Competency Based Assessment

Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) 

I believe that a competency-based approach (CBA) in education is highly effective for ensuring that students acquire the specific skills, knowledge, and behaviors essential for their success in a particular field or subject area. This approach revolves around clearly defined competencies that articulate what students should know and be able to do by the end of their learning experiences.

In my view, CBA is learner-centered, focusing on individual progress and mastery rather than the time spent in class or traditional grade levels. This allows for personalized learning paths that accommodate different learning styles and paces. I appreciate that students advance based on their ability to demonstrate mastery of competencies, supported by authentic assessments that involve real-world tasks, making learning relevant and practical.

I find it valuable that both formative and summative assessments are utilized to provide ongoing feedback and evaluate student mastery, with detailed rubrics ensuring fair and transparent evaluation. Continuous feedback and support are integral, helping students improve and reach proficiency. I also like that the evidence of learning is collected through various means, such as work samples and portfolios, and tracked systematically to monitor progress.

While I see many benefits in CBA, such as personalized learning, a focus on mastery, real-world relevance, and flexibility, I also recognize the challenges. Implementing CBA requires significant changes in curriculum design, teacher training, and assessment methods. Ensuring consistent and fair assessment can be difficult, and developing high-quality assessments is resource-intensive. Despite these challenges, I believe the potential benefits of CBA make it a worthwhile approach to pursue in education..

Overall, CBA aims to ensure that all students achieve essential outcomes by focusing on the actual demonstration of their competencies.

Competency Based Question 

A Competency-Based Question is a specific test item or performance assessment designed to gather evidence regarding student competencies. This question encompasses various elements, including the materials and stimuli provided to students, the inquiries or challenges presented to them, and the resulting responses or work products they generate within the assessment context. The materials and stimuli serve to guide students' understanding and engagement with the question. The inquiries or challenges within the question are carefully crafted to assess students' knowledge, skills, and behaviors relevant to the targeted competencies. Finally, students' responses or work products represent tangible demonstrations of their mastery and application of the assessed competencies. These questions are structured to facilitate meaningful assessment and to elicit robust evidence of students' capabilities and achievements.

Attributes of Competency Based Question

1. Make respondents to think 
2. Test conceptual ideas and skills 
3. Demand for multiple cognitive and psychomotor skills (graphics and visuals included)
4. Context based or issued based problem 

Make respondents think:

I appreciate that competency-based questions are designed to prompt critical thinking and deeper engagement. Rather than simple recall or memorization, these questions require me to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and apply my knowledge and skills to solve problems or address challenges.

Test conceptual ideas and skills:

I understand that these questions assess not only factual knowledge but also my conceptual understanding and practical skills. They aim to evaluate how well I comprehend fundamental concepts within a given subject area and my ability to apply those concepts in various contexts.

Demand for multiple cognitive and psychomotor skills (graphics and visuals included):

I notice that competency-based questions often require a blend of cognitive skills (such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis) and psychomotor skills (such as physical manipulation or practical application). Additionally, they may incorporate graphics, visuals, or other multimedia elements to enhance understanding and simulate real-world scenarios. This means I need to interpret and interact with visual information effectively.

Context-based or issue-based problem:

I find that competency-based questions are typically framed within specific contexts or scenarios relevant to the subject matter being assessed. These contexts or scenarios provide a realistic backdrop for the question and require me to consider the implications of my responses within that context. Issue-based problems present real-life challenges or dilemmas that I must navigate, often requiring me to weigh various factors, make decisions, and justify my choices based on my competencies.