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Competence Based Mkonongwa
Competence Based Mkonongwa
Abstract
Competence-based teaching and learning has been recognized in many education systems in
recent years. It is a system which challenges the traditional practice of focusing on coverage of the
content without paying due attention to mastery of skills. Based on secondary sources, this paper
explores how competence-based teaching and learning can contribute to improvement of the
quality of education particularly in Tanzania. Specifically, the paper highlights a brief historical
origin of competence-based teaching and learning, pedagogical considerations of competence-
based teaching and learning and ways of promoting competence-based teaching and learning. It
also highlights the implementation of competence- based teaching and learning and the challenges
encountered. Finally, it outlines some recommendations for improving the implementation of
competence-based teaching and learning.
Introduction
The intention of any education system, whether openly stated or not, is to develop competent and
confident individuals who can use the acquired knowledge and skills to positively transform their
own lives in particular and contribute maximally to the development of the society in general. The
education system must produce individuals who will cope well with the changing world. As noted
by Schleicher (n.d.) cited by Lopez, et al. (2017:
“Today, schools need to prepare students for more rapid economic and social change than
ever before, for jobs that have not yet been created, to use technologies that have not yet
been invented, and to solve social problems that we do not yet know will arise.”
However, in recent years there have been complaints from employers and other stakeholders
about the ability of our graduates to perform their duties according to their levels of education and
the grades they posses. Employers in particular argue that many graduates have good examination
grades but they lack the competences required in the world of work. Kazin (n.d.) noted that when
employers are thinking about who they will hire, they talk about what competencies they need, not
what degree the candidate has. More importantly, Barman and Konwar (2011) noted that the
distinctive characteristics of knowledge-based economy is its dependence on human capital inputs,
on knowhow and skill, competence and expertise.
It is for this reason that there is a shift from traditional content (knowledge)-based teaching to
competence-based teaching and learning (CBTL). A content-based teaching and learning is based
on the rote memorization of factual knowledge while competence-based teaching and learning
focuses on understanding the concepts, skills and competencies which in turn calls for changes in
teaching, learning and assessment approaches (Posner, 1995).This paper , therefore, analyses the
shift to CBTL as a strategy toward the quality of education in Tanzania. Specifically, the paper
highlights the conception of CBTL, a brief history of CBTL, the main elements of CBTL approach,
how CBTL can improve quality of education, ways of promoting CBTL, challenges of implementing
CBTL and finally provide recommendations.
The history of competence-based curriculum can be traced back to the early 1970s when
competence based education emerged for the first time in the United States of America (Richard &
Rogers, 2001). It is an educational movement that define educational goals in terms of precise
measurable descriptions of knowledge, skills, and behaviours students had to posses at the end of
the course of study. Thereafter, the movement spread into European countries such as the United
Kingdom and Germany in the 1980s (Wolf, 2001).
Other countries worldwide have been motivated to implement the competence-based curriculum
in schools due to the ever changing technology and global market. In Africa, competence-based
curriculum was adopted for the first time in South Africa in 1998, following the acute shortage of
professionals like engineers, technicians and artisans. South Africa adopted the competence based
curriculum in a bid to change attitudes of all South Africans and equip them with employable skills
to cope with challenging issues in the 21st century.
The concept of competence-based teaching and learning mean different things to different people.
In fact there is no single agreed definition of the concept because professionals define it from
different contexts. There are many terms used to refer to competence-based teaching and
learning. Such terms include competence-based education, competence-based curriculum,
proficiency-based education, outcome-based education, mastery-based education, standard-based
education and performance-based education.
Regardless of the context, competence-based teaching and learning refers to the systems of
instruction, assessment, grading and academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating
that they have learned the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress
through their education. Competence-based curriculum is a functional approach to education as it
emphasizes life skills and evaluates mastery on skills, necessary for and individual to function
proficiently in a given society (Savage, 1993). Equally important, Mosha (2012) notes that a
competence based curriculum seeks to develop in learners the ability to know, to learn and learn
how to learn, to do things, and to learn and work with other people. Such a shift has pedagogical
implications as Rutayuga (2014) notes that competence-based curriculum requires a shift from
assessing a set of learning content to assessing each learning outcome. Similarly, Wood (2001)
insists that the move towards competence based rather than content based curriculum
necessitates student-centered teaching and learning. To some scholars, such as Harris, Guthrie,
Hobart and Lundberg (1995), competence based curriculum is perceived as a solution to the
implementation of education and training for the complex contemporary world.
9. Has high variability in how teachers determine It builds educators’ capacity to make
proficiency. judgments of student mastery to the
same high standards and calibrated
for consistency with other teachers
10. Ranks and sorts students creating “winners” It meets students where they are to
and “losers” and perpetuating patterns of ensure that each one can be
inequality in society. successful to the same high college-
and career-ready standards.
