A fresh cut: improving barbering examination pass rates with a curricular intervention at JIBCA

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
George M. Jerman Jr. (Creator)
Institution
Western Carolina University (WCU )
Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Advisor
Kofi Lomotey

Abstract: Adequate education experiences and passing licensure examinations are imperative to professional entry and the career success of aspiring barbers. This improvement science initiative addressed low passing rates on the North Carolina Apprentice Barber Licensure Exam (NC ABLE). The initiative aimed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to pass state board examinations and achieve optimal career success. Four contributing factors were identified that negatively impacted licensure attainment and entry into the barbering profession: inadequate educational experience, challenges to taking the exam, lack of resources, and poor/antiquated examination practices. The improvement initiative addresses how barber students who attend Jerman's Institute of Barbering and Cosmetic Arts (JIBCA), a black, family-owned barber college, can overcome systemic barriers to entry into the barbering profession. A learner-centered approach was implemented through a Comprehensive Curriculum and Competency-Based Instruction Model (CCC-BIM) paired with a Knowledge and Skills Acquisition (KASA) form to record students' progress across competencies. Evaluating this work through regularly scheduled formative assessments benchmarked students' performance after each competency, followed by summative evaluations at the end of the improvement initiative. Quantitative data on JIBCA students' ABLE scores were collected and analyzed to discover if this intervention results in the development of a model that: 1) informs JIBCA of effective barbering pedagogical practices that yield results, 2) increases the probability of JIBCA students passing licensure exams, and 3) ensures that JIBCA students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to optimize their earning potential upon licensure.

Additional Information

Publication
Other
Language: English
Date: 2023
Keywords
Clock-Hours-Based Education (CHBE), Competency-Based Education (CBE), Comprehensive Curriculum Competency-Based Instruction Model (CCC-BIM), Knowledge and Skills Acquisition (KASA)
Subjects
Barbers—Education
Competency-based education
Performance
Licenses
Testing

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