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The term competency in a learning context is the knowledge, skill, and attitudinal abilities that facilitate individuals to utilize appropriate technologies and perform effectively. A competency framework is an organization of competencies in different categories based on the kinds of functions or tasks an individual is likely to undertake for a given occupation. A competency model is a structured framework that specifies and describes the set of competencies required and the standards to be established for effective performance. Competency frameworks and models are significant since they can facilitate development of competencies among educational professionals by serving as a valuable tool for validation, certification, curriculum design, and human resource development. This entry discusses the significance and background of competency frameworks, the definition of competency, and characteristics of competency-based frameworks.

Significance and Background

Professional organizations and industries offering academic or training programs are constantly being challenged to renew and adopt techniques and standardization procedures to select or equip individuals appropriately for evolving roles and responsibilities due to new technologies. Such technological developments also prompt educational and training institutions to reexamine and upgrade their instructional or training processes to ascertain that the required competencies are developed among students or trainees to adopt technology. This need has led organizations to the development of performance frameworks or standards that certify and establish global or local licensing of skills and ensure that there are minimal discrepancies between educational or training outcomes and job and task demands. One of the approaches that has received wide acclaim around the globe is a competency-based framework, which is transparent, has pedagogical properties, and has the potential to improve efficiency and performance. It has increasingly gained the attention of educational and training institutions, including technical and vocational programs, teacher education, public enterprises, corporate training, medical and nursing programs, instructional design, trade unions, and licensing bodies.

Competency-based education originated as a culturally based movement in the late 1960s to meet the demands of accountability, personalization, and maximizing outputs. As viewed by Gene Hall and Helen Jones, this movement was more than a curriculum change or change in instructional emphasis since it emphasized the notion of going from quantity (hours of instruction) to quality (performance standards). Although it was labeled differently as competency-based education and training or performance-based education and training, the theoretical framework of this movement is largely grounded in the following theories: behaviorism, mastery learning, and systems theory. In recent years, humanist and holistic aspects have also been integrated into the competency-based approach.

Competency Definition

The term competency or competence has been operationally defined in various ways. Based on a review of definitions, competence can be broadly viewed as the knowledge, skills, and attitudinal abilities required by an individual to perform a given job or task effectively. Rita Richey and others, while attempting to validate the instructional design competencies for the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction (ibstpi), described competency as a set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable an individual to perform the activities of a given job or occupation to or beyond expected standards.

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