Integration of generic competencies and content in the Skills for a Changing World Curriculum Key Issues to Consider

Thinking about skills and/or competencies Skills and/or competencies? Definitions: –Competence refers to a ‘state of sufficiency in a given environment’ –Competence can be viewed as knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and their integration. Other key points embodied in the construct of ‘competencies’: Dynamic process Application in context Integration of theory and practice Reflective practice  importance of self-reflection and self assessment Ability to assess what one knows and does not know General ability to learn and apply competencies effectively in many different aspects of a person’s activities Developmental, taking cultural diversity and context into account  implications for assessment

Skills are only one component of competencies – in Skills for a Changing World we are focused on competencies rather than the more limited concept of skills

Implications for Skills for a Changing World Programme Outcomes: –Look at ways of incorporating the critical and developmental outcomes across all modules Learning and teaching strategies: –Embedded cognitive support in all modules as part of module layout –Activity, interactive and discussion-based, group interaction and collective/collaborative learning –Materials learner and learnering centred not content driven –Use of multiple learning resources  knowledge construction –Experiential learning (taking life experience into account) – Kolb’s cycle –Integrated assessment methods

Implications for Skills for a Changing World Programme Suggestions for structuring learning materials (learning guide): –Introductory mini-lecture –Learning outcomes should state competencies to be demonstrated –Learning activities – use Kolb’s experiential learning cycle –Summary or conclusion at the end of each activity –Complete learning cycle with an assessment activity (application) – consider use of rubric for marking assessment activities Key role played by the facilitators – facilitator guides and training

Discussion questions 1.In the Skills for a Changing World programme is our focus on skills and/or competencies? 2.Implications of this approach for different modules? 3.How will this integrated approach strengthen the different modules making up the Skills for a Changing World curriculum? 4.What challenges might we encounter? 5.?