A New Paradigm in Assessment:
Competency Based
Halden A. Morris, PhD., P.E.,Senior Lecturer, TVET
School of Education, UWI.
Marjorie Blagrove-Williams, MSc , Education
Programme Coordinator, VTDI
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QUESTIONS
What
Where
What is this new paradigm in assessment?
What is Competency Based assessment
(CBA)?
What are the assumptions of CBA?
What are the origins of CBA?
What are the components of CBA?
How are standards for CBA established?
What is the CBA methodology?
How are evidences for CBA collected?
What are the fundamental challenges of CBA?
What facilities required for implementing CBA?
Where CBA is best employed?
How
LEARNING MEMO - Concepts
Determine what?
•Assessment of learning.
•Assessment for learning.
•What challenges your thinking?
Connection with your current
thinking / practice.
•Assessment as learning.
•Concept of CBA.
•What of accountability?
•Realibility of Assessment.
•Identify one useful, new
concept or idea .
•Is assessment aligned to learning?
•Extends your thinking.
•Validity of Assessment.
What is Competency Based Assessment
(CBA)
What is Competency Based Assessment
(CBA)
An educational system which revolves around
what is essential for all students to “be able to
do, or be like” at the end of their learning
experiences, as a result of their education.
Competency based assessment is producing
evidence to make a judgment [decision]
about whether the person is competent in
relation to a particular standard
What is Competency Based Assessment
(CBA)
• Hayton & Wagner(2008) sees CBA as ‘the
assessment of evidence to determine a
person’s current abilities against a given set
of competency standards’
• Competency-based assessment is a system in
which a number of assessment techniques
can be used to determine the person’s abilities
Origins of Competency Based Assessment
(CBA)
• The theoretical roots of CBA lie in the
behaviourist’ models of human psychology
from the 1950s (Skinner is the main
proponent).
• The model of competence used most
extensively in education was developed by
the American defence forces in the 1950s.
Five Related Developments that fed into
the Design of CBET
Mastery learning
(Bloom 1974)
Criterion-referenced
testing (Popham 1978)
Minimum competency
testing (Jaegar 1980)
Competence in
education (Burke et
al. 1975)
Programmed
learning (Skinner
1952).
These movements shared three
things in common:
Modules
the concept of
‘mastery’. (Harris et
al. 1995
design of assessment
around a list of observable
behaviours
Philosophy of CBA
Criterion referenced
Evidence based
Participatory
Assessment is against
industry standard, or a set
of criteria to establish
competency.
A process that matches
evidence of competency
against a standard.
Candidates are involved in
the process of assessment
Where is CBA best employed?
• CBA can be employed in all
practical areas.
• Specifically, CBA is best employed
where there is a need to assess
performance demonstrated against
established standards for a
particular area.
Emphasis of Competency
Based Assessment
Equipping
students
Industry industry
Performance
Continuous
Emphasis is
development of
on
outcomes that
determining if match current
students are industry needs in
equipped to the workplace.
meet the
demands of
the workplace.
Valid
Making
inferences
about
competency on
the basis of
performance
(McGaw, 1993
Valid, reliable, fair and
flexible assessment
process
Misconceptions of
CBA
Misconceptions of CBA
CBA is the
same as
Training
Performance
records are
Based
assessments
Assessment
(PBA)
Employers could
conduct valid
and reliable
assessment
without
assessment of
competencies
Performance
in soft skills
is not critical
in CBA
CBA can be a
single event
Assumptions of CBA
Assumptions
CBA places the emphasis on developing
detailed national criteria that are based on
industry needs
CBA quality assurance emphasizes
auditing human and material resources in
ways that lead to continuous internal
quality improvement.
Attempts to develop descriptions of practice
involve practitioners and this involvement is
active and collective.
Components of CBA
COMPONENTS OF CBA
Standards
Evidence collection
A standard of competence or
benchmark of performance
Established methods for
the collection of evidence
of competence
Framework for
comparison
Framework for the comparison
of evidence against standards
to establish performance level
Quality assurance
Assurance of quality of
process
COMPONENTS OF CBA
Emphasis is on outcomes; specifically,
multiple outcomes, each distinctive
and separately considered
Outcomes
The belief that these outcomes can and
should be specified to the point where
they are clear and "transparent".
