MUHAMAD NORSYUKRI ALIM BIN ABD KADIR A15PP0048 4SPPQ

THE OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF COMPETENCY- BASED EDUCATION

J. Gervai

Competency-based education (CBE) is a hands-on method of learning. An education

method that derives a curriculum from an analysis of prospective or actual role in modern
society that attempts to certify student progress on the basis of demonstrated performance in
some or all aspects of that role. Firstly, the outcome or competency is set, then both
instructional delivery and assessment are designed based on it. Lastly, the knowledge, attitudes,
values, skills, and behaviours of the students based on competency are tested to check their
mastery and preparing them for the industry. Competency-based education (CBE) is designed
to be more dynamic and student-centered. Always changing, by undergoing constant evaluation
and revision ensuring to be always relevant to the industry. CBE is different from the traditional
education. Traditional education, implement rote learning and teaching, whereas CBE
encourages students to learn and apply their learning to practice. CBE is designed to develop
doers while traditional education was designed to develop thinkers. CBE model emphasized
outcomes, strong pedagogy, use of interdisciplinary resources, and assessment of a student
attainment of competencies across the curriculum. The competency that needs to be achieved
in CBE should be transparent and aligned with industry and academic expectations. Learning
is also structured horizontally meaning students must learn how to integrate what they had
learned across the curriculum and also vertically meaning mastering in depth the content of
each course.

Competency in CBE is different from behavioral objective whereas behavioral

objective measures overt behavior but CBE competency measures even the covert behaviors.
There are two different models of content delivery in a competency-based model. First is direct
assessment where studies are self-centered, meaning they are not bounded by course material,
classes and credit hour. Learners can demonstrate competencies, can undergo particular
mastery and do a formal evaluation when there are ready to do so and at their own pace. Second
is a credit hour program, where there are courses, credit hours and graded assignments.
Assessment is based on individual performance and not in comparison to other learners, and
having both pre and post-assessment established on a student so that the teacher could know
the learning needs of the student. CBE uses both formative and summative assessment.
Formative assessment is used to identify the student needs and feedbacks meanwhile
summative assessment is used to determine a student’s ability to continue on the next
competency. In CBE, students can receive credit for prior learning and can straight proceed
onto the next learning. Grades are determined by the degree of mastery of competencies,
ranging from advance to not yet competent. When students do not earn enough credit for a
particular course, they need to re-take the course to proceed to the next one.