Competency Based Learning has a broad range of definitions, but the general consensus is that we need to move towards an educational system where students show proficiency on their skills vs. doing "seat time" and "jumping through hoops" to earn their degree. CBL focuses on the personalization of education for every learner. Because everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, students should be offered a variety of ways to learn new skills as well as show proficiency in those skills.
Together our Pathway and Cohort approach to education at Billtown means we strive to incorporate core skills like math and literacy across disciplines, while offering students more specialized course experience through Pathways that help them explore their strengths. The Graduation Cohorts align with the pace of completing courses and help students to remain in learning communities without feeling isolated, especially if their learning experiences include online coursework.