Assessor, assessee, and "third parties"
should be able to understand what is
being assessed and what should be
achieved.
Establishing
Standards for
CBA
How do you
know when a
student
achieves
competency.
Establishing Standards
Underpinning
knowledge,
skills and
attitudes.
(Competency
is achieved
when a
student can
demonstrate
these)
The
evaluation of
sufficient
evidence to
enable
judgments to
be made
regarding
competence.
Evidence must
comply with the
assessment
guidelines and
other
requirement
stated in the
relevant
nationally
training
package
Judgment based on:
Standard
Performance
Evidence
Industry
acceptance
Teachers’
compliance
with the
standards.
Conditions of
performance/
facilities/
experience of
teacher/
assessor
Variety
Flexibility
Observable
What does it mean to be Competent
Perform
Perform
at an
acceptable
Skill Level
Organize
React
Respond
and React
Organize
one’s tasks to the
unexpected
Fulfill
Transfer
Fulfill the
Role
expected
in the
Workplace
Transfer
Skills and
Knowledge
to new
Situations
CBA Methodology
How do I do it?
Who should be
involved?
When Should it be
done?
Where should it be
done?
CBA Methodology
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On the job
assessment
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Off the job
assessment
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4
Simulation
Recognition
of Prior
Learning (RPL)
CBA Methodology: On the job/
Workplace assessment
The assessor
assesses the
practical
component at the
workplace and
the underpinning
knowledge and
skills component
off-the-job.
Off the job assessment
Assessment is
conducted off-the-job
after which verification
of on-the-job
workplace
performance is sought
from the workplace
supervisor.
Actively involves the workplace
in the assessment process
Simulation
Provision of a fully
simulated
assessment in an
off-the-job setting
that effectively
mirrors the
workplace
requirements.
Makes assessment activity
meaningful to students by
relating it workplace
activities, procedures and
requirements.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Assessment
through Recognition
of Prior Learning
offered where the
apprentice/trainee
presents evidence
of appropriate
knowledge and
skills development.
CBA Methodology - Instruments
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Observation
Demonstration
Project
Role play
Oral presentation
Portfolio
Written questions
Case studies
Fundamental Challenges
of CBA
Fundamental Challenges of CBA
• Deciding on approaches to
assessment for CBA
• Gaining teacher confidence
in using CBA
• No shared understanding
about CBA
• Concept of competency is
not well defined
Fundamental Challenges of CBA
• Details required CBA for
TVET is too cumbersome.
• Difficulty in designing
assessment instruments that
measure the criteria for not
one but a number of
competencies.
• Accessing suitable training
for assessors.
Fundamental Challenges of CBA
Difficult and impracticable
to decide a level of
achievement as well as
decide competencies.
Flexibility that schools can
apply to developing
approaches to assessment.
Fundamental Challenges of CBA
The sequence of learning and
assessment, can minimize,
rather than maximize, the
amount of assessment required.
Inability to provide a variety of
support materials, including
print, audiovisual and
simulations (models), keyed to
the skills being mastered is
used.
Fundamental Challenges of CBA
• Providing appropriate (fit for
purpose) facilities & equipment
for carrying out CBA.
• Providing facilities that is
aligned with requirements of
industry and commerce.
Summary
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What is Competency Based Assessment (CBA)?
Origins of CBA
Philosophy of CBA
Where is CBA best employed
Emphasis of CBA
Misconceptions of CBA
Assumptions of CBA
Components of CBA
Establishing Standards for CBA
CBA Methodology & Instruments
Fundamental Challenges of CBA
Questions?
References
Information retrieved from the following cites:
• http://wwwnew1.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/Documents/resourc
es/heca/heca_cl25.pdf
• http://training.qld.gov.au/resources/employers/pdf/re
quirements-competency-assessment.pdf
• https://www.cshisc.com.au/docs/ATSI_TAA/Learner
Guides/atsi_workplaceassessor_learnersguide_sec
2_dev01.pdf