Competency 

involves applying the required knowledge, skills and attitudes to successfully complete
work activities in a range of situations and environments, in accordance with the standard of
performance expected in the workplace.

The Key Features of Competency are:

 the ability to do the job;

 knowing how and why things are done;
 knowing what to do when things go wrong; and
 having the right approach to do a job properly and safely.
 he diagram below shows how task skills is the very core dimension of competency because
the foundation of competency is being able to do the task.  Meanwhile job/role environment
skills encompasses all other dimensions because being able to deal with responsibilites and
expectaitions in the work place involves the other dimensions of competence. And finally,
transfer skills is shown going across all dimensions because being competent means being
able to transfer the dimensions of competency to other contexts.

 Competency Standards are documents that define competencies required for effective
performance in the workplace in specific industries.

 Unit Title

 Competency Based Assessment is not as linear as testing

 ompetency Based Assessment is a structured process of collecting evidence and making

judgments on whether competency has been achieved in relation to a registered, national
standard. The table below compares the traditional testing method & competency based
assessment.

All evidence must be evaluated against the rules of evidence. This means that the Competency
Assessor (CA) must ensure that the evidence is:

 Valid
 Current
 Consistent
 Sufficient
 Authentic
 Recent


In preparing the evidence plan, we must consider the critical aspects of competency. The following
are the critical aspects of competency: 
Tells the Competency Assessor (CA) what evidence is essential for a successful performance.

It identifies the essential:

 Product evidence
-       completes work piece/service to specification

 Knowledge evidence
-       things that must be known

 Process evidence
-       complies with industry practices and procedures

-       complies with OH & S practices

-       sets up tools and equipment

-       handles tools, materials, and equipment

-       identifies and solves faults and problems

-       communicates with others to ensure safe and effective operations 

 Evidence Plan is a planning tool that classifies the evidence requirements to prove
attainment of competency and the methods to be used in gathering the evidences. Making the
evidence plan is also the first step in developing evidence gathering tools. 
The key steps in constructing an evidence plan are:

1. Select the unit of competency to be assessed.

2. Read the complete unit of competency, with emphasis on:
o elements and performance criteria;
o range of variables; and
o evidence guide.
3. Identify the evidence requirements to infer competency. It is recommended to consider the
following:
o performance criteria of each of the elements;
o four dimensions of competency (task skills; task management skills; contingency
management skills; job role/environment skills);
o required knowledge and skills; and
o critical aspects of competency.
4. In identifying the evidence requirements, the CA may pose questions such as:


o What are the key tasks performed by the competent person?
o What level of performance is required of the competent person?
 o What knowledge does the competent person require and how may this be applied in
performing the work activity?
o What contingencies may arise in this work and how does the competent person deal
with them?
o What level of supervision does the competent person require?
o How much autonomy does the competent person have?
o What would the competent person not do?
o How does the competent person interact with others in the workplace?
o How does the competent person manage the different tasks associated with this work
activity?
o How much responsibility does the competent person have for other
5. Establish the evidence requirements for all the elements of the unit of competency.

Note the following in establishing the evidence requirements:


o Documentation is important. Thus, write the evidence requirements in the left hand
column of the template for Evidence Plan.
o For every evidence requirement you have listed, it is important to identify the best
method of collecting the evidence.
o There is a ‘Methods of Assessment’ section in the Evidence Guide; it is a must that
you read it for the evidence collection method is specified there.  
6. Document the Evidence Plan. In constructing the evidence gathering tools, this document
shall as your basis.

 vidence gathering methods are different approaches to collect evidence required for
assessment. There are four broad categories of these methods which are:
 1.    Real work/real time activities
      Methods under this category involve gathering evidence: 1) while the candidate really
works in his/her workplace or 2) from other people in the candidate’s workplace. Methods
under this category are Direct Observations and Third Party Reports. 
 2.    Structured activities 
      This category requires the CA to used pre-established methods proven to effectively
extract the candidates’ competencies. An example method is Demonstration.
 3.    Questioning
      This category involves the use of Written Tests or Oral Questioning to extract the
candidate’s knowledge on the tasks required in the qualification.
 4.      Portfolios
      This category looks into a candidate’s past experiences through asking a candidate to
present a compilation of proofs that he/she has prior experience in the qualification he/she is
being assessed in. The method under this category is also called Portfolio.
 t is observation done in a simulated workplace environment. This measures the candidate’s
competence in performing a task. It is necessary to prepare a checklist containing the skills
that the Competency Assessor needs to look for in a candidate.
Observation is done during real time activities in the workplace. And so an observation checklist is
used as a guide and record of the candidate’s performance.
Observation is limited due to aspects of privacy, confidentiality and obstruction to workflow. There
are situations in which it might not be possible or it may be inappropriate to use observation. Some
examples are:


