Study on the Competency of College Elitists
Li-qun Gu, Xiao-rong Zhao, Xue-ying Tong
School of Management, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian, China
(gulq@dlpu.edu.cn)
Abstract - The current selection of college elitists
covered the appraisal of internal competency such as
personal qualities, motivation and value. By factor analysis
to the questionnaire data, 7 competency factors were chosen
to build up the competency model, including achievement
orient, innovation ability, academic exchange ability, teamleading ability, teaching ability, academic research ability
and teaching profession. Also, a selection indicator system of
college elitists was established.
Keywords - College, Elitists, Competency
I. INTRODUCTION
Education plays more and more critical effects on
national development. Since college teachers are the core
of promoting technology and science, the management
towards them, especially the college elitists, is pretty
important. However, the current selection of college
elitists emphasizes mainly on the external performance
results, for instance, the scientific research and existing
rewards, rather than the performance-related competency
such as personal qualities, motivation and value.
Therefore, to establish a competency model of the college
elitists may perfect the original selection methods and
provide scientific and reasonable references to selecting
and cultivating the potential college teachers.
Based on the investigation to college teachers in
Liaoning Province, by factor analysis, a competency
indicator system of college elitists was established in this
paper, which may provide references to teacher selection
in colleges.
characteristics of competency are proposed here in this
paper: (1) it is related to certain job requirements or work
situation; (2) it can predict job performance and
distinguish the outstanding employees from the common
ones; (3) it can be shown by behaviors observed and
measured, and the use of knowledge, skills, attitudes,
motivation in a specific context.
Carloolson pointed out that teacher competency
model included the elements of professional knowledge,
skills and attitudes of an individual teacher that are
closely related to successful teaching and research [5].
Stemberg suggested that there were three common
characteristics among teachers: the special knowledge,
creativity and insight [6]. Kabilan divided teachers’
competency evaluation criteria into five aspects:
motivation, skills, knowledge, self- learning, interactive
and computer ability [7]. In summary, the studies on
competency of college teachers have been relatively
comprehensive and mature, yet none competency model
has been universally acknowledged.
The personality-job fit assessment for selection
focuses mainly on the relationship among personality
characteristics, job orientation and career choice [8]. In the
application areas of competency model at present, the
most effective one is the competency-model-based
selection [9]. Peng Jianfeng suggested the recruitment and
selection steps should be based on the competency [10].
The competency-model-based selection concerns the
competency that can produce high performance [11].
III. METHODS
A. Questionnaire
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
In 1973, McClelland proposed the method of
measuring competency instead of the traditional
intelligence test [1]. Fletcher supported that competency is
behaviors that is specific, and can be observed and
confirmed [2]. Spencer pointed out that competency is
personal potential features related to effective or
outstanding job performance, including five levels:
knowledge, skills, self-concept, characteristics and
motivation [3]. Sandberg suggested that competencies
were not all the knowledge and skills but that used at
work [4]. Based on the above views, the following three
Project
Support: Research on Formation Mechanism and Educating
Strategies about Self-efficacy in Starting an Undertaking of College
Students.
There are mainly two ways to build competency
model: behavioral event interview and questionnaire [12],
and the latter was applied in this study. Based on the job
analysis, some competency elements were obtained from
the college questionnaires towards students, and the BEI
(Behavior Event Interview) towards 30 college teachers.
Then 2 experts and 3 doctors studying on competency
were invited to select the competency elements above by
merging related items, deleting unimportant items and
adding missing items. 37 competency elements of college
elitists were finally extracted. The competency
questionnaire towards college elitists was designed
according to Likert five-point scale, including 52 items
that are described as behaviors. The respondents were
requested to grade in keeping with the standards that to
what extent they corresponded with the behavior as
described. 1=extremely not competent, 2=not competent,
3=common, 4=competent, 5=very competent.
With the method of random cluster sampling, 200
samples were distributed and 184 were recovered, of
which 180 samples were valid, therefore the rate of valid
samples was 97.83%. Among the valid samples, college
elitists and common teachers were 55 and 125,
respectively. By using SPSS18.0 statistical software, 52item discrimination was analyzed to select items, of
which 16 were deleted as their no significant differences.
The left 36 items were reserved as the sig.= 0.000< 0.05,
which implied that there were significant differences
between the “college elitists” group and the “common
teachers” group. Then another two experts on areas of
psychology and competency were invited to modify the
36 items, and finally the study designed the formal 30item questionnaire towards the competency of college
elitists.
