COVID-19 challenged higher education to rapidly shift to remote course delivery. This study surveyed community college students ( N = 356) about their confidence in completing learning related tasks before and after the shift, access to technologies used in in remote learning, and disruptions that impacted their learning. Results indicated notable declines in confidence across all demographics with significant changes in those age 18-21and for those without prior online course experience. Technology use for remote courses was primarily laptops and smartphones. Students reported the most significant changes to work-life balance came through employment changes and mental health issues. Instructional changes were both positive and negative in workload organization, course delivery, communication and technology. Institutions can use this study’s findings to enact contingency planning, expand online and blended course options, refine academic and social support, and allocate resources to mental health.
Competency‐based education (CBE) is essentially an approach to teaching and learning featuring flexible pacing, robust competencies, and an emphasis on student completion. CBE differs from traditional education that focuses instead more on seat time and credit hours. Though CBE has existed on college campuses in many forms, faculty are often inexperienced in teaching CBE. Facing growing demands for CBE, institutions must find ways to prepare faculty to take part in CBE. This mixed methods study explored faculty views of CBE, their self‐efficacy, and beliefs about support mechanisms needed for those teaching and delivering CBE. Findings suggest faculty have mixed though balanced views of CBE, generally high self‐efficacy due to the importance of mastery experiences, and believe in the importance of specific learning opportunities in an environment built on collaboration to ensure CBE faculty are supported and can thrive. Findings can help institutions with CBE or those considering it to support faculty and ensure they are trained in teaching courses in this modality.
Competency-based education (CBE) is essentially an online approach to teaching and learning featuring flexible pacing, robust competencies, and an emphasis on student completion. CBE’s differs from traditional education that focuses on seat time, credit hours, and academic objectives. Though CBE has existed on college campuses in many forms, faculty are often inexperienced in teaching CBE. Facing growing demands for CBE (notably from non-traditional students), institutions must find ways to prepare faculty to take part in CBE. This mixed methods study explored faculty views of CBE, their self-efficacy, and beliefs about support mechanisms needed for those teaching and delivering CBE. Findings suggest faculty have mixed views of CBE, generally high self-efficacy due to the importance of mastery experiences, and believe in the importance of specific learning opportunities in an environment built on collaboration to ensure CBE faculty are supported and can thrive. Findings can inform current and future CBE practicing institutions to ensure faculty are trained and capable in an environment of collaboration.
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