Competency-based education is relatively new to MLC and to our constituents so you might be wondering what an APPLE schedule might look like. You may have heard that each learner will have their own pathway based on the courses they completed at other schools or that learners might be able to accelerate or slow down as needed. You may also know that a learner can be either part-time or full-time. So, what might the APPLE schedule look like for a learner?
Let’s explore what the first term for a full-time learner (someone who commits to completing a minimum of twelve credits) might look like.
| Course | Title | Format | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (enrolled at start of term) | THE 1001 Biblical History I | Fifteen-week, with weekly synchronous meetings and online discussion boards | 3 |
| 2 (enrolled at start of term) | THE 3001 Chrisitan Doctrine I | Fifteen-week, online with required weekly discussion boards | 3 |
| 3 (enrolled at start of term and open with expectation to complete within first seven weeks of the term) | PSY 2002 Psychology of Human Growth and Development | online, flexibly paced course | 3 |
| 4 (enrolled at start of term; opens once course 3 is completed with expectation to complete by end of the term) | General Education Requirement (typically US History I, US History II or Modern West as learners do not usually have all three completed at another institution) | online, flexibly paced course | 3 |
| 5 (on deck, only enrolled if course number 4 is completed with more than four weeks left to the end of the term) | MUS1103 Sight Singing Fundamentals | online, flexibly paced course | 1 |
A full-time learner would be enrolled in up to three courses at the same time. At the start of their first term, they would be enrolled in both fifteen-week CBTE courses, THE 1001 and THE 3001. They would work through these two classes all term long, engaging in the weekly activities and completing the weekly readings and assignments.
Their faculty mentor would also enroll them in PSY 2002 Psychology of Human Growth and Development at the start of the term. The course includes a pacing guide to help learners meet the goal of completing the course within seven weeks. Once they finish PSY 2002, the learner will be enrolled in a course to meet a missing General Education requirement. Again, a pacing guide will be provided to help guide the learner in completing the course in the second half of the term.
Learners can also accelerate and complete the courses in fewer weeks. If thye finish both the PSY 2002 course and the General Education requirement with more than four weeks left in the term, they could have extra time to focus on finishing their Theology courses or could, with the approval of their faculty mentor, add MUS 1103 Sight Singing Fundamentals their schedule.
At the end of their first term, they would have six credits completed in the CBTE Minor and at least six credits completed in the APPLE Program.
