Competency-Based Education

Western Governors U Launches Journal of Competency-Based Ed

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 05/05/16

Western Governors University (WGU) and Wiley have partnered to launch The Journal of Competency-Based Education (JCBE), which has released its inaugural issue.

Edited by Sally M. Johnstone, vice president for academic advancement for WGU, the new journal "was created to advance scholarly research and knowledge related to competency-based learning, a major innovation in 21st-century higher education," according to a news release. "The JCBE offers original articles, case studies and commentary related to postsecondary competency-based education (CBE) for higher education leaders, researchers, policy makers and practitioners."

Articles in the first issue include a short history of competency-based education and others looking at issues such as accreditation, student support, assessment, financial models and a case study examining the changing role of faculty in competency-based education.

Members of the editorial board include:

• David Bergeron of the Center for American Progress;
• Stacey Clawson from Jobs for the Future;
• Richard Cummins from Columbia Basin College;
• Joni Finney with University of Pennsylvania;
• Jean Floten of WGU Washington;
• Andrew Kelley with American Enterprise Institute;
• Amy Laitenen of New America Foundation; and
• Michelle Weise from Southern New Hampshire University.

"Our goal in establishing the JCBE is to provide a vehicle for sharing what is being learned by those engaged in developing and implementing competency-based programs at colleges and universities," said Johnstone, in a prepared statement. "The members of our editorial board are committed to ensuring that each issue offers multiple perspectives on the practice of CBE, and we look forward to the discourse we expect it to stimulate."