A study to investigate the impact of competency-based education method on student’s learning outcomes as compared to traditional education method at elementary level
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71085/joclsi.04.02.81Keywords:
Competency-Based Education, Learning Outcomes, Elementary Education, Formative Assessment, Pedagogical Strategies, Self-Paced LearningAbstract
The aim of quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group study was to determine the effects of Competency-Based Education (CBE) on elementary student learning outcomes versus traditional education strategies in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The sample included 120 students (60 per group). Pretest and posttest measures, consisting of 20 competency-based questions assessing foundational science, mathematics, and problem-solving, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests. Findings established that students instructed via CBE performed significantly better. The experimental group improved their mean baseline performance from 50.08 (pretest) to 79.90 (posttest), average improvement of 29.82 percentage points. Independent t-tests revealed highly significant posttest differences between groups ($p < 0.01$), with large effect sizes reported for pedagogical components like self-paced learning ($d = 0.95$), group projects ($d = 0.91$), and peer review ($d = 0.88$). The reduction in posttest standard deviation (from 0.4837 to 0.3796) also indicated more homogeneous learning outcomes. These empirical results strongly support the efficacy of systematically delivered CBE—which emphasizes student autonomy, collaborative learning, and continuous assessment—in significantly boosting elementary student achievement. The implications are substantial for educational reform in Pakistan, suggesting CBE implementation can alleviate educational inequity and align the system with international evidence favoring competency-based approaches for developing 21st-century skills.
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