Title: A New Paradigm in Assessment:
1 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
2QUESTIONS
What Where How
- 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?
3Connection with your current thinking / practice.
LEARNING MEMO - Concepts
Determine what?
- Realibility of Assessment.
- What challenges your thinking?
- Identify one useful, new concept or idea .
- Is assessment aligned to learning?
4What is Competency Based Assessment (CBA)
5What 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
6What is Competency Based Assessment (CBA)
- Hayton Wagner(2008) sees CBA as the assessment
of evidence to determine a persons 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 persons abilities
7Origins 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.
8Five 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).
9These movements shared three things in common
design of assessment around a list of observable
behaviours
Modules
the concept of mastery. (Harris et al. 1995
10Philosophy of CBA
Assessment is against industry standard, or a set
of criteria to establish competency.
Criterion referenced
A process that matches evidence of competency
against a standard.
Evidence based
Candidates are involved in the process of
assessment
Participatory
11Where 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.
12Emphasis of Competency Based Assessment
13Equipping students
Performance
Valid
Industry industry
Making inferences about competency on the basis
of performance (McGaw, 1993
Continuous development of outcomes that match
current industry needs in the workplace.
Emphasis is on determining if students are
equipped to meet the demands of the workplace.
Valid, reliable, fair and flexible assessment
process
14Misconceptions of CBA
15Misconceptions of CBA
CBA is the same as Performance Based Assessment
(PBA)
Performance in soft skills is not critical in CBA
Employers could conduct valid and reliable
assessment without assessment of competencies
Training records are assessments
CBA can be a single event
16Assumptions of CBA
17Assumptions
- 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.
18Components of CBA
19COMPONENTS OF CBA
A standard of competence or benchmark of
performance
Standards
- Established methods for the collection of
evidence of competence
Evidence collection
Framework for the comparison of evidence against
standards to establish performance level
Framework for comparison
Assurance of quality of process
Quality assurance
20COMPONENTS 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.
21How do you know when a student achieves
competency.
Establishing Standards for CBA
22Establishing Standards
Evidence must comply with the assessment
guidelines and other requirement stated in the
relevant nationally training package
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.
23Judgment based on
Performance
Evidence
Standard
Industry acceptance Teachers compliance with
the standards.
Conditions of performance/ facilities/ experience
of teacher/ assessor
Variety Flexibility Observable
24What does it mean to be Competent
React
Fulfill
Transfer
Perform
Organize
Perform at an acceptable Skill Level
Respond and React to the unexpected
Organize ones tasks
Fulfill the Role expected in the Workplace
Transfer Skills and Knowledge to new Situations
25CBA Methodology
How do I do it? Who should be involved? When
Should it be done? Where should it be done?
26CBA Methodology
1
2
3
4
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Off the job assessment
Simulation
On the job assessment
27CBA 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.
28Off the job assessment
- Actively involves the workplace in the assessment
process
Assessment is conducted off-the-job after which
verification of on-the-job workplace performance
is sought from the workplace supervisor.
29Simulation
Makes assessment activity meaningful to students
by relating it workplace activities, procedures
and requirements.
Provision of a fully simulated assessment in an
off-the-job setting that effectively mirrors the
workplace requirements.
30Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Assessment through Recognition of Prior Learning
offered where the apprentice/trainee presents
evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills
development.
31CBA Methodology - Instruments
- Observation
- Demonstration
- Project
- Role play
- Oral presentation
- Portfolio
- Written questions
- Case studies
32Fundamental Challenges of CBA
33Fundamental 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
34Fundamental 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.
35Fundamental 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.
36Fundamental 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.
37Fundamental 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.
38Summary
- 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
39Questions?
40References
- Information retrieved from the following cites
- http//www-new1.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/Documents/r
esources/heca/heca_cl25.pdf - http//training.qld.gov.au/resources/employers/pdf
/requirements-competency-assessment.pdf - https//www.cshisc.com.au/docs/ATSI_TAA/LearnerGui
des/atsi_workplaceassessor_learnersguide_sec2_dev0
1.pdf -