The Essentials

CBE Workshop Series: Foundations and Practice

Virtual Workshop Series | November 18 & 19, 2026 | 12–4 p.m. (ET) each day

Workshop Series Description

This two-day workshop series is designed to support faculty at different stages of competency-based education (CBE) implementation, from building foundational knowledge to applying competency-based assessment strategies. 

While participants are encouraged to register for both days for a comprehensive learning experience, faculty seeking more entry-level guidance in Essentials implementation should register for Foundations of Competency-Based Education: From the Essentials to Curriculum Design on November 18. Faculty with working knowledge of CBE and the Essentials who are seeking competency-based assessment techniques should register for Competency-Based Education in Practice: From Competencies to Assessment and Implementation on November 19. More detail on the topics covered both days can be found below.

Please note: These are highly interactive workshops designed for active participation. Participants will complete pre-work in advance and are expected to fully engage in collaborative learning activities, including small-group breakout sessions where attendees will apply concepts, share experiences, and develop practical solutions. Active participation in breakout rooms is a core component of the workshop and essential to achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Participants may earn up to 3.75 CEUs each day for Nursing Continuing Professional Development. Participants in both days will earn 7.5 CEUs.

Registration Fees

Workshop Day 1 (Nov. 18) Standard
AACN Members $149
AACN Non-Members $249
Workshop Day 2 (Nov. 19) Standard
AACN Members $149
AACN Non-Members $249
Both Workshop Days (Nov. 18 & 19) Standard
AACN Members $249
AACN Non-Members $349

  • You may substitute your virtual registration to another individual within your organization. This must be done by contacting the AACN Conference Department via email at conferences@aacnnursing.org.
  • If a substitution is not possible, your cancellation request must be received in writing and confirmed by AACN; otherwise, it cannot be honored. The following refund arrangements will then apply:
    • Cancellation requests received up to two weeks prior to the event start date, will be refunded minus a $90 non-refundable administrative fee.
    • No refunds will be given for notices received within two weeks of the event start date, nor will refunds be given for no-shows.
    • No-show registrations with an open balance will be charged the non-refundable administrative fee as outlined above after the event.
  • Your cancellation request must be submitted in writing to conferences@aacnnursing.org and confirmed by AACN.

Please note: AACN will issue refunds within a 2-week time period of receipt of written cancellation notice.

Event Cancellation by AACN

AACN reserves the right to modify, postpone/reschedule or cancel this conference and any related group activity for any circumstance beyond AACN's control, including but not limited to emergency, acts of God, government regulations, disaster, strike, and non-fulfilment of minimum group requirements. If AACN cancels an event, every attempt will be made to reschedule or provide a modified virtual offering, and registration fees will be applied to the rescheduled/virtual event. If a cancelled event cannot be rescheduled, AACN will issue a full refund of the registration fee(s). Any travel, lodging, or incidental expenses incurred related to a cancelled/postponed event cannot be refunded under any circumstances as AACN resumes no responsibility for such expenses.

 

Register Now

 

Day 1 Workshop: November 18
Foundations of Competency-Based Education: From the Essentials to Curriculum Design 

Note: Faculty who already have a working knowledge of CBE and the Essentials and are seeking practical strategies for assessment, progression indicators, course-level implementation, and common implementation challenges may wish to register for the Day 2 Workshop on November 19. Participants may register for either workshop independently or attend both for a more comprehensive learning experience.

Overview

As nursing programs continue to implement the AACN Essentials, faculty need a strong foundation in competency-based education (CBE) and practical strategies for translating the Essentials into teaching, learning, and assessment. Foundations of Competency-Based Education: From the Essentials to Curriculum Design is designed for faculty who are new to CBE or the Essentials, as well as those who would benefit from a refresher or want to strengthen their understanding of the foundational concepts and tools that support implementation.

During this four-hour virtual workshop, participants will explore the rationale for the transition to CBE and examine how competency-based approaches support the preparation of practice-ready nurses. Faculty will become familiar with the structure of the Essentials—including domains, competencies, sub-competencies, and progression indicators—while learning to navigate AACN resources that support implementation.

Participants will also be introduced to the three steps of backward design for competency-based education: determining competencies and performance expectations, developing assessment strategies, and curating the learning journey. Through guided application, participants will explore how these three steps work together to align expected performance, assessment, and learning experiences, as well as how artificial intelligence (AI) can support the backward design process. Participants will also consider how AI-generated outputs can be refined using faculty expertise and judgment.

