Engaging in Reform-Oriented Collaborative Inquiry to Advance Competency-Based Learning in Teacher Education

Competency-based learning (CBL) systems are becoming more common in K-12 schools across the country. There are a range of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of CBL for students, but there is less research on the manner in which CBL is being adopted in teacher education. This self-study, using a Reform-Oriented Collaborative Inquiry protocol, offers insights into the affordances and challenges for faculty who were embedding the state’s CBL principles into their classrooms. This study illuminates the work of teacher educators seeking to develop a coherent system that models effective CBL practice for preservice teachers. The findings unpack particularities with respect to two of the major principles of CBL, specifically 1) heightened attention to performance-based learning and 2) amplified awareness of the importance of responsive and targeted feedback. The findings also illuminate the disruptive nature of CBL in challenging students’ expectations about assessment within the teaching and learning process which in turn impacted faculty perceptions.