Western Governors University has revolutionized higher education by proving that competency-based learning can work at massive scale. Serving hundreds of thousands of students with an innovative model that lets learners progress at their own pace, WGU has become a beacon for accessible, affordable education that actually leads to career outcomes.
But scaling this vision required more than just good intentions, it demanded a platform that could break free from traditional academic constraints.
The Challenge: Beyond Calendars and Gradebooks
“Most learning management systems and platforms are built around the traditional model of learning that is limited to the requirement of a calendar and a gradebook,” explains Courtney Hills McBeth, WGU’s Chief Academic Officer and Provost. “Our competency-based education model lets our students learn on their own schedule and pace, requiring students to prove mastery rather than achieve a grade or certain seat time.”
WGU’s legacy learning management systems simply couldn’t handle the nuanced demands of competency-based education at their scale. They needed granular student data for personalized support, efficient content reuse capabilities, and the flexibility to integrate cutting-edge technologies like AI.
The Open edX Solution: Built for Innovation
WGU selected the Open edX LMS, recognizing its open-source nature, inherent scalability, modularity, adaptability, and powerful data analytics capabilities. By becoming the first Mission-Aligned Organization, WGU signaled its commitment to not just utilizing the platform but actively shaping its future.
The partnership enabled WGU to:
- Implement unprecedented data tracking to identify struggling students and deliver targeted interventions
- Streamline content creation through modular, reusable course components
- Provide truly personalized learning experiences that align with individual learning styles
- Drive innovation through community collaboration by engaging with the global Open edX ecosystem
Real Impact: Scaling Success
The results speak for themselves. The Open edX platform’s robust architecture has enabled WGU to serve a rapidly growing student body, expanding access to high-quality, affordable education. WGU now serves nearly 190,000 students.
More importantly, 57% of WGU undergraduates completed their degrees in 2022-23 without taking a federal student loan, and graduates experience positive earnings and employment outcomes.
“One of the reasons we are excited about the Open edX platform is the open-source model, as it enables us to understand the architecture and data flow of the components that allow us to create the right abstraction layer to push the data for our students into the system,” says David Morales, WGU’s Chief Information Officer.
The Future of Education
WGU’s success with the Open edX LMS proves that competency-based education isn’t just a nice idea, it’s a scalable solution for making higher education more accessible, affordable, and career-focused. As WGU continues expanding AI integration, developing robust content libraries, and addressing CBE adoption barriers, they’re not just transforming their own institution, they’re showing the entire higher education sector what’s possible.
For institutions considering competency-based education, WGU’s advice is clear: embrace open source, prioritize data analytics, focus on learner-centric design, and engage with collaborative communities to drive innovation.
Ready to explore how the Open edX LMS can transform your educational approach? Learn more about implementing competency-based education at scale with our platform. Discover the full case study here.
