Competency-Based Education and Training
Competency-based education is perceived by some as the answer, by others as the wrong answer, to the improvement of education and training for the complex contemporary world (Harris et al. 1995). Popular in the United States in the 1970s in the performance-based vocational teacher education movement, competency approaches are riding a new wave in the 1990s with the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) system in England and Wales (begun in 1986), New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework, the competency standards endorsed by Australia's National Training Board (NTB), and the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) and the National Skills Standards initiative in the United States. Competency standards are propelled by a strong political impetus as the way to prepare the work force for the competitive global economy. At the same time, a growing chorus of critics argues that the approach is conceptually confused, empirically flawed, and inadequate for the needs of a learning society (Chappell 1996; Ecclestone 1997; Hyland 1994). Much of the debate is taking place in Britain and Australia, where there has been more time to examine the impact of the competency approach, and this publication therefore focuses on literature from those countries. However, the issues are relevant to vocational education anywhere. This publication looks at the claims of both sides in an attempt to locate the reality of competency-based education and training (CBET).
Competence: In the Eye of the Beholder?
Competence is a contested concept, the meaning of which is shaped by those who use it (Chappell 1996). Proponents of CBET promote it as a way to improve the correspondence ...
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...ralia: Deakin University, 1994. (ED 384 695)
Jones, L., and Moore, R. "Appropriating Competence." British Journal of Education and Work8, no. 2 (1995): 78-92. (EJ 512 995)
Mulcahy, D. "Performing Competencies: Of Training Protocols and Vocational Education Practices." Australian and New Zealand Journal of Vocational Education Research 4, no. 1 (May 1996): 35-67. (EJ 525 603)
Toohey, S.; Ryan, G.; McLean, J.; and Hughes, C. "Assessing Competency-Based Education and Training." Australian and New Zealand Journal of Vocational Education Research 3, no. 2 (November 1995): 86-117. (EJ 515 577)
Toye, J., and Vigor, P. Implementing NVQs. Brighton, England: Institute of Manpower Studies, University of Sussex, 1994. (ED 391 083)
Velde, C., and Hopkins, C. "Reporting Trainee Competence." Vocational Aspect of Education46, no. 3 (1994): 257-271. (EJ 500 802)
Rich with exotic scenes and characters, the westward expansion of the United States has long intrigued the storyteller. Often, inspired by this setting, he has chosen to write of gunfights and Indian raids, or of idealistic pioneers battling nature on the frontier’s edge. But there exists a far darker epic of the high plains and the dry deserts: that of a nation whose drastic expansion rent it apart. The grandiose and decisive policies of American presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Polk saw the vast expanses west of the Mississippi River absorbed into the Union, extending the nation west to the Pacific and south to Mexico. Suddenly enlarged, the United States found itself beset by social, economic, and moral quandaries pertaining to the administration of its newfound territories. Unable to resolve these disputes, the nation split into factions formed along preexisting regional and political divides, which led ultimately to the violent and brutal bloodbath of civil war. The roots of this disastrous internecine conflict originated in the expansionistic strategies of both Jefferson and Polk, clearly indicting their actions as damaging to the nation they governed.
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a crucial event that stood on the path to the Civil War and ignited sectional conflicts in America. Douglas’ proposal triggered stress between the North and the South after the Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise. Originally, the compromise prohibited slavery in the areas north of the 36°30’ latitude (ushistory.org). However, the act permitted Southerners to bring slaves into the
During the years Abraham Lincoln was alive, Northerners had been highly opposed to the spread of slavery. These views were complete opposite of the South’s agenda of slavery. Over time these black and white views which resulted in only in an increase tense sectionalism. Between 1820 and the mid 1850’s, the moral argument and political actions allowed for the fostering of change in political actions. The political actions taken in these two compromises fostered more change than continuity to a great extent. Although the Missouri Compromise seemed to settle the issue in 1820, by the time of the 1854 Kansas- Nebraska Act came along the conflict had escalated beyond what the territory Missouri could manage. These arguments and actions, therefore,
“Vocational Education in Finland.” Ministry of Education and Culture. Ministry of Education and Culture, n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2013. .
