Archives for March 2014

Aaron Apel set out to “flex his potential” in January, when he became the first official applicant to the University of Wisconsin Flexible Option program. Just three short months later, Apel says his Flex experience is picking up steam.

“I wanted to start out slow, to see how things would work, especially since this is a new experience for everyone,” Apel says. “It’s going really well. I’m happy with the process and am looking forward to starting my second subscription period in April.”

Apel has worked for UW-Madison for nearly a decade and currently is an employee in the Office of the Registrar. But while he’s no stranger to the higher education scene, Apel himself never completed his bachelor’s degree. His desire to grow his career is why he jumped at the chance to try out the new Flex program and earn his degree. He is a working, married father of three, and flexibility is critical to his schedule. So far, he says, the Flex program has lived up to its name, allowing him to work toward his bachelor’s degree in Information Science and Technology on his own terms. [Read more…] about Flexible Option Student Hits His Stride as His Journey to a Degree Continues

David Schejbal, dean of UW- Extension, Division of Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning, recently wrote for Inside Higher Ed about the ways in which competency-based education addresses the needs for quality, affordability, efficiency, and individualized learning at the college level. At the heart of the piece, he asserts that competency-based education is not intended to be a cure-all for the challenges facing higher education today, but rather, a viable and compelling alternative that “expands students’ options for learning and most importantly, expands their access while focusing on what they know and are able to do.” With expert faculty leading the design of curriculum and setting the standards for success, competency-based education gives students who otherwise might not pursue a degree one more option for obtaining a quality education, on their own terms and potentially at lower cost.

Read the full article here.