Presenter:

  • Carlos Rivers – Operations Research Analyst | Institute for Competency-Based Education, Texas A&M University-Commerce

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Presenters:

  • Kelle Parsons – Researcher | American Institutes for Research,
  • Todd Nobles – Research Assistant | American Institutes for Research,
  • Cameron Smither – Research Associate | American Institutes for Research

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Presenters:

  • Dr. Amardeep Kahlon, Director, Fast Track to Success & Professor, Computer Science/Computer Information Systems, Austin Community College

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Presenter:

  • Jennifer Nailos – Program Director | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

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Presenter:

  • Dr. Kurt Linberg, Consultant, Hastad Marketing Company

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Presenter:

  • Charla Long – Executive Director | Competency-Based Education Network
  • Deb Bushway – Consultant | Competency-Based Education Network

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Our Partners

Competency Based Education logo

Competency Based Education

A network of institutions, employers and experts committed to unlocking the potential of competency-based learning to ensure education and training is more flexible, responsive and valuable.

More about C-BEN
American Institute for Research logo

American Institute for Research

AIR is committed to increasing the effectiveness of education at all levels through rigorous research and evaluation, training and technical assistance.

More about AIR
Competency-Based Education Consortium logo

Competency-Based Education Consortium

The mission of the Competency-Based Education Consortium is to share lessons learned and best practices from the field in competency-based education. In doing so, they enable post-secondary institutions to leverage CBE, paving a path from recruitment to mastery and, ultimately, employability.

More about CBEC

These are just a few of the institutions we have partnered with to offer competency-based education pathways to their students.

Austin Community College District logo.
South Texas College logo.
University of Huston Downtown logo.
Midwestern State University logo.
Dallas College logo.
Texas State Technical College.
Houston Community College logo.
Nichols College logo.
Lourdes University logo.

We’re Here to Help!

Alum Lauren Devitt Executive Assistant
Alum Misty Lair Associate Program Director
Becky Smith Academic Advising Specialist
Kathryn Alvis Onboarding Specialist
Alum Jamie Pfennig CBE Processor

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Competency-Based Education Network Member logo.

C-BEN MEMBER

The Institute for Competency-Based Education is an official member of the Competency-Based Education Network. Committed to serve as an advocate for competency-based education.

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