A Recipe for Competency-Based Education at SXSW EDU 2025

SXSW EDU is committed to being at the forefront of education. With competency-based education (CBE) on the rise, we want to provide you with a recipe that emphasizes mastery over time spent in a classroom. Explore these upcoming sessions at SXSW EDU 2025, where experts will share insights on implementing CBE to create a well-rounded learning environment.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of skill mastery
  • CBE emphasizes the importance of students fully mastering each skill before moving to the next. This ensures that students have a foundation that prepares them for future learning and life—a solid base necessary for any good recipe.
• 2 tablespoons of personalized learning plans
  • CBE encourages students to have their own unique paths where learning plans are adapted and based on each student's strengths and needs. Like any great recipe, this personalization adds flexibility and creativity to the process.
• A dash of real-world projects 
  • Competencies are meant to be applied and CBE uses real-world projects to test student knowledge in practical settings. This is like taste-testing as you cook: real applications ensure skills are well-prepared.
• 1 spoonful of flexible assessments 
  • Instead of testing at fixed points, assessments in CBE are tailored to the student’s readiness. Think of it as checking on a dish only when it’s close to perfection.

Don’t forget to measure with your heart!

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Learning Environment:
   • Like setting up a kitchen before cooking, having the right tools and environment is essential for CBE. In the Future Ready Impact: Redefining How Schools Measure Success session, thought leaders will discuss reshaping success metrics in schools to align with mastery and practical skills. This is a must-attend for those looking to build a CBE-friendly environment.
2. Add Mastery-Based Progression:
   • CBE requires students to master each skill before advancing, similar to perfecting each step in a recipe. Attend Yes You Can! Boosting Student Confidence Raises Grades to learn how building student confidence is vital for progressing through CBE pathways. Speakers will discuss how fostering a growth mindset can be the secret ingredient to CBE success.
3. Stir in Personalized Pathways:
   • Mix in flexibility by creating unique pathways for each student. Discover how personalized learning enhances CBE in the AI & the Skills-First Economy: Navigating Hype & Reality session. Learn how AI can support personalized pathways, helping students explore various skill sets and career readiness.
4. Season with Real-World Applications:
   • Add real-world projects as "taste tests" for CBE, enabling students to apply what they've learned practically. The Future Ready Impact session will also cover real-world learning applications, highlighting projects that make learning relevant to students’ future careers.

Just as a perfect recipe requires attention to detail, patience, and flexibility, competency-based education flourishes when schools blend mastery, personalization, and real-world application into the learning process. Attend SXSW EDU 2025 from March 3-6 in Austin, Texas to gain deeper insights into how these educational shifts can transform learning environments.

Photo by Andy Wenstrand