Competence Based Education :

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is offering Competence Based courses at Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) aimed, to provide learners with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to recognize and solve problems in their domain of study and work.

An instructional system in which a performance-based learning process is used wherein the learner demonstrates his/her level of attainment on subject-area is termed as Competence-based education. It is a form of education designed to be as flexible as possible to meet the training needs and requirements of both he/she, as an individual, and the organization he/she represent. Intensive competence based course format gives the participants to take more responsibility for their own learning process. It takes place by correspondence.
Competence based education gives you more control over what you learn, and where and how you learn it. Learning takes place within a planned framework of topics, which we call ‘course’. Each course is a series of ‘units’, which further define the focus of your study. These courses are directed at practicing professionals, engineers and technologists, in India, South Asia and the developing countries in the Commonwealth, who are all involved in environmental management in some form. The treatment therefore is not deeply technical or mathematical. In other words, building on their existing repertoire of skills base, through this project the target groups will be exposed to the new knowledge that is available in the field.
The Course will be conducted in English. In order to cater to the varying learning styles, the Institute offers the subject material in the following modes:

• Downloadable mode: Downloadable mode empowers to offer education in a dynamic form to students. Students can access lessons, assignments and submit their scripts online. They need not brood if they miss lessons -  they can download their lesson notes and access archived lessons, tutorial sessions, lectures, etc.   
• Read-only mode: Students will be able to only read the course concepts, downloads or interactive sessions are unavailable.  
• Classroom interaction: The interactive learning provides an environment  for students to talk and discuss freely about any related topics on or off line.
• Synchronous and asynchronous communication  (x chat, discussion forum, bulletin board, email, etc.): Client Server Model that works with Internet Relay Chat Server Protocol, it allows servers to connect to each other effectively forming a network. Protocol is used by servers to talk to one another. Instructor and participants can talk with each other and discuss on related topic for stipulated time given by the instructor. In mailing-grouping, participants can become member of Mailing-group by registering their names in their group. Once approved by the instructor, participants can post their questions to this group ID.  This way the course instructor or any other participant can reply to questions that will be read by all the members in that group including the instructor.
• Practice orientation: Participants progress through the curriculum by demonstrating their competence in a variety of skill and knowledge areas. Student who demonstrates a competency is showing the ability "to do" something  to put knowledge and principles into practice.  After completing all examinations, students are required to apply the course content in his or her work setting and submit an example of how they achieved this goal.