o Work activities that occur irregularly, take place over an extended period of time or
are difficult to observe (this may include work activities such as dealing with an
emergency situation, planning a process or managing a team task)
o Work activities that involve issues of privacy and confidentiality, such as counseling,
or providing feedback to team members on work
o Situations where the presence of an observer may compromise workplace safety
 It is also called a paper and pencil test. A written test must be objective or must only have a
factual set of correct answers. It usually follows a multiple choice or modified true or false
format. It is used to test the candidate’s knowledge of facts, principles, and terms. It also tests
a candidate’s ability to see relationships, to interpret information, and to apply principles. It is
included in the assessment package provided to the competency assessors during the
assessment process.
 It is a collection of work samples of the candidate, products with supporting documents;
historical evidence; journal/logbook and information about life experience. Usually, the items
are produced over a period of time and come from different sources. A well-constructed
portfolio incorporates a selection of evidence that is benchmarked against the unit of
competency and indicates consistent performance of work activities in accordance with
workplace standards.
 Some evidence are: a) self-assessment schedule; b) certificates; c) assessment feedback or
completed checklists; d) job descriptions; e) work journals; f) work samples (e.g reports,
letters, designs); and g) finished products (e.g. tools completed).

Questioning is an evidence gathering technique that is widely used in competency based assessment.
Oral questioning complements observation and demonstrations as it provides a means of probing the
candidate’s understanding of the work. The oral questioning can either be done during or after the
demonstration and observation proper. It can also be done anytime depending on the task being
performed.

There are two basic types of questions that a CA can ask. These are:


o Closed questions
o Open-ended questions

losed Questions

These questions require a specific response such as the name of an item, a yes/no answer, a date or
title. These are used to find out if the candidate knows the specific factual information that is
required in the unit of competency. These are used in situations where there is an established correct
answer.

Example:
 
o What type of bolt will you use to attach X?
o When was this product last used?

Open-Ended Questions

These questions are used when a more detailed response from the candidate is required. They often
involve problem solving, interpretation and the application of knowledge and skill to new situations.
Some uses of these questions are:


o Extend on what has been observed in similar but different situations, or in using other
equipment procedures;
o Probe candidate’s required knowledge and understanding—that is, the what, when,
where, why and how of the tasks;
o Explore contingency situations such as emergencies, breakdowns and unusual
situations that are not likely to occur during the period of observation;
o Check on the candidate’s critical safety knowledge and understanding needed for the
activity;
o Check how the candidate would respond in situations that occur rarely such as an
emergency, breakdown or unusual weather conditions;
o Probe the candidate’s knowledge and understanding of relevant regulations and
procedures; and
Asking questions about work activities. Evidence Gathering Tools or Assessment Tools are
materials containing both the instrument and the instructions for gathering and interpreting evidence.

For each assessment method, there is a corresponding assessment tool or evidence gathering tool
such as:

Assessment Method Evidence Gathering Tool

Observation with oral questioning Rating Sheet for Observation with Oral
Questioning
Demonstration with oral questioning Rating Sheet for Demonstration with Oral
Questioning
Portfolio Portfolio Rating Sheet
Written Report Rating Sheet for Written Report
his package is composed pf materials that are used in the assessment process. It consists of the
following:

1.  Assessor’s Guide;
2. Instruction to the Candidate;
3. Rating Sheet; and
4. Competency Assessment Results Summary.

 
     For the assessor’s use during the assessment, there are the Assessor’s Guide and the Rating
Sheets.

