What is Competency-Based Education?

The concept of Competency-Based Education (CBE) began in the late 1950s, inspired by the work of linguist Noam Chomsky. In 1965, Chomsky introduced the idea of generative grammar, which distinguishes between knowing a language and using it. Around this time, many people in the U.S. believed the education system was not up to standard, leading to public debates and government actions. One response was the Performance-Based Teacher Education movement, which combined educational theories that evolved into Competency-Based Training (CBT). CBT's foundations mainly come from behaviorism and systems theory, two major ideas shaping educational discussions in the U.S. during its early development.

Competency-based education prioritizes mastering skills over spending a set amount of time in a classroom. It is based on clearly defining what it means to be competent in a specific field. This usually involves research to identify different levels of competence. These levels are determined by outlining the tasks and performance standards required. Once these characteristics are identified and organized within a larger framework, a learning plan is created. This plan helps students improve their skills and efficiently reach their learning goals. This means making learning personal, efficient, and practical.

This ideology gained traction in professional and vocational training programs, where demonstrating skills—like operating machinery or mastering medical procedures—was non-negotiable. But over time, it has expanded into K-12 and higher education as well. Now, thanks to advancements in technology and a growing desire for personalized learning, ideas from CBE are stirring up how we think about teaching and learning.

Outcome-Based Education & Competency-Based Education

OBE is also based on the idea that education should produce specific outcomes, usually defined as broad goals or skills that learners should achieve by the end of a course or program. These outcomes are often tied to the curriculum, and success is measured by how well students meet them. Think of it as setting a destination—where the entire journey is focused on making sure everyone reaches it.

Competency-based education zooms in on the journey itself. It defines specific, measurable competencies that learners must master. These competencies are smaller, actionable pieces that build toward larger goals. Where OBE might aim for students to “understand the principles of physics,” CBE would specify that students need to “calculate force using Newton’s second law” or “explain how energy is conserved in a closed system.”

Competency-based education (CBE) can be seen as a specialized subset of Outcome-Based Education (OBE). While both share a focus on achieving specific learning results, CBE narrows the lens, emphasizing granular, measurable skills within the broader framework of outcomes defined by OBE.

Principles of Competency-Based Education

1. Mastery of Competencies: Students progress by demonstrating mastery of clearly defined, measurable competencies.
2. Personalized Learning: The pace and learning pathways are tailored to individual needs, allowing students to focus more time on areas where they need improvement and move quickly through topics they already understand.
3. Clear and Measurable Outcomes: Learning objectives are specific, observable, and aligned with skills and knowledge that students need to succeed in their careers or further education.
4. Assessment: Students demonstrate their knowledge and skills through various forms of assessment (e.g., projects, exams, presentations), ensuring they can apply their learning in practical contexts.
5. Equity and Inclusivity: CBE ensures all students are held to the same high standards but provides support to address different learning needs and challenges.
6. Continuous Feedback and Support: Frequent, actionable feedback helps learners understand their progress and areas for improvement.

Why Competency-Based Education?

Employers are increasingly seeking candidates who can demonstrate specific, real-world competencies. Competency-based education adjusts to the changing needs of students, teachers, and society. Competency, which means being able to apply a skill, focuses on preparing graduates for their future roles. Given this, we note that the competency-based approach implies that both are competent, the learner, but also the teacher. This in turn requires the determination of the specific competencies that have to be typical for a teacher according to their field of study.

Regarding efficiency, education systems often require students to complete a set number of credit hours or weeks in a course, even if they already possess the skills being taught. CBE eliminates this 'unnecessary' seat time by ensuring students move forward once they’ve demonstrated mastery. This saves time for the learner and also in some cases reduces educational costs.

Students in CBE programs report feeling more engaged due to the personalized learning pace and focus on areas that need improvement.

REFERENCES

Spady, W. G. (1994). Outcome-Based Education: Critical Issues and Answers. American Association of School Administrators.

Newmess, A. (2019). The Effectiveness of Personalized Competency-Based Education on Student Engagement at the Secondary Level.

Harden, R. M. (2007). Outcome-Based Education: the future is today.

Bolova, Y. (2015). The history of the development of competency-based education.

Bloom, B. S. (1956) .Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. David McKay Company.