Module Summary - The Competency Based Education and Training System

The competency based education and training (CBET) philosophy drives the method used to develop a curriculum within the TVET environment. According to Anderson and Woodhill (1999) competency based education addresses specific competencies, aligned to the expectations and requirements of the workplace and links knowledge to a skill that is a job requirement.

At the heart of the CBET philosophy is the development of competencies that are aligned to workplace requirements. The concept of competence is not only confined to technical skills but extended to key employability skills such as collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.

Some of the key features of competency based education and training are:

  1. Industry engagement
  2. Labour market research and intelligence
  3. Occupational standards
  4. Modularized approach to learning
  5. Theoretical and practical instruction
  6. Demonstrations
  7. Practical Assessments

The competency based philosophy is applied to the National Qualifications of Jamaica by clearly delineating what each level of the framework means and the competencies that learners are expected to acquire upon completing each qualification.

3. Competency Standards

Competency Standards

It further looks at competency standards in the context of the National Qualifications Framework of Jamaica. Competencies are determined from qualification plans and used to inform the development of the competency based curriculum. A unit of competence specifies the application of knowledge and skills to the standard of performance that is expected in the workplace and is the smallest unit that can be assessed when applied in a work situation and can logically stand alone. The components of the competency based curriculum includes modules, learning outcomes, and the necessary human and technological resources. The modules are developed in accordance with the instructional design principles. The following are key considerations in the development of modules of instruction:

  1. Alignment with the competencies identified
  2. Rationale for the module in the workplace
  3. Expected outcome of the course
  4. Nominal time for each module
  5. Entry requirements
  6. Facilities, tools and equipment and materials needed for the delivery of the module
  7. Qualification, experience and competencies of the instructors and assessors for the module

Key employability skills are integrated in the module