This interactive workshop combines foundational content with guided activities that enable participants to navigate the Essentials, explore implementation resources, and begin applying CBE concepts in their own educational contexts.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for faculty and academic nursing leaders who:

  • Are new to competency-based education or the AACN Essentials, or would benefit from a refresher;
  • Have some familiarity with the Essentials but want a stronger understanding of their structure and application;
  • Are joining an institution or nursing program already engaged in Essentials implementation and need foundational preparation;
  • Want an introduction to backward design and its application to CBE; or
  • Want to explore how AI can support curriculum development and the backward design process.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Articulate the rationale for implementing the AACN Essentials and transitioning to competency-based education (CBE).
  • Describe the foundational principles of CBE and their application to preparing practice-ready nurses.
  • Navigate the Essentials, including Domains, competencies, sub-competencies, and progression indicators, and identify AACN resources that support implementation.
  • Apply the principles of backward design to begin aligning competencies and performance expectations, assessment strategies, and learning experiences with the Essentials.
  • Explore the use of AI as a tool to support the backward design and curriculum development process.

Agenda

View agenda

Day 2 Workshop: November 19
Competency-Based Education in Practice: From Competencies to Assessment and Implementation

Note: This workshop assumes familiarity with the foundational concepts of CBE and the structure of the AACN Essentials. Participants who are new to CBE or would benefit from a review of these concepts are encouraged to register for the Day 1 Workshop on November 18. Participants may register for either workshop independently or attend both for a more comprehensive learning experience.

Overview

As nursing programs move beyond the initial transition to competency-based education (CBE), faculty are encountering new questions about how to operationalize the AACN Essentials within courses, curricula, and assessment practices. Competency-Based Education in Practice: From Competencies to Assessment and Implementation is designed for faculty with a foundational understanding of CBE and the Essentials who are ready to strengthen and refine their implementation strategies.

During this four-hour virtual workshop, participants will move from understanding CBE concepts to addressing the practical realities of implementation. Sessions will explore how to use progression indicators to clarify performance expectations and support competency development and assessment across the curriculum; how to translate performance expectations into meaningful evidence of learner competency through authentic, competency-based assessment; and how to organize and cluster competencies, sub-competencies, progression indicators, and assessment approaches to support manageable and meaningful course-level implementation.

Through examples and practical application, participants will explore approaches to authentic and criterion-referenced assessment, formative and summative assessment, and strategies for generating meaningful evidence of individual learner competency. The workshop will also explore strategies for navigating common implementation challenges across diverse educational contexts, including large cohorts, limited resources, and the need to scale competency-based learning and assessment while maintaining CBE principles.

Rather than prescribing a single implementation approach, the workshop will provide practical strategies, examples, and considerations that participants can adapt to their own programs and educational settings.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for faculty and academic nursing leaders who:

  • Have a working knowledge of competency-based education and the AACN Essentials;
  • Are actively engaged in implementing the Essentials within a course, curriculum, or nursing program;
  • Understand the basic structure of Domains, competencies, sub-competencies, and progression indicators, and are ready to apply them more intentionally;
  • Are developing or refining competency-based assessment strategies;
  • Are seeking practical approaches for organizing competencies, sub-competencies, progression indicators, and assessment approaches at the course level; or
  • Are encountering implementation challenges related to assessment, large cohorts, faculty, or resource capacity, or translating CBE principles into practice.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Apply progression indicators to support competency development, performance expectations, and assessment across the curriculum.
  • Apply principles of competency-based assessment to develop and refine authentic assessment strategies that align competencies, performance expectations, and evidence of learner competency.
  • Utilize strategies for organizing and clustering competencies, sub-competencies, progression indicators, and assessment approaches to support manageable and meaningful course-level implementation.
  • Identify practical strategies for addressing common challenges associated with implementing and assessing CBE in varied educational contexts.

Agenda

View agenda

Presenters

  • Photo of Charla Long

    Charla Long, JD

    President, C-BEN Consulting

  • Dawn Mueller-Burke, PhD, CRNP, NNP-BC

    Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, University of Maryland Medical Center

  • Jacquelyn McMillian-Bohler, PhD, APRN, CNM, CNE

    Associate Professor, Director, Institute for Educational Excellence, Duke University

  • Dana Tschannen, PhD, RN

    Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Clinical Professor, University of Michigan