1 Competence modelling and learning outcomes Simon Grant University of Bolton, JISC CETIS Organic Autumn School, Mesta, Chios

2 Summary What does it take to be a competent organic farmer?  Your expertise, not mine!  How can we structure the definitions of that competence?  We will explore this together in discussion How can we educate and train for this?  And how does competence relate to learning outcomes? What reference resources could help us...  understand competence structuring better?  create competence structures within organic agriculture?  write intended learning outcomes for courses?  (Materials for learners are covered in different sessions)

3 Intended learning outcomes Better practical ability to model competence and define intended learning outcomes in the chosen field supported by greater underlying knowledge about:  concepts of knowledge, skills, competence as in the EQF  assessability  how to model competence  characteristics of good learning outcomes  the eCOTOOL competence model  reference resources Assessment of whether these learning outcomes have been achieved will be just by yourselves!

Competence in organic farming We will start with open discussion about this so that we all know where we are starting from What does it take to be a competent organic farmer?  In what ways would agreement on this help collaboration? Some questions to help with discussion:  Who knows about which relevant areas of competence?  Exercise: start explaining to me and to others  Can we identify knowledge and abilities separately?  How can these be assessed?  When assessed, it is  EITHER Yes, people have this or No, they don't yet have it  OR people can have more or less of this ability

Review of key concepts European Qualification Framework (EQF)  defines Learning Outcomes, Knowledge, Skills, Competence  take a look at the EQF definitions Competence as “the ability to do what is required”  Use knowledge and skills to perform function in work context  Competence also involves discrimination, or choice in context Skills apply knowledge, and may be practised  in service of a work function  for fun, personal satisfaction, learning try testing these with examples

Assessability “Binary” - yes or no; competent now or not yet “Rankable” - people can have more or less of it Levels set binary reference points in a rankable ability let's think of some examples here Knowledge is assessable in many forms of test Skills are assessable given the right materials Competence is assessable only in realistic situations how do you assess skills and competence?

UK NOS National Occupational Standards see Carroll & Boutall (2011)  “Guide to Developing National Occupational Standards” Cover very many occupational areas  though not explicitly organic farming See e.g. the Production Horticulture NOS (2008)  or others listed at qualifications/NOS/NOS-documents.aspx Have you used or studied anything similar?

NOS structure NOS unit or “standard”  unique reference number  title  overview  performance criteria (“you must be able to...”)  a verb; rest of description  another verb; rest of description  …  knowledge and understanding (facts, principles, methods)  a thing to know or understand  another thing to know or understand ...

eCOTOOL competence model A Form A: detailing each ability item by itself  action verb and rest of short description  classification as knowledge, skill or competence  unique ID code (for cross-reference)  author/authority (that may be you)  level assignments  to European, national, or sectoral schemes or frameworks  other categorisation, if needed or helpful  full description  this should give enough detail so that people can understand that it is assessable, and what approaches might be taken to assessment

eCOTOOL competence model B Form B: structure information (assumes Form A)  ability item short description  unique ID code  author/authority (of structure information)  for each narrower concept:  short description  unique ID code  necessary / optional Each component can be treated as an ability item in its own right, with its own Form A

eCOTOOL competence model C Form C: level definition information  (unlevelled) ability item short description  unique ID code  author/authority (of level definition information)  for each level:  definition or criteria  level label  level number Each level can be treated as ability item in its own right Typically  unlevelled items are assessable as rankable  levels are assessable as binary

12 Education and training Courses usually select some aspect of competence  and what can be learned on a course, anyway? Baume (2009, for Leeds Metropolitan University)  “Writing and using good learning outcomes”  A good learning outcome should be:  Active – it describes what students can do  Attractive – students want to achieve it  Comprehensible – students know what it means  Appropriate – to the student’s current goals and career plans  Attainable – most students will mostly meet it, with due effort  Assessable – we can see if it has been achieved

13 Europass Certificate Supplement One focus of the eCOTOOL project Lists “profile of skills and competences”  typical of people who have completed a course successfully Should relate to learning outcomes... … and also to skills and competence e.g. the Greek CS:  Organic – ecological agriculture technician  What would you expect the course to be like?  Are they good learning outcomes?

14 Questions? Clarify questions so far before moving on to the exercise Short break if appropriate

15 Exercise objective Aim to write intended learning outcomes for your training scenario  This will be useful for the rest of this event By engaging with the exercise, you will understand more from your own experience of the challenges of relating  intended learning outcomes  occupational or vocational competence Discussion during the exercise, with peers and course facilitators, will help develop a critical awareness of the issues

16 Exercise method Team up with (ideally) one other course attendee You can work on either or both of your scenarios Choose some genuine occupational abilities that are required in practice by employers as a basis You may document these with eCOTOOL Form A Give these structure by decomposing them, for which you may use eCOTOOL Form B From this structure, select suitable items as the intended learning outcomes for your training scenario Check they are assessable and generally good

17 Further questions for thought  These are all questions of genuine interest that I would like to know answers to! How will you explain to employers the relevance of the intended learning outcomes of your training scenario? How will you relate your training to European or national level schemes, frameworks, funding, and professional development? How will you express the prerequisites for your training? How would you arrange on-the-job development that starts from your learning outcomes and leads to real occupational competence?

18 Reference resources National Occupational Standards, or similar  sectoral agreements defining occupational competence Europass Certificate Supplements  skill and competence outcomes of courses Carroll & Boutall (2011) guide to developing NOS  good explanation of functional analysis (supplied) Baume (2009) guide to good learning outcomes  eCOTOOL project outputs  starting from the high-level competence model explanation My “logic of competence” blog posts

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