Mt. SAC, along with eight other California community colleges, is currently working with the California Community College Chancellor's Office on a program to pilot offering classes to students in a Competency Based Education (CBE) modality. Teaching classes in CBE modality means students earn credits based on demonstrating mastery of the competencies in a course, rather than based on the amount of hours they spend in the classroom. This system allows faculty to hold the learning level constant, while allowing students the flexibility of taking the time needed for them to succeed. This flexibility allows students with a stronger background in a topic to move faster, while also allowing students who need to take more time to still be successful in their courses. CBE can be especially beneficial for adult learners, and will target students who are not being served by our traditional semester courses.

In this presentation, I will share our progress so far as we work through the many structural changes necessary to build a program like this.

Due to the increasing student and faculty interest in online/hybrid courses or even, some universities moving towards online/hybrid learning, implementation of equitable courses are important. In this current presentation, we will provide specific steps and visual stimulations that will help faculty and administrators to create a sustainable bootcamp and maintain appropriate assessments. The concepts of interactivity and inclusive work for diverse students will be further discussed. The term “diverse” will be expounded on and applied to specific populations including ethnic groups, first-generation students, disabled persons, and students who struggle with mental health challenges, especially given the effect of the global pandemic. Topics include technical support, designing/forming specific protocols and learning environments that promote diversity, maintaining a rigorous and dynamic instructional program, and the incorporation of templates. These strategies not only promote interactivity and diversity, but also address high attrition rates, low academic achievement, and low student satisfaction rates. The presentation will conclude with an open dialogue for reflection and assessment.