14th Annual SloanC International Conference on Online Learning The Power of Online Learning: Improvi

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14th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on
Online LearningThe Power of Online Learning
Improving Learning in a Networked WorldNovember
5 - 7, 2008. Orlando, FL.

• Competency-based active learning
• is your faculty on-board?

Research applications in an active learning
environment
Presenters Jane Ross, PhD jross_at_umuc.edu Jomarie
Bliss, MBA Jomarie_Bliss_at_yahoo.com Wilf
Backhaus, PhD backhaus_at_shaw.ca Jacob Krive, MBA
jkrivor_at_comcast.net Lee Ann Graul, MBA
lagraul_at_comcast.netAMBA 606 Managing Global
Business MBA Executive Programs, UMUC
www.umuc.edu Photo credit Open source, Cirque du
Soleil
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Competency-based active approach

• What we have learned Competency-based teaching
  and learning is the most effective methodology we
  have found to support learning in online
  education Active, constructivist approach
  promotes confidence, collaboration and self
  efficacy (Bandura)
• What we will share in this session Insights to
  help you get faculty members on board

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UMUC MBA Context

• Graduate School of Management Technology
• IACBE accredited http//www.iacbe.org/
• Assessment-based program course design
• MBA - a rapidly growing online program
• Competency approach supported by UMUC vision,
  mission, and strategy
• MBA competencies worked out at faculty level
• Courses designed according to 10 competencies

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Competencies that guide course and instructors
in AMBA 606 Managing Global Business

• Ethical leadership 
• Teambuilding skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking
• Technology fluency
• Information literacy /research skills
• Executive decisions
• Decision making
• Systems thinking
• Diversity/Cross-cultural perspectives

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Continuing Journey of Our MBA Faculty Team

• Last year at Sloan 2007 ...
• Presented student progression from the foundation
  of learning (traits and characteristics) to
  skills and abilities, to competencies and
  demonstration and performance
• Described process developed at program and course
  levels to help students advance while acquiring
  knowledge in key business area
• Discussed challenges and solutions
  experienced/applied in UMUC MBA course

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This year - A Different Picture

• A progress reportWe have gone further and
  deeperIncorporates research and practical
  applications from multiple academic
  semestersFocus on challenges and successes at
  faculty level in process of fostering
  competency-based development
• A revelationAs we live the experience, the
  competency approach has turned the light of our
  inquiry back on ourselves

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The competency approach to teaching in support
of student learning

• Competency-based learning needs
  competency-supported instruction
• Is student driven and empowering
• Students own the learning process and outcomes of
  their efforts
• New knowledge and skills required by instructors
• Can be bewildering and threatening
• Help is needed - it does not come by osmosis
  (Blossom)
• Resources are expanded with
• faculty teams and communities of practice
• Collaboration makes a difference!

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Thinking about competencies and introducing them
into curriculum

• Important issues
• Which approach to use?
• Hierarchical or matrix?
• Course specific or program wide?
• Learning based or doctrinaire?
• Our decision
• Growing our own
• Practice-based decision
• Practice based model reflective ofour subject
  matter

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Ethical leadership Executing
decision Technology fluency Information
literacy research Team building
skills Communication skills Diversity-Cross
culture perspectives Decision making Critical
Thinking Systems thinking
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Faculty survey outcomes - AMBA 606 2008

• Formation in competency-based approach
  incremental
• Faculty buy-in is necessary - Some are
  resistant, some are threatened
• Faculty buy-in is necessary
• Few faculty members come to competency-based
  approach with training in (numbers/examples)
• Some instructors recognize/express lack of
  formation Build on strengths! - Some get
  it and love it! - Training is needed - training
  helps everyone - Knowledge exchange and team
  support

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Spin-off benefits of competency-based active
learning

• Students benefit - stronger motivation
• Embracing ambiguity - Rough Tumble
• Program strengthens - Resource based
• Foundation for curriculum and course review
• Faculty resources expand
• Doing more with less
• Appropriate to turbulent times

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14th Annual Sloan-C International Conference on
Online LearningThe Power of Online Learning
Improving Learning in a Networked WorldNovember
5 - 7, 2008. Orlando, FL.

• Competency-based active learning
• is your faculty on-board?

Research applications in an active learning
environment
Presenters Jane Ross, PhD jross_at_umuc.edu Jomarie
Bliss, MBA Jomarie_Bliss_at_yahoo.com Wilf
Backhaus, PhD backhaus_at_shaw.ca Jacob Krive, MBA
jkrivor_at_comcast.net Lee Ann Graul, MBA
lagraul_at_comcast.net AMBA 606 Managing
Global Business MBA Executive Programs,
UMUC www.umuc.edu Photo credit Open
source, Cirque du Soleil