Iowa Journey toward Competency-based Education Sandra Dop, Ph.D. Director, Iowa CBE Collaborative Partnership for 21 st Century Skills Summit March 27, 2015
More ChildrenStudent Essay The impact CBE has had on me is life-changing. It has taught me to be open-minded and to realize that there is more than one way to approach things and sometimes the new way is the better way. I am more engrossed in what I am learning and the positive feedback from students in CBE classrooms is astounding. Elizabeth Strums, Muscatine Student vs Learner
The More Children Iowa Journey toward CBE 2010 State Board Priority 2011 State Guidelines on CBE o Principles o Definitions o Examples 2011 Governor s Blueprint on Education 2011 CBE Forum
More Children Policy Issues o Legislative: Code changes require legislative action Eliminate the Carnegie unit as the only way to earn credit toward graduation (2012 legislation) Teach more than one course at a time in the same room (2012) Credit earned before 9 th grade no longer restricted to math, ELA, science, and social studies (effective November 19, 2014) o State Department: Chapter 12 (administrative rule) Rules Committee and State Board can change this (Mostly centered around the definition of unit) o Local District: Local School Board Definition of Unit Graduation Requirement
More Children IOWA Department of Education
Iowa CBE Collaborative Districts Cedar Rapids Collins-Maxwell East Union Howard-Winn Marshalltown Mason City Muscatine Nevada Spirit Lake Van Meter Colleges/Universities AEAs
\ Iowa CBE Collaborative Collaborative Processes Collaborative Outcomes State Outcomes Work Teams Districts IHEs AEAs Leadership Teams A framework for transitioning to a personalized, competency-based system, which will guide statewide implementation Demonstration sites successfully implementing the framework and demonstrating improved college and career ready outcomes Iowa districts and schools implement CBE according to the State Guidelines Students who are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for post secondary success
Getting Started Common readings District selfassessment Conversation starters Leadership at All Levels Personalized Learning Stakeholder Engagement Iowa Framework for Implementation of Competency-based Education College and Career Ready Graduates through Competency-based Pathways State Guidelines for CBE College and Career Ready Definition and Indicators Universal Constructs Literature Review and Research Base Professional Learning Teacher/Leader Prep Professional Development Transitions to Post Secondary Policy State (Chapter 12) Local Monitor, Record, and Report Learning Schedules and Structures Competencies Competencies Scoring Guides Learning Progression.... Performance Assessments... Presentations of Learning Instruct/Lrn Environment Internships Strategies Any time, any where
Principles of CBE 1. Students advance upon demonstrated proficiency. 2. Competencies are based on enduring understandings and require transfer of knowledge, skills, and the Universal Constructs to complex situation in and/or across content areas and/or beyond the classroom. 3. Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for students. 4. Students receive rapid, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs. 5. All learning is validated regardless of when, where, or how students acquired or demonstrated the learning.
Characteristics of CBE Systems I. The district has strong internal and external stakeholder commitment to and involvement in district-wide competency-based education. II. District nurtures a culture of continual improvement III. The district adopts policies and procedures to support a competency-based system. IV. Competencies and scoring documents align with the Early Learning Standards, the Iowa Core standards, other content standards not yet a part of the Iowa Core, and the Universal Constructs. V. Assessments are a meaningful and positive learning experience for students.
Characteristics of CBE Systems VI. Learning environment is student-centered and personalized. VII. Leadership is purposefully shared throughout the system. VIII. Credit/advancement is based upon demonstration of proficiency IX. The district provides technical support for teachers, students, and parents. X. District provides smooth transitions to postsecondary experiences
Defining Terms Competency: A competency is an enduring understanding that requires the transfer of knowledge, skills, and dispositions to complex situations in and/or across content areas and/or beyond the classroom. Proficiency: Demonstrated skill or knowledge required to advance to and be successful in higher levels of learning in that content area or using that content.
With an Elbow Partner Share something you know or are able to do well Then share how you learned it. Who do you want to pack your parachute? Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5 Student 1 98% 88% 93% 95% 94% Student 2 40% 60% 70% 85% 100% Student 3 70% 40% 100% 100% 100% But who gets the A in today s educational system?
Are you as proficient as your grandmother? Place yourself under the correct sign to indicate how you view your skills at doing laundry be honest. In your groups list why you believe you fit in that category. Boston Day and Evening School
Defining Terms Personalized Learning: Learning is tailored to each student s strengths, needs and interests in order to provide flexibility and supports to ensure all students reach proficiency of the highest standards/competencies possible. Personalized learning enables student voice and choice in what, how, when, and where they learn. Example: Kettle Moraine, Wisconsin John Hunter and the Fourth Grade World Peace Game
The Two BIG Questions More Children What happens when they transitions to Post-secondary? o Higher Ed Team o all three regents o 2 community colleges: Hawkeye, Kirkwood o 3 other colleges: Drake, Dordt, Simpson o Their Charge o Transitions to post-secondary o Teacher/Leader Prep o Transforming their own teaching What about sports and activities? o Eligibility: Iowa Athletic Association o Scholarships: NCAA
Competencies: A System of Relationships Enduring Understandings Standards Universal Constructs Competencies Learning Progressions Scoring Guides/Rubrics
More Children With an Elbow Partner: List 3 ways the world has changed it the last 40 or 45 years. List 3 skills people need today because of those changes. Which skills are you most concerned about for the students in your schools? Ken Kay
More Graduate ChildrenGoals Competencies What do you want your graduates to walk like, talk like, sound like... think like when they cross your stage? What do you want them to know and be able to do? Take off your discipline hat and think globally... What are the most important tools they need to be successful in a global, 21 st century environment?
