IVETA 2001 Conference Montego Bay, Jamaica- PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: THE COMPETENCY BASED APPROACH AND ITS APPLICATION TO TECHNICAL/ VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN JAMAICA – MARCIA M. ROWE

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: THE COMPETENCY BASED APPROACH AND ITS APPLICATION TO TECHNICAL/ VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN JAMAICA

A paper presented at the International Vocational Education and Training Association Annual Conference , July 31 – August 2, 2001, Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Prepared by:

Marcia M. Rowe

HEART Trust/NTA

6B Oxford Road

Kingston 5

Jamaica

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ------3

INTRODUCTION------4

WHAT IS COMPETENCY BASED TRAINING?------4

TRADITIONAL TRAINING VS COMPETENCY BASED TRAINING------6

HEART Trust/ National Training Agency – APPLICATION OF COMPETENCY

BASED TRAINING------7

IMPROVING DELIVERY AND ASSESSMENT USING THE COMPETENCY

BASED APPROACH WITHIN THE HEART TRUST INSTITUTIONS ------8

REFERENCES ------10

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The paper begins by expounding on the characteristics of Competency Based Training. The major characteristics listed are the strong relationship with the workplace standards, the focus on outcomes, the clear demonstrations of competence and assessment strategies that reflect judgements of competence. A table then details the differences between traditional training versus Competency Based Training. The differences are stated in terms of the methods of delivery, the resources, staff and assessment. The focus is then turned to the HEART Trust ‘s application of Competency Based Training in the design of its training programs. Reference is then made to the Plumbing ‘Level Two’ curriculum guide where examples of Competency Based Training are outlined. The paper concludes by making recommendations on how the delivery and assessment of the curriculum can be improved using the Competency Based Approach.

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS: THE COMPETENCY BASED APPROACH AND ITS APPLICATION TO TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN JAMAICA

INTRODUCTION

The story is told of two tertiary graduates – Marla and Brenda. Marla attended an academic university while Brenda attended a University that specialized in technical vocational education. The two graduates majored in Business Education. Upon graduation they both sought and received employment in the same firm. During the first couple of weeks on the job Brenda needed very little time to adjust. She organized meetings, did the necessary follow-up and was able to handle crisis situations when they arose. Marla, on the other hand, took a longer time to adjust. The office and the demands were very new to her as she only knew about them as much as she had acquired from her textbooks.

What was the difference between these two graduates? Brenda had got the opportunity to work in an office setting as part of her training. Many of the tasks she performed during her training mirrored the actual setting in the work environment. This opportunity was not made available to Marla. While she knew the theory very well she did not get an opportunity to apply it.

Producing graduates like Brenda is the objective of Competency Based Training.

WHAT IS COMPETENCY BASED TRAINING?

Competency Based Training has as its major aim the development of a competent workforce. It emphasizes what the individual can do in the workplace after completing a period of training. The training programme is directly related to the expectations of the employer. Competency Based Training differs from traditional training in that trainers now think in terms of outputs. These outputs are referred to as outcomes. These are explicit and serve as the foundation on which planning is based. They are guided by workplace standards. Competencies are further broken down into component parts and each of these parts is identifiable. According to Professor John A. Bowden the following characteristics are peculiar to Competency Based Training.

  1. Focus on outcome – These outcomes are relevant to employment
  1. Greater workplace relevance – It emphasizes the importance of applying knowledge to the tasks to be performed in the workplace. This is different from traditional training where the concern has been expressed that theoretical or book knowledge is often emphasized at the expense of the ability to perform the job.
  2. Outcomes are observable competencies - These are what set clear goals for educational programmes. (John A.Bowden)
  3. Assessments as judgements of competence – The assessment takes into consideration the knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired and the actual performance of the competency. The primary focus of competency-based training is on the mastery of skills (Sullivan 1995).

TRADITIONAL TRAINING VS COMPETENCE BASED TRAINING

Traditional approaches to training differ markedly from Competency Based Training. These key differences are summarized in the table below:

TABLE 1

TRADITIONAL TRAINING / COMPETENCE BASED TRAINING
Focused on one center / Flexibility in terms of centres
Reliant on a teacher / Learner Led
Teacher Centred / Teacher as facilitator
Competitive culture in the classroom / Competition against competencies
Programme based on knowledge and skills / Programme based on competence
Programme designed for the whole class / Programmes designed to suit individual learning styles
Limited amounts of practice / Ample opportunities provided for practice

RESOURCES

Often based in text and IT / Variety of resource materials
Sometimes not to industry standards / Resources aligned with Industry standards
Restricted access to resources / Easy access to resources

STAFF

Academic Experts

/ Facilitators with industrial experience

Accustomed to controlling what, when, where and in what context the class learns

/ Works closely with learner to identify needs and design and deliver to address needs.

