Dive Summary:
- In a Montgomery Advertiser op-ed, Capella University President Scott Kinney writes in favor of replacing the credit hour system with "competency based" degree programs.
- In competency based programs--which are currently in use at schools including the University of Maryland University College, Brandman University and Delaware County Community College--institutions define, measure and certify the knowledge and skills students gather from courses.
- The U.S. Department of Education issued direct guidance in March for colleges and universities wishing to implement these programs, and Kinney argues that such programs can improve completion and affordability, as well as better preparing students.
From the article:
Much like the switch from landlines to smart phones, or folding maps to GPS, higher education finds itself at a moment that could reshape the way we deliver education. At the core of this shift is a focus on the measurement of learning as opposed to the measurement of time. This simple-sounding change has the potential to reduce the costs of higher education, increase access to and completion of credentials, and increase the supply of relevant work skills. Let me explain. ...