More Standards Children Competencies Cluster standards that are complementary, interdependent in addressing a complex application 1. Identify key verbs Indicate valid student performance in which content and skills are used 2. Look for recurring nouns Signal key concepts, principles, themes, and issues 3. Identify and analyze key adjectives and adverbs Lead to valid scoring criteria and rubrics for successful performance 4. Identify long-term transfer goals Point to complex performance ability
Universal Constructs More Children Creativity Complex Communication Flexibility/Adaptability Critical Thinking Collaboration Productivity/Accountability
Critical Thinking More Children What How Why Create solutions to complex problems through inquiry and investigations to influence internal and/or external conditions. High Quality Competency Statements Relevant to Content Area Enduring Concepts Cognitive Demand Universal Constructs Learner-centric
Gradual Release 1. Together this is what we are going to learn. We are going to learn it by doing this. 2. Here is what we are going to learn, and here are a couple ways to learn it. Which would you like to try? 3. Here is what we are going to learn. Here is a way to learn it, and here is an idea that I have not developed, but you could try. 4. Here is what we are going to learn. Do you have any ideas about how we might learn it?
Critical Thinking: Create solutions to complex problems through inquiry and investigations to influence internal and/or external conditions. More Children Complex Communication: Exchange complex information and ideas through the use of justifiable modes to effectively meet the needs of diverse individuals and groups. Creativity: Generate ideas by reconfiguring current thinking or by connecting seemingly unrelated ideas for an aesthetic or practical purpose. Collaboration: Negotiate in a respectful team process by contributing personal capacity to share ownership of outcomes that are larger than the individual. Productivity and Accountability: Exhibit responsibility through persistence and self-direction to produce quality results that add value in an every-changing environment. Flexibility and Adaptability: Adjusts to novel information or situations with intellectual agility to be successful when facing ambiguity and/or challenges. IOWA Department of Education
More Children What if... What will be different for the future of your students if they leave your school really equipped with these skills? What would be different for your teachers if they knew they were really able to affect these outcomes for students? What do you see the students in your building doing toward proficiency on these competencies?
Complex Communication Competency: Exchange complex information and ideas through justifiable modes to Skill 1 effectively meet the needs of diverse individuals and groups. What: Effective communicators develop a clear, concise message that accurately expresses information and ideas and allows for feedback and /or discussion. How: Effective communicators use what they have learned from analysis of their message and audience to purposefully choose and justify the mode(s) used for each task. Why: Effective communicators work toward meeting the needs for their audience by considering personal and audience bias, cultural context, and potential conflict and/or unintended consequences. MESSAGE:. Select, sort, and analyze information and ideas to provide a clear, concise, accurate message. Skill 2 MODE: Select, integrate and justify appropriate, effective modes of communication (visual, digital, verbal, non-verbal) Primary Explains reasoning behind teacherprovided format choice(s) to effectively present own ideas and clarify message. Link: I Can Statements Intermediate Explains reasoning behind examples, format and/or media choices to effectively present own ideas, engage audience members, recognize cultural norms, and clarify message Link: I Can Statements Middle School Tailors and justifies examples, format and/or media to enhance presentation of own ideas, engage different audience members, respond to cultural norms, and clarify message effectively Graduates Tailors, integrates, and justifies a variety of examples, formats and media to enhance presentation of own ideas, engage different audience members, respond to cultural norms, and clarify message effectively Skill 3 I can... AUDIENCE: Meaningful, engaging interaction that considers cultural context, mental models or bias, and possible unintended consequence or conflict. I can.. I can.. I can..
DRAFT Algebraic Competencies Analyze relationships that are modeled mathematically through multiple representations by creating, manipulating, and interpreting equivalent expressions to reveal information in a useful format. Analyze different types of mathematical relations by interpreting the graph and/or the characteristics of the equation to apply the model in various situations. Create algebraic representations by translating information into a justifiable mathematical model to contribute to understanding internal or external situations. Solve algebraic equations and inequalities by applying and justifying various mathematical rules to examine real-world phenomena using math as the authority.
DRAFT Geometric Competencies Formulate logical arguments through formalized inductive and deductive reasoning to support a conclusion symbolically and with written word. (Logic) Develop representations of geometric figures and properties using manipulations and spatial sense to visually represent the abstract and concrete. (Evidence) (Measurement)
District Decisions More Children Will we just adopt the state models when they are available? Do we start with standards or graduate goals? Do we clump by grade or subject area? Will we write subject area overarching competencies? Will we do any cross curricular competencies? If we set graduate goals, will we have a capstone project? What other ways might we know they have been met?
Learning Progressions More Children Developmental stages of conceptual understanding Progress map
Blended Learning is the engine to carry out at scale student-centered learning, which is personalized learning and competency-based learning combined. Michael Horn
http://www.blendedlearning.org/ http://www.christenseninstitute.org/blended-learning/
Why Should We Care about Blended Learning? Schools around the world are adopting blended learning to personalize learning, increase access and equity and control costs. Michael Horn
Blended Learning is... any formal education program in which a student learns at least in part through online learning, with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace and the student learns at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and the modalities along each student s learning path within a course or subject are connected to provide an integrated learning experience. http://www.christenseninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04
Blended Learning Video
Resources Delivering on the Promise Off the Clock: Moving Education from Time to Competency Community-Based Learning: Awakening the Mission of Public Schools Five Levers to Improve Learning: How to Prioritize for Powerful Results in Your School The Leaders Guide to 21 st Century Education Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools
Resources www.iacomped.com www.competencyworks.org Sandra.Dop@iowa.gov