Best Practices for Designing Learning Competencies
By Prof. Jonathan
Acuña Solano
Sunday, October 18,
2015
Twitter: @jonacuso
Post 196
“Quality
learning competencies are important for successful competency based learning
experiences. When first transitioning from a traditional model of learning to
the competency based model of learning, designing quality competencies can
often be a challenging task” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013) . To decrease the
level of anxiety one may experiment with the designing of competencies, it is a
good idea to follow some best practices in their development. Two of the
suggested best practices by Laureate Education,
Inc. experts (2013) are: 1) “Competencies should prepare learners for
the next level” and 2) “Competencies should be aligned to learning
objectives and assessments.”
“Competencies
should prepare learners for the next level” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013) . Competencies are meant to aid the student to move
to the next level of comprehension needed to progress in class, in higher
studies, or while being at work. Within the class context of instruction, the
development of competencies prepares learners to face the next piece of
instruction they must master, which is meant to help them to be better prepared
for their current or future working environment. In the long run, what pupils
will be demonstrating is what skills they have acquired for themselves and for
their performance in class, while getting a higher degree, or while having to
use in their workplaces. The instructor then is meant to provide activities
such as projects along with formative feedback to help learners develop their
competencies.
“Competencies
should be aligned to learning objectives and assessments” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2013) . A
competency is like the end product of instruction; that is, it is what learners
get form one’s class to succeed in the real working world. Courses are designed
and developed bearing in mind specific learning objectives in their course
outlines. These objectives must be translated into measurable objectives that
need to be tested while students demonstrate theory and practice comprehension.
As a
literature professor at Universidad Latina in Costa Rica, these two best
practices have a powerful impact in my hybrid/blended classes. From a mere
constructivist learning stance, whatever is done prior the beginning of a new
thematic unit helps build student understanding. Yet, whatever is being
practiced with pupils and then demonstrated by them must be aligned with the
learning goals stated in the course outline one is following. This is basically
what I intend to do in my Literary Criticism class where prior knowledge
becomes crucial in the creation on new knowledge in the mind of learners, who
will transform these pieces of knowledge into literary analysis skills and
competencies to be used in the understanding of poesies, narratives, and
dramas.
Let
us know pay attention to an example of literary criticism in action. Learners
in this class are meant to comprehend that hermeneutics is not the only way to
interpret literature. Students are explained that
“literal interpretation asserts
that a […] text is to be interpreted according to the ‘plain meaning’ conveyed
by its grammatical construction and historical context” (Hermeneutics, n.d.) . Then, students are confronted with
other way of make meaning out of a literary text beyond the hermeneutical
domain that simply allows you to come up with only one correct interpretation.
Antecedent – Behavior – Condition
Competency Formulation
|
A = Using the Reader Response way of
literary interpretation,
|
B = Learners will be able to analyze [a
piece of poetry, drama or narrative]
|
C = correctly by providing their personal
points of view in an essay
|
To ensure that a competency like the one stated above,
certain steps must be followed. If it can be noticed, it a competency that is
specific (Reader Response to literary analysis, clear (use of a Bloom’s
taxonomy verbs such as analyze), and
measurable (a given product is produced, being in this case an essay, and checked with a rubric).
Students will also be able to apply their recently-acquired knowledge on Reader
Response to solve a problem they are provided with, the understanding of a
piece of literary creation, in which they have to apply their inner emotions, personal
feelings, and life experiences, normally used by writers in their literary
creation. Finally, a competency like this aims at working with any level of
competency or learning preferences.
Referencias
Hermeneutics. (n.d.). Obtenido de Enclyclopaedia
Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/topic/hermeneutics-principles-of-biblical-interpretation
Laureate Education, Inc. (2013). Best Practices for
Designing Learning Competencies. Retrieved from Faculty Development: https://lnps.elearning.laureate.net/bbcswebdav/institution/
Sunday, October 18, 2015
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