B. Data Collection
The formal investigation distributed 1500 samples to
college elitists and common teachers among more than 10
colleges in Liaoning Province through either electronic or
paper questionnaires, which involved many disciplines
such as science, engineering, liberal art, economic,
management, medical, education, etc. 957 samples were
recovered, of which 901 were valid, and the rate of valid
is 94.19%. Among the valid samples, college elitists and
common teachers were 327 and 574, respectively.
IV. RESULTS
A. Reliability Analysis
The reliability of all questionnaire items was
analyzed and the results were as follows.
TABLE I
THE OVERALL RELIABILITY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Cronbach's
Alpha
0.945
Cronbach's Alpha Based on
Standardized Items
0.946
N of Items
30
As shown in TABLE I, the overall reliability Cronbach α
was 0.945, which indicates that the consistency degree of
respondents’ grade is high, and therefore the result of the
questionnaire is reliable.
B. Exploratory Factor Analysis
(1) Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett ball test
TABLE II shows the results of KMO measure of
sampling adequacy and Bartlett ball test. The KMO value
was 0.917, higher than that of the lowest standard 0.70.
The x2 and df of Bartlett ball test was 2415.521 and 435,
respectively, suggesting the high relevance among items.
Moreover, the level of remarkable difference (sig.) was
0.000, which indicated together with the above data that
the questionnaires are suitable for the further factor
analysis [13].
TABLE II
THE RESULTS OF KMO AND BARTLETT TEST
KMO Measure of Sampling Adequacy.
0.917
Approx. Chi-Square
2415.521
df
435
Sig.
0.000
Bartlett's Test of Sphericity
(2) Factor loading matrix
Factors with eigenvalue over 1 were extracted by
principal component and transformation matrix to make
the factor loading matrix of college elitists’ competency.
As shown in TABLE III, there were 7 factors and the
total variance explained was 69.287%, which indicated
that the competency extracted was effective and could
explain most of the information about the competency of
college elitists.
TABLE III
FACTOR LOADING MATRIX
Component
Factor
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
X10
0.925
0.194
0.138
0.137
0.116
.082
0.115
X11
0.810
0.134
0.117
0.138
0.110
0.141
0.098
X16
0.874
0.194
0.131
0.124
0.107
0.057
0.110
X20
0.939
0.187
0.139
0.144
0.120
0.102
0.116
X23
0.939
0.187
0.139
0.144
0.120
0.102
0.116
X27
0.938
0.183
0.138
0.146
0.121
0.108
0.116
X8
0.287
0.592
0.220
0.234
0.161
0.308
-0.166
X13
0.288
0.862
0.181
0.183
0.160
0.227
0.070
X18
0.214
0.781
0.049
0.105
0.183
0.185
0.109
X22
0.211
0.749
0.189
0.116
0.044
0.064
0.229
X26
0.178
0.462
0.432
0.121
0.087
-0.040
0.292
X3
0.103
0.179
0.483
0.451
0.115
0.238
-0.122
X5
0.313
0.093
0.553
0.197
0.304
0.247
0.011
X15
0.262
0.342
0.448
0.373
-0.059
0.060
0.109
X19
0.115
0.099
0.733
0.106
0.086
0.124
0.153
X24
0.093
0.198
0.581
0.058
0.276
0.123
0.305
X1
0.161
0.024
0.211
0.553
0.480
-0.014
-0.018
X9
0.391
0.143
0.138
0.527
0.164
-0.024
0.277
X14
0.165
0.161
0.297
0.607
0.037
0.168
0.176
X21
0.244
0.295
-0.024
0.652
0.023
0.335
0.223
X4
0.092
0.023
0.191
-0.062
0.757
0.235
0.160
X6
0.213
0.310
0.173
0.142
0.660
0.066
0.066
X7
0.225
0.168
-0.021
0.343
0.507
-0.003
0.275
X2
0.158
0.070
0.254
0.036
0.125
0.738
-0.157
X3
Persuasion
X25
0.045
0.306
0.025
0.196
0.191
0.615
0.277
X5
Teamwork
X28
0.168
0.289
0.368
0.023
-0.108
0.477
0.239
X15
Relationship building
X30
0.147
0.168
0.085
0.287
0.148
0.545
0.373
X12
0.423
0.180
-0.102
0.184
0.376
0.117
0.431
X19
Communication skills
X17
0.198
0.112
0.208
0.143
0.264
0.008
0.606
X24
Awareness of social
services
X29
0.216
0.140
0.342
0.145
0.060
0.215
0.674
X1
Care for students
X9
Leadership
X14
Influence
X21
Develop others
X4
Teaching preparation
X6
Self-reflection
X7
Teaching methods
X2
Academic influence
X25
Professional
knowledge
X28
Collection
information
Defination of the Element
X30
Awareness of law
With a strong mind and never
surrender even when encounter
obstacles.