 Assessor’s Guide- is a set of documents which contains information that will assist the
assessor in the evidence gathering process.
o Specific instructions to the assessor. It contains instructions on the tasks to be
performed by the assessor in conducting an assessment.
o Evidence plan. It is a document that identifies evidence requirements and assessment
methods to be used in assessing the candidate of a particular qualification
o List of equipment, supplies and materials. It is a list of supplies and materials
needed during the assessment process.
o Assessment Guide (questions and acceptable answer). It is a list of questions and
their possible answers that acts as a guide for the competency assessor during the
interview within the assessment process.
Rating Sheet - it contains specific questions or activity developed from the selected assessment
methods and the conditions under which the assessment should be conducted and recorded. There are
different forms of rating sheet used in the assessment, these are:

 Rating Sheet for Written Report

 Portfolio Evaluation Sheet/ Candidate Portfolio Rating Sheet
 Rating Sheet for Demonstration with Oral Questioning
 Recording Sheet for Interview
 Rating Sheet for Written Report

 pecific Instructions to Candidate - it contains the tasks to be performed by the candidate in

order for him/her to pass the assessment. The form contains the following:

o The title of the qualification being undertaken
o The title of the Unit of Competency to be assessed
o The nature of the assessment to be performed
o The time allotted for the assessment
o The tasks that the candidate must perform
o The criteria how the assessment will be graded/judged

 Written Test - this is a paper and pencil test. It is objective which means it has a factual set
of correct answers.  It may contain multiple choice and modified true or false questions.
It includes:


o Cover page
o Instructions to the candidate on how to take the written test
o Questions measuring their knowledge on the chosen units of competenc
nswer Sheet - The answer sheet is where the candidate will put/write his/her answers to the
questions in the written test. It is used by the assessor to check the answers and performance of the
candidate during the written test. 

It includes:


o The title of the qualification
o Units of competency
o Number corresponding to the questions in the Written Test
o Letters of the choices per item in the test to be marked by the candidate

 Self Assessment Guide - is pre-assessment tool used to help the candidate and the assessor
what evidence is available and where gaps exist, and readiness for assessment. The form
contains the following:

oThe title of the qualification being undertaken
o The title of the Certificate of Competency to be assessed
o The nature of the assessment to be performed
o Instructions on how to accomplish the guide
o List of Evidence Requirements
o The instruction on the use of the form
Competency Assessment Results Summary (CARS) - It refers to the consolidated assessment
decision made by the competency assessor which indicates the overall performance of the candidate
during the assessment process.

It is to be signed by the candidate, the assessor, and the assessment center manager.

It includes:


o The candidate’s and the assessor’s name
o Title of the qualification
o Unit of the competency/ies the candidate will be assessed on
o Possible result of the assessment for each unit of competency
o Recommendation
o Overall evaluation indicating if the candidate is competent or not competent
o General comments
o Candidate’s copy indicating the assessment results
o
The key steps in constructing an evidence gathering tool are:

1. Select the unit of competency to be assessed.

2. Read the complete unit of competency, including:
 
o Elements and Performance Criteria
o Range of Variables
o Evidence Guide
3. Identify the evidence that a person who can competently perform the work activity should be
able to provide. This should be documented in the Evidence Plan.

4. Select the appropriate template for the required evidence gathering tool. This may be:


o Observation Checklist
o Written Test
o Demonstration
o Written Report
o Questioning
o Portfolio
5. Fill in the template. This will involve:


o providing details on the unit of competnecy to be assessed;
o providing details on the location and date of the evidence gathering activity;
o providing instruction for the CA and candidate; and
o listing the evidence that will be collected.
6. Check the evidence gathering method against the Evidence Plan to ensure that all required
evidence is identified.

7. Have the evidence gathering tool checked by another CA to ensure that it meets the
requirement of the unit of competency.

hat is the planning tool that classifies the evidence requirements to prove attainment of competency
and the methods to be used in gathering the pieces of evidence? D.
Evidence plan

Which Evidence Gathering Method is a collection of work samples of the candidate, products with
supporting documents; historical evidence; journal/logbook and information about life experience?
C.
Portfolio

Which is an example of Extension Questions? What if you were using cassava flour instead of all
purpose flour?
Which is not a part of the assessment package? C.
Registry of Workers Assessed and Certified

Which is not a trait of Competency Based Assessment?

Passing criteria are based on marking scales.

Which Rule of Evidence ensures that the evidence covers the full range of the elements and
performance criteria?
Sufficient

Appropriate assistance is provided in the event of a workplace emergency in accordance with

established organization protocol. Which dimension of competency does this performance criterion
exhibit?
Contingency management skills

hich component of competency standards defines the circumstances or context in which the work
activities are to be performed? B.
Range of variables

Which is not a component of competency standards? Performance Recording

elect vehicle to be moved or re-position. Which dimension of competency does this performance

criterion exhibit? Task skills