Prior experience of the learner not recognized

/ Prior learning and experience accredited. Participants knowledge and skills assessed as they enter the programme

Written exams – major part of assessment

/ Variety of assessment strategies including portfolios

Fixed Timetable

/ Flexible timetable – different entry points, Self paced learning

Graded for superior performance

/ Learner led readiness for assessment

Assessment of knowledge and skills

/ Explicit standard of performance as reference point for assessment

% of content selected from the curriculum for assessment

/ Theory is integrated with skill practice

Areas to be tested unknown to students

/ Assessment is transparent

Participants pass or fail

/ Assumes that all participants can acquire competencies given sufficient time and relevant methods of training.

HEART ( Human Employment and Resource Training) Trust/ National Training Agency – APPLICATION OF COMPETENCY BASED TRAINING

HEART Trust / National Training Agency has sought to apply the Competency Based Approach in the design, delivery and assessment of its training programmes.

Lead Groups comprising of persons who are currently employed in the industries assist with the development of standards. The standards then guide the development of the curriculum.

Various modalities of delivery are used to ensure that all the competencies are addressed in order to achieve the required outcome. Within The HEART Trust, attempts have been made to equip training institutions with current technology so that these can be more reflective of what is used in the industries. To better equip learners to perform in a work setting they are required to do one hundred and sixty (160) hours in an actual work related setting.

The HEART Trust curriculums place a strong emphasis on Performance Based assessment.

This Plumbing Level 2 Curriculum guide for the training institutions has incorporated the Competency Based Approach in its content.

IMPROVING DELIVERY AND ASSESSMENT USING THE COMPETENCY BASED APPROACH WITHIN THE HEART Trust INSTITUTIONS

It is clearly evident that the principles of Competency Based Training are clearly applied in the design, delivery and assessment of the various curricula being used within the HEART institutions. The findings of a survey conducted by Mr. George Coleman (2001) in one of these institutions revealed that there are a few areas in which the application could be further improved: These areas are:

  • Improve the extent to which teachers communicate what is to be assessed.
  • Increase the use of alternative assessment methods
  • Apply knowledge of learning theories to lesson plans
  • Ensure that industry standards are more clearly communicated in training delivery
  • Help the teachers to conduct classes so that they become facilitators rather than providers of information.

How can these concerns be addressed?

Communicating what is to be assessed – At the beginning of a course the teacher should communicate to the learner what the outcomes that are being worked towards are. He should take time to conduct periodic review sessions with the learner so as to provide him with feedback and reinforcement. The assessment strategies should also be communicated clearly to the learner. All attempts should be made to ensure that what is to be assessed and how it is to be assessed are clearly communicated.

Increase the use of alternative methods of assessment – Utilize a variety of assessment strategies. While paper and pencil tests should play a role this should form

only a part of the assessment strategy used. For example, the use of portfolios should be one strategy used to assess students.

Application of learning theories to lesson plans – Teachers will need to know what students learning styles are and design these learning experiences taking into consideration these styles. This will require them to apply methods like an interactive or participatory approach in their delivery, use of role-play and use of audiovisuals.

Ensure that Industry standards are more clearly communicated in training delivery

This will require the teacher to be more vigilant in ensuring that the standards of the Industry are clearly applied as the trainees take part in the learning experience.

Adopt the role of that of a facilitator – This will require the teacher to plan and structure the learning activity so that the learner can maximize his ability to learn. He should provide experiences that allow the learner to take control of his own learning by drawing on his previous knowledge add this to new knowledge and thus increase his knowledge. In a facilitative role he will select the most appropriate teaching methods that will allow all learners to experience success.

REFERENCES

Bowden, J.A. (On line). Competency – Based Education – Neither a Panacea nor a Pariah. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia. Available:

Coleman, George. (2001). An approach to Improve Competency Based Training at a Vocational Training Institute. Paper submitted to Central Connecticut State University.

Cornford, Ian. (1997) Competency Based Training: Where to from here? Sydney: University of Technology

FENTO (1999). Standards for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Further Education in England and Wales. London: Further Education National Training Organisation

Fletcher, Shirley. (1992). Designing Competence – Based Training. London: Kogan Page

HEART Trust/NTA. (2000) Plumbing, Level Two. Curriculum Unit: TVET Resource Centre

Sullivan, Rick. (1995). The Competency Based Approach to Training. Training Office, JHPIEGO Corporation

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