Skills Based Approach: A Methodology for Lifelong Learning

In 2013, I published A Skills-Based Approach to Developing a Career. This introduced the Skills Based Approach to students, professionals, learning practitioners and workforce development institutions. I continued to publish articles, blogs, and videos supporting this recognized methodology. This is an updated edition of the book with all new graphics, added chapters, and updated quotes, stats, and references.Many of the latest learning trends fit well with Skills-Based Approach, which is valuable because of the huge simplification of the methodology. Learners and practitioners at any age can grasp moving through and the general mechanics of the four stages.

These are how some of the latest learning trends work with Skills-Based Approach:Skills are finally getting the attention they deserve. Practitioners are not only expressing technical skills, but also transferable, soft, and thinking skills taking an all-encompassing tactic. The evidence is with the number of large open source and proprietary 'skills databases' being built in the past five years (as referenced earlier); one such database is claimed to have thirty thousand skills.As technology gets better, instructors can craft personalized learning for their learners in a time reasonable way. One good example is with the Skill Label system, which supports personalized learning in three ways (learners): choose their assignments; move through a series based on performance; and get personal lesson plans. Skills-Based Approach is designed as a 'learner centric' application, where learners participate in decision making and are always aware of precisely each task, objective, or credential they are working on.

Experiential learning is widely touted as a way to improve poor learner engagement and provide a deeper, lasting effect. Skills-Based Approach targets this type of learning by inherently focusing so strongly on skills.Competency Based Learning (CBL) started gaining traction in 2014 as a different model for learning, where learners are tested for reaching desired skill achievements (competencies) and get 'credit' when accurately assessed. This is different than our current time-based curriculum, which is rooted in five-month semesters and a credit hours system. CBL programs benefit all participants: underperforming learners get extra help; average learners move at their own pace; and overachieving students get to keep moving forward. Given the recent COVID crisis, moving to a CBL framework might alleviate some of the structural education and higher education problems. To conceptualize how CBL works with Skills Based Approach, think of the graphic as a dynamic, constantly spinning cycle, where it is possible to change the speed to move faster or slower. Furthermore, each learner gets his or her own cycle.

Micro-Credentialing is gaining acceptance as training institutions recognize learners have a decreasing attention span and get their learning content on mobile devices. Practitioners can target skill gains in three to five-minute spurts. Now imagine spinning through Skills Based Approach daily.The first edition of this book accurately predicted the rise of badges and certifications. The driving forces behind each of them are: creating shorter, more effective learning paths and increasing requirement for lifelong learning.

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