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Aurora Institute

Meet-Up at iNACOL Symposium

CompetencyWorks Blog

Author(s): Chris Sturgis

Issue(s): Issues in Practice, Learn Lessons from the Field


Screen Shot 2013-05-26 at 5.10.25 PMiNACOL is putting the final touches on the iNACOL’s Symposium competency education strand of workshops and sessions.  An incredible group of practitioners (some emphasizing online/blended learning and others not) are going to be leading sessions. In addition to the formal sessions there will be a CompetencyWorks lounge area near the exhibitor hall that you can use for informal discussions and meet-ups.  In fact, we’ll be meeting there Sunday evening during the opening reception just so we can introduce ourselves (thanks to Tom Willis Cornerstone Charter Schools who called me and said we needed this to happen.) The iNACOL Symposium is a big, exciting meeting,  so knowing each other’s faces early on will make a huge difference.

Although we know things always change, here is how the competency education strand looks now:

Sunday Pre-Conference

Design Choices for Competency Education will be for experienced innovators and newbies alike. We’ll walk through all the different choices districts and schools make, sharing what worked, what you learned, and what you might do differently.

Session 1

Overview of Competency Education – What is it, what are the models, and who is doing it? – Susan Patrick, iNACOL and Chris Sturgis, MetisNet

Session 2

The Building Blocks of CompetencyBased Learning: Competencies, Assessment, Learning, and Grading – Rose Colby, Education Consultant

Session 1 and 2 (Workshop)

Transparency = Ownership: A Model for Student-Centered Learning – Alison Hramiec, Boston Day and Evening Academy

Session 3

How to Communicate Competency-Based Education to Your Constituencies – TBD

Re-Engineering Information Technology: Design Considerations for Competency Education – Liz Glowa and Susan Patrick

Session 4

Coast-to-Coast Pathways to Competency-Based Education: Three Different Approaches from New Hampshire, Iowa, and Oregon – Diane Smith, Business Education Compact, Sandra Dop, Iowa Department of Education, and Rose Colby, New Hampshire

Blending Learning Science, Learning Standards, Process Optimization, and Data Standards in the Design of Competency-Based Learning – Jim Goodell, QIP

Session 5

New Whole School Designs for Student Success: Lessons from Districts – Elina Alayeva and JoEllen Lynch, Springpoint: Partners in School Design

What Can Competency-Based Learning Do for Your Students: An Exploration into Personalizing Education – Stephanie Suber, Granville County Schools

Session 6 and 7 (Workshops)

Shaping Policy to Advance Competency-Based Pathways that Support All Students to College and Career Readiness – Cory Curl, Achieve

Personalizing for Proficiency: Pedagogy and Practices for Student Centered Learning – Kim Carter, QED Foundation

Session 8

Moving from Performance Assessment to a Competency-Based System: Learning from Schools – Alexis Menten, Asia Society and Kim Carter, QED Foundation

Designing Project Based Learning Projects Aligned to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Competencies – Rose Colby  and Andrew Miller

Proficiency-Based Teaching: How It Can Help At-Risk Students Succeed in An Online Learning Environment – Tonia Gebhart, Gresham Barlow Web Academy

Session 9 and 10 (Workshop)

Grading in A Competency-Based System – Nancy Cruse, Diploma Plus, Inc.

Blending Learning Science, Learning Standards, Process Optimization, and Data Standards in the Design of Competency-Based learning (Workshop Format) – Jim Goodell, QIP

Data-Driven Decision Making in Blended Learning & Competency-Based Environments – Dr. Sharnell Jackson, Data-Driven Innovations Consulting

Authentic Assessment Within Competency-Based Learning – Katie Gallagher, M.S., Indiana Online Academy

Session 10

The Educurious Expert Network — Connecting Classrooms with Disciplinary Experts – Michael Golden, Educurious