The 2018 Association for Career & Technical Education (ACTE) quality framework is the latest step in ACTE's ongoing High-quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) Initiative--an initiative designed to answer the question "What is high-quality CTE?" The framework is designed to apply to individual, local CTE programs of study…

Technical and Vocational Education as enshrined in the Nigeria National Policy on Education is used as a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to reflect on hospitality management education from a "practice epistemology" and discuss how a connecting of savoir (theoretical knowledge or "knowing"), savoir-faire (knowing how to do tasks, i.e. task-related skills) and savoir-être (knowing how to be, i.e. behavior) can develop into…

This issue is in response to Janet Twyman's brief, "Competency-Based Education: Supporting Personalized Learning" in the "Connect: Making Learning Personal" series. The discussion in Twyman's brief stopped short of being explicit regarding the aspect of personalized learning that Wisconsin's education innovation lab, the…

Competency-based pathways (CBP) have the potential to open new opportunities for students to learn and demonstrate their learning in meaningful ways that are grounded in application and relevant to their career goals. This brief argues that states can and should leverage CTE when considering how to move K-12 education toward a system marked by…

21st Century Skills, including critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity and innovation, self-direction, global and local connections, and using technology as tools for learning, are considered essential for success in the workplace by employers. To meet these career needs, many universities use a variety of instructional methods…

The World Economic Forum (WEF) found that Botswana's information and communication technology (ICT) networked readiness index (NRI) had declined from position 89 in 2012 to 104 in 2015. A decline in Botswana's ICT NRI resulted in a modest gross domestic product (GDP) growth increasing from 4.2% in 2012 to 5.0% in 2015. The purpose of this…

"The Evidence Base for How We Learn: Supporting Students' Social, Emotional, and Academic Development" articulates the scientific consensus regarding how people learn. The research brief presents a set of consensus statements--developed and unanimously signed onto by the Commission's Council of Distinguished Scientists--that affirm the…

Afterschool and competency-based learning are increasingly emerging as student-centered, supportive learning models to prepare students for college and career. This white paper explores the intersection and relationship between these two fields, recommends ideal policy environments for implementing successful programs, provides real-world…

Students, teachers, and school leaders are seeking flexibility and supports to enable powerful, personalized learning experiences both inside and outside of the traditional classroom. In personalized learning, instruction is tailored to each student's strengths, needs, and interests--including enabling student voice and choice in what, how, when,…

The movement toward proficiency-based learning is gaining momentum at secondary schools across New England and beyond. Proficiency-based learning is the system of instruction, assessment and grading based on demonstration of skills that meet performance standards or "proficiencies." The goal of proficiency-based learning is to better…

States across the country are embracing innovation in education. In recent years, there has been an increase in district pilots that re-envision student learning by promoting competency-based pathways. States have supported these pilots, or "Innovation Zones," in the hopes that lessons learned can inform their broader vision and…

In the upper northeast corner of the United States, the commitment to competency education has grown so strong that entire states are embracing it through high-leverage comprehensive policies. Of the six New England states -- Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont -- four have established comprehensive state…

Microcredentials are a promising means for expanding teacher access to high quality professional development. This study examined the effectiveness of online, self-paced microcredential courses designed for teachers working in underserved rural communities. The content of these competency-based microcredentials centered on recommended…

There is increasing interest in science curricula that engage students in scientific practices to deepen their understanding of the core ideas of the field. There are, however, few examples of their designs or assessments available for use as guides for understanding the strengths and weaknesses of particular designs. We offer a summary of our…