Setting higher working targets ；
Strong courage to meet challenges;
Desire
to
make
excellent
performance.
Concentrating on a special target
and getting rid of any minor
external influencing factors.
Setting challenging targets and
making efforts to achieve excellent
performance.
Making extra efforts even if there
was no one asking for it.
Keen interests in his own major or
discipline.
Identifying different ways to solve
problems and the advantages and
disadvantages of different results
logically and inferentially.
Dealing with issues and problems
about work logically.
The ability to predict and indentify
unknown
information
and
knowledge with that known.
Strong desire to explore unknown
fields.
Acute
ability
to
capture
experimental
phenomena
and
information
about
scientific
research; Adept
in discover
opportunities to further scientific
research.
X12
Commitment
X17
Honesty
X29
Academically
rigorous
After the exploring factor analysis, the original
assumed competency dimensions have changed, with 7
competency factors instead of 8 factors, and some
elements were re-assorted. For example, Self-reflection
and Persistence and Professional Research Interest
belonged to the original factor 2 were assorted to the new
factor 5 and factor 1, respectively. Planning Ability was
transferred from the original factor 5 to the new factor 1,
while Expression was assorted to the new factor 3 and
renamed as communication skills. The new factor of
Academic Exchange Ability contains Communication
Skills, Teamwork, Awareness of Social Services, and et
al.
Factor3
Factor4
Factor5
(3) Factor classified and named
Each competency factor was named and defined in
this paper, as shown in TABLE IV.
Factor6
TABLE IV
NAME AND DEFINATION OF COMPETENCY FACTORS OF COLLEGE
ELITISTS
Factor
Factor1
V*
Competency Element
X10
Perseverance
X11
Enterprise
X16
Concentration
X20
Achievement desire
X23
Initiative
X27
Professional research
interests
X8
Thinking critically
X13
Ability to analyze
logically
X18
Thinking divergently
X22
Curiosity
X26
Research acumen
Factor2
Factor7
The ability to convince others by
persuading and demonstrating.
Working together with cooperators
to achieve the common goals.
Building or maintaining harmonious
relationship with people that
relevant to work.
Communicating skillfully.
Researching social problems with
professional knowledge and skills;
the awareness and action to service
society.
Communicating
with
students
actively to concern about their study
and life so as to meet their needs.
Setting a specific goal for team
members and making efforts to
achieve it.
Earning trusts from team members
with his own morality on academic,
democratic style of work and
personality charm.
Supporting others on study or work
to help them get more independent
and confidence.
Preparing well before class.
Reflecting on his own performance
so as to make improving solutions
or remediations.
Adopting the appropriate teaching
materials and methods; Adjusting
his teaching strategy according to
the appraisal results.
The ability to be a person of
authority in his team with
outstanding
achievements
in
scientific research.
Sensitive
to
the
developing
tendencies in his research areas;
Mastering the knowledge and skills
of relevant disciplines.
Making efforts to obtain more
information instead of relying on
the existing ones.
Obeying disciplines and laws,
especially that related to researches.
Keeping their promises and making
any efforts to realize them.
The morals of practicing what he
preaches.
The feature of teaching precisely
and researching originality without
any misconducts.
V*=Variable
Competency factor 1: Achievement-oriented, the
psychological tendency driving individuals to meet
challenge and pursue achievements and high goals. It
includes 6 competency elements, which are perseverance,
enterprise, concentration, achievement desire, initiative
and professional research interests.
Competency factor 2: Innovation capability, the
capability of carrying out scientific explorations in
unknown fields with scientific thinking and appropriate
methods. It includes thinking critically, ability to analyze
logically, thinking divergently, curiosity and research
acumen.
Competency factor 3: Academic ability to
communicate, the ability to conduct academic exchanges
and communicate with team members, which is
composed of 5 competency elements such as persuasion,
teamwork, relationship building, communication skills
and awareness of social services.
Competency factor 4: Team leadership ability, the
ability to team management, discipline construction,
training others and interpersonal communication. This
factor refers to care for students, leadership, influence and
develop others.
