Applied Innovations with Charles Pittack
The work of the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) and its centers encompass a vast range of services, solutions, and partnerships. In our short interview series, Applied Innovations, we get to know some of the talented members of our team and their projects, across several centers and various areas of impact.
In this edition, we meet Charles Pittack, a Graduate Research Assistant with AAI's Center for Certification and Competency-Based Education (C3Be).
Can You Tell Us a Little About Yourself?
I'm Charles Pittack, a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Certification and Competency-Based Education (C3Be) and a PhD candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Kansas. Originally from Omaha, NE, I now live in Lawrence with my family—my wife, Amy Quirin, who received her PhD last spring, also works for AAI in ATLAS. My educational background includes a dual major BA in Philosophy and Theatre, an MA in Philosophy, and an MS in Curriculum and Instruction. I have taught in elementary for seven years and post-secondary for seven years in education and philosophy. Outside work and education, I've completed three Ironman and several shorter-distance races. However, I have cut back since the pandemic. Now, I spend time remodeling the home my wife and I bought and hanging out with my family and cats.
What Attracted You To Your Field?
My commitment to education began with personal challenges and experiences as a student. My journey as a dyslexic struggling student who dropped out of high school has probably sparked my dedication to making education more accessible and inclusive, and my continued commitment is inspired by all my former students, both elementary and college level. My personal journey and commitment are connected to my academic and professional pursuits: my doctoral research (using narrative imagination to develop ethical teachers) and my shared values with C3Be. With competency-based education, my work in the center allows me to redesign educational opportunities that create equitable learning environments for diverse learners.
What Populations Do You or Your Center Support?
C3Be serves various people who are involved with education, including learners, educators, and policymakers. We assist learners in visualizing clear career pathways and equip educators with tools to align curricula to competency requirements. Additionally, we support higher education administrators in designing programs that meet current workforce demands and aid employers in bridging skills gaps. With competency-based education, a learner’s credential attainment should depend on whether or not they possess the necessary competencies, not on where, how, and when they learn. Focusing on competencies, we help make learning transparent and accessible for everyone, ultimately enhancing educational and career outcomes.
What Are Your or Your Center's Key Projects?
My key projects include my dissertation work and collaborative efforts with C3Be. For my dissertation, I am developing a new model for teacher evaluation based on ethical constructs from Nussbaum's narrative imagination. This model emphasizes empathy, open-mindedness, and cultural competence, aiming to replace traditional evaluation methods with approaches that better support inclusivity, ethical engagement, and lifelong learning. I have presented findings related to these ideas at conferences focusing on assessments, moral education, and disability studies, which closely relate to my work at C3Be.
Within C3Be, I contribute to critical projects like the DEJIE (design, equity, justice, inclusion in education) pilot, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) curriculum, and research on competency-based education frameworks. For the DEJIE pilot, I assisted in its development and implementation at KU. I am now working on the research aspects, where we examine the transfer of learning that happened in the pilot. I presented two papers based on these findings at conferences over the last six months. In the KLETC project, I was involved in creating detailed learning maps and a curriculum index for the training curriculum, which is used statewide to prepare Kansas law enforcement officers. We are preparing a paper for publication on the design process behind the KLETC curriculum and learning maps. Additionally, I support the ongoing development of competency-based education frameworks across various C3Be projects, helping to make learning more visible and applicable to diverse learners.
What Are Some Future Opportunities or Upcoming Initiatives That Excite You?
One exciting initiative is the launch of Jayhawk Flex, where C3Be collaborates with university partners to integrate competency-based education into multiple programs and departments. Scheduled for, I believe, the 2025-2026 academic year, Jayhawk Flex will offer self-paced, competency-focused programs across disciplines, making education more adaptable to learners' needs. C3Be also works with EnterpriseKC to develop assessments for identifying cybersecurity talent alongside a Talent Exchange program. These initiatives expand our competency-based approach and will have a lasting impact on fields as varied as education, public safety, and cybersecurity. Additionally, I’ve enjoyed working on potential programs for preservice and in-service teachers as well.
What About Working at a Mission-Driven Organization Like AAI Appeals to You?
AAI's commitment to aligning education with workforce needs resonates deeply with my dedication to creating accessible, equitable learning. Working here allows me to contribute to meaningful advancements in competency-based education and assessment design. AAI's mission-driven approach provides the platform to enact positive change, preparing diverse learners for success in an increasingly complex workforce and making a lasting impact on education as a whole. It has been an amazing journey so far, and I look forward to the future and the possibilities this center can provide.
