A Review of Competency‐Based Learning: Tools, Assessments, and Recommendations

Abstract

Background Over the past decade, there has been a shift in science, technology, engineering and math education, especially in engineering, towards a competency‐based pedagogy. Competency‐based learning (CBL) is an outcome‐based, student‐centered form of instruction where students progress to more advanced work upon mastering the necessary prerequisite content and skills. Many articles have been published on the implementation of CBL in engineering higher education; however, the literature lacks a systematic review that summarizes prior work to inform both future research and practice. Purpose The purpose of this review is to integrate previous literature as well as identify gaps in competency‐based engineering higher education research. It summarizes the different approaches for implementing CBL, the effects of the pedagogy on student outcomes, tools to enhance its effectiveness, and assessment strategies. In addition, suggestions and recommendations for future research are provided. Method Engineering education articles were obtained from several EBSCO educational databases. The search was limited to articles published from 2005‐2015, and inclusion criteria consisted of peer‐reviewed journal articles that address the use of CBL in engineering higher education. Articles were then classified into several categories, summarized, and evaluated. Conclusions Theoretical and applied perspectives are provided that address both the theoretical basis for the effectiveness of CBL and practical aspects of implementing successful CBL instruction in engineering education. There are gaps in the literature regarding how CBL programs should be structured and assessed. Future research directions include empirical quantitative evaluation of CBL's pedagogical effectiveness and the use of CBL for teaching professional skills.

Analyzing the decline of student scores over time in self‐scheduled asynchronous exams

“…For the past 30 years, assessing student outcomes has been recognized as the centerpiece for evaluating engineering education and hence plays a central role in both the accreditation of engineering programs via ABET and the feedback loop used to improve classes and programs (Engineering Accreditation Commission, 1998;Olds, Moskal, & Miller, 2005;Shaeiwitz, 1996). For content-based competencies (e.g., problem-solving, interpreting data, applying knowledge/skills), the most commonly mentioned assessments in the literature are paper-and-pencil exams (Henri, Johnson, & Nepal, 2017).…”

The Gender Perspective of Professional Competencies in Industrial Engineering Studies

“…Moreover, the term 'competences' in the European university system is linked to the process of the transparent harmonization of degrees and directly links university education with the professional world and with the free movement thereof. In the United States, there has also been a transformation in engineering education towards a competency-based pedagogy [51]. There are at least three levels of narrow and relevant factors: the formulation of degrees, the use of methods, activities, and learning resources, and evaluations.…”

Mejora de los procesos de evaluación mediante analítica visual del aprendizaje

“…COBLE (Competence-Based Learning Environment, entorno de aprendizaje basado en competencias) es un sistema de ayuda al aprendizaje que da soporte a los usuarios de los entornos de enseñanza/aprendizaje (alumnado y profesorado) en cualquier escenario, especialmente en aquellos en los que se aplica el aprendizaje basado en competencias. El aprendizaje basado en competencias es aquel que se centra no solo en la adquisición de conocimientos específicos sobre contenidos teóricos, sino también en la adquisición de destrezas y en la capacidad de aplicación de dichos contenidos (Henri, Johnson, & Nepal, 2017). COBLE utiliza técnicas visuales de analítica del aprendizaje para mostrar al alumnado el estado de su proceso de aprendizaje, ayudándole a identificar sus carencias y promoviendo la autorregulación.…”