C-BEN

Challenge 

Unlocking a new path forward for competency-based education 

Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) works to build a future where learners and workers are measured by what they know and can do instead of outdated measures of achievement—laying a foundation for a more equitable society and a thriving global economy.  

C-BEN guides leaders across diverse sectors, from K-12 and postsecondary education to corporate HR teams. C-BEN offers education, consulting and community to organizations and individuals seeking to understand and implement competency-based education (CBE) and skills-based approaches in learning and work.  

“We want to be the bridge between education and workforce, and between the conversations about CBE, skills-based approaches, and beyond,” explains Lacey McCann, senior director of CBE products and experience at C-BEN. 

After leading the field for more than 10 years, C-BEN is keenly aware of the challenges ahead. One challenge is the gap between knowledge and experience: people who have not experienced the benefits of competency-based learning first-hand may struggle to create and build competency- or skills-based solutions.  

“What you find is that a lot of people coming into the competency-based world have never actually experienced a competency-based program themselves,” says McCann. “It’s difficult to apply CBE as a course designer or faculty member if you haven’t had the experience of being a learner.” 

Seeking to close this gap, C-BEN began developing CompetentU: an experience where people can learn how to effectively design and deploy CBE programs, while experiencing a model CBE program themselves.  

“We wanted to create a course that allows learners to really walk away with something,” says Natalia Mejia, senior learning experience designer at C-BEN. “Whether that’s just experiencing a CBE program first-hand  or developing a real program that they themselves will implement.” 

To fulfill the ambitious vision of CompetentU, the team at C-BEN sought out a learning management system (LMS) provider who would become a true collaborator on the project, supporting them through the development and beyond. 

Solution 

Collaborating with CBE leaders 

Drawing on its expertise in CBE, C-BEN selected D2L to help design and deploy an LMS platform for CompetentU. 

“D2L has supported C-BEN since its early days and was a partner who engaged with our members to learn more about how Brightspace could meet the needs of institutions launching competency-based programs ,” recalls McCann. “Back in 2014, Dr. Lisa McIntyre-Hite, C-BEN’s Executive Vice President and COO, and myself, were on a team that built one of the early competency-based learning experiences on the market, and we worked shoulder to shoulder with D2L to make it happen. At the time, D2L Brightspace was the only platform we found that was flexible enough to fully realize our vision of an LMS for CBE. So, of course, they were the first LMS provider we spoke to, and Brightspace proved to be the best option for CompetentU.” 

Designing an innovative and scalable program  

Working with D2L, C-BEN developed CompetentU as a flexible learning experience that showcases CBE best practices: learners can complete the courses at their own pace, receive 1:1 support from coaches, and tailor learning activities to learner goals. This is especially significant for adult learners who may have limited time for education due to work commitments.  

The courses cover both the theory and practice of CBE, utilizing the Competencies feature in Brightspace to scaffold progression and use performance-based assessments to ensure that learners have true understanding of a topic before moving on to the next one. Throughout the program, learners receive feedback from C-BEN’s CBE experts and can schedule a synchronous meeting with a coach for extra support if they need it.  

Through this approach, learners leave with more than just a theoretical understanding of CBE. They gain first-hand experience and the practical skills they need to develop their own CBE programs. 

Streamlining operations  

While C-BEN’s top priority was to create a high-quality, innovative learner experience, the team also wanted to make sure that CompetentU would be easy for its backend design and operations teams to build and maintain.  

“If I had to rewrite code every time we launched a new course, we would not be able to scale this program at all,” explains Mejia. 

With the user-friendly course authoring tools in Brightspace, course designers can create templates that standardize the look and feel of CompetentU courses and simply apply these templates whenever they are creating a new course. This allows for an efficient development process, which will help C-BEN continuously expand the program without placing too much burden on its design and operations teams. 

Accessing expert support  

In addition, C-BEN engaged D2L’s Learning Administration Manager (LAM) team to provide support as it launches and operates the program. A LAM is a consistent, named D2L expert who acts as an extension of the C-BEN team, offering best practice guidance, troubleshooting support and day-to-day administration. 

“It’s the responsible thing for us to get to a point where we operate this system entirely on our own,” notes McCann. “But the reality is that we aren’t going to have the capacity to do that from day one, so having someone from D2L to support our operations is invaluable.” 

Result 

Running a successful pilot and beyond  

With support from D2L, C-BEN ran a successful pilot test and released CompetentU to the public. “This is a big leap for us in getting people involved in the movement,” explains McCann. “We already do a tremendous amount of thought leadership and consulting for institutions, but CompetentU will allow any individual who’s interested to access knowledge about CBE in a way they’ve not been able to before.” 

C-BEN benefits from the ease of customizing content and adding accessibility provisions to the program.  

“I like that with Brightspace there are more opportunities to implement new types of activities while still being accessible,” says Mejia. “If you add an image, it immediately prompts you for the alt text so you don’t miss it. It’s simple, but it makes a big difference, especially as our program is entirely customized content.” 

Moreover, with the support of their LAM, the lean team at C-BEN can be confident that they will always have an expert on hand to help with the program as it scales.  

“We’re big fans of our LAM, Doug,” says McCann. “He’s so knowledgeable about the system, and he’s figured out every curveball we have thrown at him. I look forward to continuing to grow the relationship we have with him.” 

Growing a community 

Beyond the educational benefits of CompetentU, the team at C-BEN has already seen how learners are leveraging the program to build community.  

“One of our learners persuaded a number of people from her institution to enroll in CompetentU, and they are setting regular meetings offline to go through the resources together,” explains McCann. “The course is not just for people who need to build a program today. It’s also a way to get more people on board and excited about CBE.” 

It is precisely these opportunities for growing community that will help CBE thrive.  

“It’s common for people to be the only individual at their institution driving the idea of CBE, and it can feel like running into a brick wall,” recalls McCann. “So, a lot of what we do at C-BEN, especially with our conference CBExchange, is providing support to people and reminding them that they are not alone.” 

As the program grows, C-BEN will look to expand the functionalities of the Brightspace platform.  

“I’m excited about finding new ways to leverage Brightspace,” concludes McCann.  “If a client comes to us with a novel need that isn’t being met by the market yet—say, competency-based courses for their specific industry—we can now say confidently: We can do it.”