The debates over competency-based higher education (CBE) has been going on for at least 5 years with a significant media coverage since President Obama and Arne Duncan pushed for outcome-based assessment of higher education, more transparency of student learning, flexibility and lower costs. However, before looking into the current situation of CBE in the American higher education, pros, cons and the challenges of its adaptation, let us look in the past to have a better understanding of what CBE is.
The competency analysis reveals the specification of competencies that need to be demonstrated by the applicant (Woods et al., 2010). Managers are likely to analyse and interpret, organise and execute, enterprise and perform and lead and decide, competencies which are all highly related to overall job performance (OJP) (Bartram, 2002). Following the trend, this suggests that OJP ratings are primarily influenced by task performance, rather than by the contextual competencies, and therefore task-focussed assessment by a competency framework is recommended. However, it is very important that the personnel who conduct the assessment are properly trained, so that a clear link to the competencies is evident and each criterion is assessed more than once. Using a combination of tools is recommended to achieve an accurate assessment: an application form, a SJT and a GMA test are suggested for pre-selection and a competency-based panel interview for the final decision making
Bartlett, S and Burton, B (2007) Introduction to education studies. 2nd ed. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Gray, S. W., & Zide, M. R. (2007). An introduction to the competency-based assessment model.
Yates, P, Evans, A, Moore, A, Heartfield, M, Gibson, T, & Luxford, K, 2007, ‘Competency
To ensure all the employees are competent, they need to develop a system to measure this competency. For example, they can do assessments to gauge competency. Besides that, they should provide compulsory and supplementary training to their employees to add in value and skills. Mentoring systems also can be implemented to ensure sharing of knowledge and experiences.
In this report, I will reflect on my professional development throughout this module, from when I started in September, to now. According to Beausaert et al. (2011), ‘the art of self-evaluation is an integral element of reflection and involves critical insight into understanding one 's strengths and limitations’. Therefore, my aim is to identify my learning needs and to recognise my personal skills and capabilities, as well as identifying areas of my skill set that need to be refreshed or extended to stand out in the competitive job market. By doing this, I hope to demonstrate knowledge of the skills that I have gained during this module.
Employability has been defined as “the capability to gain initial employment, maintain employment and obtain new employment if required” (McQuaid and Lindsay, 2005; Hillage and Pollard, 1998). Although, the concept has been widely defined and generally accepted by researchers, there is still confusion as to how an individual tends to develop employment capacity in particular. Many researches have been conducted to identify the need to acquire and to find ways through which the capacity could be developed. The transition of the students from education to work has to be smooth to be more effective and benefit both the student as well as the general society.
... relevant samples of all aspects of the skills measured. Firefighters must pass a physical test equivalent to the physical tasks required fighting fires. Physical requirements of a firefighter include the ability lift 75 pounds while wearing a respirator and being able to run up flights of stairs. Criterion-related validity compares test scores with a well-established independent measure known to be valid. At Bluebonnet Homes, an Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Mental Retardation (ICF/MR), potential employees are asked a series of real-life questions modeling experiences they will encounter while on the job. The potential employee’s ability to identify the exact problem in each of the scenarios and the solutions they determine correct help trainers to assess future job success. High scores on the assessment activities predict successful job performance.
The term employability is used to refer to the ability of an individual to gain employment appropriate to his/her educational standards (Dearing 1997). Employability relates to both unemployed people seeking employment and those in employment seeking better jobs with their current or a different employer (Ronald, Anne & Mike 2005) The past literature reveals three key elements of employability, i.e., i) the ability to gain initial employment, ii) the ability to maintain employment and make transitions between jobs and roles within the same organisation to meet new job requirements and iii) the ability to obtain new employment, if required, by being independent in the labour market and able to manage employment transitions between organisations (Hillage and Pollard,1999). In simple terms, employability is about being capable of getting and keeping fulfilling work. Employability is about much more than just getting one’s first job- it’s about having a positive self image and presenting oneself successfully, both as a new
One of the most clearly seen and common aim of schooling is to develop individuals ‘who have skills an...