Of course, in a perfect world, we have unlimited budgets and no
constraints on seat time, but the reality is usually quite different.
As with other forms of education — such as classroom and eLearning — you should be careful about focusing too
much on seat time.
How can we support leaders who challenge providing schools with funding
based on seat time, and seek to change that funding formula?
Another part of relentless support is eschewing traditional grade levels based
on seat time in favor of a system that allows students to progress at their own pace.
Vander Ark does include an appendix of concrete advice, such as urging state leaders to allow students to personalize their learning and base matriculation on demonstrated competency,
not on seat time, but these are precisely the points to expound in the main text, not stick in an appendix.
First, seat - time funding is totally anathema to virtual education — far more so than for brick - and - mortar schools that have been funded based
on seat time for generations.
Will students be judged more on their subject matter competency than
on seat time as measured by Carnegie units?
The widespread use of electronic grade books, strongly aligned benchmark assessment systems and report generators that provide analytics more aligned to the critical questions teachers want to ask, are reducing the high hurdles and frustrations experienced by teachers and make it easier for them to assimilate the practice in real time, not
dependent on seat time in a course.
With its
focus on seat time — awarding credit for showing up to workshops, conferences, or classes — formal PD has ignored whether teachers actually learn new skills, apply them, and improve student outcomes.
Work on appropriate assessments of students» learning in career - prep programs has lagged behind, but the move away from awarding course credit
based on seat time is encouraging.
Another part of the relentless support is eschewing traditional grade levels that are based
on seat time in favor of a system that allows students to progress at their own pace.
In more concrete terms, we need to move from a system based
on seat time and credit hours toward one based on competencies and mastery.
Competency - based education, or CBE, is a model of education in which credits are awarded based on the demonstration of content mastery, rather than
on seat time.
We still primarily credential learners based
on seat time and credit hours, and often only recognize learning pursued through traditional pathways.
First and foremost, such courses often allow students to move at their own pace, rather than being based
on seat time or a cohort - wide average pace.
Change school funding models from generating revenue based
on seat time to funding the true cost of educating students in the 21
For example, financial aid rules are generally based
on seat time, and accreditation requirements tend to focus on reviews of faculty credentials, course materials, and time measures rather than what students are learning.
Competency - based learning (CBL) is the idea that instead of moving students along in their educational careers based
on seat time, they should progress based on demonstrated mastery of content and skills.
States can begin by taking the simple and low - cost step of clarifying and communicating current flexibilities in state policies related to high school redesign and innovation, particularly any policies based
on seat time.
New Hampshire has a statewide competency - based education and assessment system, requiring all students to complete competency - based pathways to graduate and demonstrate their mastery of knowledge and skills, rather than just accumulate credits based
on seat time.