Publishers can give schools various digital tools that support competency-based education (CBE). But, districts may put off buying a CBE curriculum as they are overwhelmed by product choices. So, publishers can help school districts by making and supporting quality products. Read about the products and supports that publishers should prioritize for schools for competency-based education.
Build CBE Aligned Products for the Entire District
First, publishers can invest in building good products aligned with the competencies of the entire district. So, schools can use pandemic relief funds to transform their curriculum. CBE works best when the whole system operates on the same model. Yes, this is a big transition. But, the impact CBE has on students is worth the investment. But, educators have to learn how to navigate the new way. Therefore, providers can support schools with professional development opportunities. Publishers can create instructor-led training, virtual support, and integrated tutorials into their products. An LMS makes this task easy.
Make LMS and Platforms Flexible for CBE
Besides that, providers will win when they shift their LMS toward CBE alignment, showcasing student achievements. So, providers can offer core LMS features like grade books, assessments, learning tracks, and chat rooms. Besides that, publishers can give educators tools to differentiate content. Also, publishers can make platforms that follow the student through the entire system. But, the platform will need to be able to grow and effectively integrate with other providers and their products.
Help Educators Integrate Competency-Based Education Add-ons
Open curriculum resources and add-ons are popular with teachers. These free and open resources allow educators to assign skill-building assignments to students. Providers can build platforms that integrate these resources. Then, teachers can track students’ progress in programs like Khan Academy in their LMS. But, some sites quickly fade. Thus, providers make tools to help teachers add, delete, and curate content. Publishers can add competencies to their content or let teachers do so.
Make the Learning Personal for Competency-Based Education
So, publishers can keep redoing current content to personalize the student’s learning journey. Key learning objectives help educators identify learning resources to assign to build the student’s skill toward mastery. CBE helps identifies students’ strengths and areas for growth. So, teachers can give students assignments that highlight their strengths. Likewise, these digital tools flag areas for development. Competency-based education tends to be a great equalizer. Students typically underserved and marginalized by traditional models thrive in CBE because competency-based education focuses on mastery.
Produce Products Addressing Real-World Problems for CBE
Likewise, competency-based education means solving real-world problems. So, providers can create products that let students demonstrate their skill mastery as they solve the problem. Competency-based education measures teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking skills. Students will use these future-ready skills for the rest of their lives. But, CBE means new skills for teachers. Now, teachers are taking on the role of facilitators. Yet, educators can measure results. Publishers can offer products to lead districts on this new journey.
Invest in Adaptive Analytics
So, publishers should continue to invest in analytics. Adaptive assessments show how much individual students have learned on a personalized journey. These tools take into account what the student already knows. Besides that, providers should continue to invest in Student Information Systems (SIS). These tools let schools manage more than grade books. Schools can flag students with needs outside the classroom, such as mental health. Then, the LMS becomes a trustworthy, comprehensive platform that gives educators a full student view. Together, publishers can weave products that let educators do their job and keep students safe.
In sum, these tools let publishers create competency-based education. Besides that, these tools allow providers to meet the needs of the schools. CBE is a broad term. So, publishers can make flexible, adaptive supports and products for teachers. These products prioritize skill mastery of core competencies. Also, publishers can continue to work toward giving educators transparent digital tools that let them differentiate learning for their students. Publishers can support educators in deploying CBE by offering training, integrated tutorials, and intuitive learning management systems.
