Competence Based Learning Outcomes

Competence oriented access as a quality issue in Blended Learning

Blended Learning is a complex teaching method. On the one hand, it offers the opportunity to teachers to mix the best of onsite and online to create a new learning environment. This “blend” can have a positive impact on efficiency, convenience and learning outcomes.

On the other hand, especially these learning outcomes are important. In modern teaching it should be out of discussion to define them based on the guidelines for Competence Oriented Education (COD).

What are Competences?

Competences can be defined easily as “something what you can”. Focusing on the process of learning and the expected learning outcomes you may define competence as a cluster of related abilities, commitments, knowledge and skills that enable a person to act efficiently in a job or in a specific situation.

For teaching, you may condense that to a three column set and define a competence model as a cluster consisting of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

How to define Learning Outcomes Competence Based?

Teaching was content based for a long time. The knowledge of the content was the most important result in the teaching process for many years.

In modern teaching, the knowledge of the content is a means to skills. Content is necessary – without doubt – but to use the knowledge to be able to do something is more important in your daily job.

A good way is to define the competence with the terms “the learner is able to do …” or similar at the beginning. This is the requested competence. The next step is to identify the learner’s needs. Now you have to analyze which knowledge is necessary (so you can define the content). The expected ability of the learner can be used to define the skills. Finally, you define the necessary attitude, which is necessary to bring in the skills of behave in the described way.

With the definition of the competences, you may start to create learning activities.

Conclusion

Teachers should care for their competence of teaching competence orientated. The method is versatile and can be used general in teaching.

In Blended Learning Courses a competence oriented access must be understood as a basic issue.