Competency factor 5: Teaching ability, the ability to
participate in education and teaching activities, including
teaching preparation, self-reflection and teaching methods.
Competency factor 6: Academic research ability, the
ability to master and use professional knowledge, to
understand the latest development and trends of
profession. In this part, 4 competency elements are
involved such as academic influence, professional
knowledge, collection of information and awareness of
law.
C. Competency Model of College Elitists
According to the results of exploratory factor
analysis and factor classification, the competency model
of college elitists was here established. This model
includes 7 competency factors and 30 competency
elements, which constructed the index system of college
elitists, second indicators and third indicators (TABLE V).
Achievement-oriented
Perseverance, Enterprise, Concentration, Achievement desire,
Initiative, Professional research interests
Innovation capability
Thinking critically, The ability to analyze logically, Thinking
divergently, Curiosity, Research acumen
Academic ability to
communicate
Competency of
College elitists
Competency factor 7: Serve as role models, the
ability to possess good teachers' professional ethics, fair
and honest, to keep promises, stick to principles and
promote trust and respect. It is comprised of commitment,
honesty and academically rigorous.
Persuasion, Teamwork, Relationship building,
Communication skills, Awareness of social services
Team leadership
ability
Care for students, Leadership, Influence, Develop others
Teaching ability
Teaching preparation, Self-reflection, Teaching methods
Academic research
ability
Academic influence, Professional knowledge, Collection
information, Awareness of law
Serve as role models
Commitment, Honest, Academically rigorous
Fig.1. Competency Model of College Elitists
V. SELECTION INDICATORS OF COLLEGE
ELITISTS
T ABLE V
HIERARCHY OF COLLEGE TALENTS SELECTION INDICATORS
First level indicator
Second level indicator
Y 1 Achievement-oriented
Y 2 Innovation capability
Index system of college
“Million of Talents”
(Z)
Y 3 Academic ability to
communicate
Y 4 Team leadership ability
Y 5 Teaching ability
Y 6 Academic research
ability
Y 7 Serve as role models
Third level indicator
X 10 Perseverance;
X 11 Enterprising;
X 16 Concentration;
X 20 Achievements
desire;
X 23 Initiative;
X 27 Professional
research interests
X 8 Critical thinking; X 13 Logically analysis ability; X 18 Divergent
thinking; X 22 Curiosity; X 26 Research acumen
X 3 Persuasion;
X 5 Teamwork;
X 15 Relationship
building;
X 19 Communication skills; X 24 Awareness of social services
X 1 Care for students; X 9 Leadership; X 14 Influence; X 21 Develop
others
X 4 Teaching
methods
preparation;
X 6 Self-reflection;
X 7 Teaching
X 2 Academic
influence;
X 25 Professional
knowledge;
X 28 Collection of information; X 30 Awareness of law
X 12 Faith; X 17 Honest; X 29 Academically rigorous
Every competency element needs a classification
standard and the description of its typical behavior [14].
Behavior anchored rating scale method (BARS) is a
measurement system of defining and classifying the
specific behavior of the competency. It designs rating
scales for each competency, and identifies a number of
behavior ratings for each of the competency. It is
common to use a 3-5 grade score sheet separately for
each competency elements, with the behavior on the
rating listed in each grade. According to Hay Corporation
“Quality of competency grading Dictionary” [15], in
combination with job characteristics of college elitists, a
behavior anchored rating scale for each competency
elements was proposed.
VI. CONCLUSION
By using factor analysis method, a questionnaire for
competency of college elitists was formed, in which 30
competency elements were reduced to 7 competency
factors including achievement-oriented, innovation
capability, academic ability to communicate, team
leadership ability, teaching ability, academic research
ability and serve as role models. The weighing of second
level indicators and third level indicators were acquired
through factor variance contribution rate and factor score
coefficient matrix, and the index system of college elitists
was finally established.
This study enriches the theoretical system of the
competency research field, and provides certain reference
to the further study of competency and the selection of
college elitists. Results obtained in the study could be
used as a supplement and improvement for the college
elitists’ selection, and are also suitable for talents
selection and training needs analysis. Meanwhile, in
allusion to competency model and the selection criteria
teachers can manage their individual career, so as to
enhance the competence of their positions. The results
can also provide training standards and directions for
cultivating high-level talents of college, and inspire the
work enthusiasm of university teachers and enhance their
job performance.
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