Overwhelming Support for Competency-Based Education

This article was written by Sagence Learning, Inc.

Inside Higher Ed's survey of chief academic officers reported that 91 percent of provosts at public colleges and universities said that they favored awarding credit through CBE (competency-based education). While the support of 72 percent was slightly lower at private colleges, both sectors reported higher figures than ever.

The full report is available here.  A conclusion we share is that for years provosts have seen CBE as a way for many students, particularly those adult learners returning to higher education,  "to earn degrees more speedily than in the past and without spending as much money."

Only 22 percent of provosts at public institutions expressed the fear that CBE would damage general education, down from 39 percent in 2014. This no longer seems to be a major concern. Our conclusion is academic leadership is convinced of the value that CBE can bring to the student looking for academic opportunities specifically focused on helping them achieve career and job aspirations.  While skepticism remains, it should no longer discourage institutions from starting programs. "In the intervening years, many traditional (and prestigious) institutions have jumped into CBE."