Notwithstanding the place competence-based teaching and learning is adopted, there are some
key features which make it unique. Such features include the following:
1. It is student-centered
The learner is the focus of the learning process. Individual learners’ needs and learning styles
are given priority in determining the content to be covered, the teaching and learning methods
and the mode of assessment.
2. It is outcome-based
Students must demonstrate mastery of all required competencies to earn credit or graduate or
advance to the next level.
3. Involve multiple measures of assessment to determine competency
Students earn credit toward graduation in ways other than seat time and course taking (such as
apprenticeships, blended learning, dual enrollment).
4. Practice oriented
Students must demonstrate practical skills and tangible outcomes to determine competence
and not just the possession of theoretical knowledge.
While advocating for a paradigm shift from content-based teaching to competence-based teaching
and learning, it should not be taken for granted that content is no longer important. Instead, as
Hong’s (2012) noted the whole idea of competence- based teaching and learning suggests the need
for teachers to focus on teaching their learners the importance of valuing their learning process
and reflecting on it so they can develop their skills in learning to learn and develop the key
competencies. Hong (2012) believes: “what competency-based curriculum requires is reforming
the way content knowledge is organised and brought to students, not denying its value”.
Competency-based teaching and learning must include attention to the learner’s needs and styles,
providing the time needed for the learner to acquire and repeatedly perform or demonstrate the
expected competencies (knowledge, skills, professional behaviours) and creating a supportive
environment for learning. Competency-based teaching and learning can be pursued through
various teaching approaches. However, all curricula need to be evidence-based and outcome-
focused and all teaching strategies need to be matched to their learning domain (psychomotor,
cognitive and affective).
Competence-based teaching and learning emphasizes on powerful or rich learning environments
that enable students to engage in meaningful learning processes. The most distinctive pedagogical
features of this approach are as follows:
Meaningful contexts
The teacher will create or to look for meaningful contexts in which students will in a natural
way experience the relevance and the meaning of the competences to be acquired.
Multidisciplinary approach
Competences are holistic and as a consequence the educative approach needs to be integrative
and holistic too.
Constructive learning
Philosophically, competency-based teaching and learning has its roots in the social
constructivism. Therefore, learners engage in a process of constructing their own knowledge by
interaction with their environment, rather than as a process of absorbing the knowledge that
the traditional teacher might try to transfer to them. By focusing on the construction of models,
products, guidelines, rules of thumb, reports, or other tangible outputs the learning easily and
naturally will turn out to be constructivist.
Cooperative, interactive learning (with peers, teachers.)
The central idea under competency-based teaching and learning is to help learners to develop
and construct their own knowledge and seek ways to make optimal use of other people’s
competence in their learning journey. This is what social constructivism is about. For learning
outcomes aimed at developing individual and personal competences, the approach must take
diversity of learner needs into consideration to meet the leaners goals and objectives. This
requires an open approach in which education includes dialogues between learners and
educators about expectation, needs, goals, choices etc.
Discovery learning
Discovery learning as opposed to receptive learning means making content available and
accessible and that the way of acquiring this knowledge or competences, could not be just a
process of providing information, but should always be embedded in a discovery-based
approach. Learners themselves discover theories, rules and patterns as they interact with the
environment, peers and teachers.
Reflective learning
Competency-based teaching and learning also focuses on the learning processes of the learner.
Learning is always in a spiral-fashion, that is, it requires learners to go back and fro to reflect on
their learning. As the learner reflects on their own needs, motivation, approach, progress,
results etc. they develop learning competences that may be considered “learning to learn”.
Personal learning
In the competence oriented theories learning is conceived as a process of constructing the
learner’s own personal knowledge and competences. Information, knowledge, strategies, only
become meaningful for a person if they become an integral part of their own personal body of
knowledge and competences. In education this implies that students need to be able to identify
with the contexts, the persons, the situations and interests that are included in the learning
domains involved.
Recommendations
The adoption of competence-based teaching and learning offers a promise for improvement of
quality of education. However, in order to implement it effectively, the following recommendations
are made:
Teachers should be familiar with what competence-based teaching and learning entails
The government in collaboration with stakeholder should support schools with enough
funds and facilities to enable students and teachers to implement competence-based
teaching and learning effectively
Teachers should be flexible to learn new teaching methods suitable for competence-based
teaching and learning situations
Assessment procedures need to be transformed from only pen-and-paper to multiple forms
of assessments so as to accommodate all knowledge and skills demonstrated by learners.
Teacher-students ratios should be emphasized at all levels of education to maximize
teacher-student and student-student interactions
Conclusion
Competency-based teaching and learning approach has received recognition in many education
systems in recent years. Essentially, it is an educational approach focusing on transforming
traditional content –based teaching and learning approach to mastery of knowledge and skills. It is
adopted widely as a strategy toward improving quality of education. Therefore, efforts are needed
to equip teachers with the necessary skills for effective implementation.
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