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Promoting Competency-Based Education. Key directions for the future. Goal Strategies to foster competencies and skills needed in the labour market. Lessons learned. Wide variations by university, by region, by faculty, by department
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Promoting Competency-Based Education Key directions for the future
GoalStrategies to fostercompetenciesand skills needed in the labour market
Lessons learned • Wide variations by university, by region, by faculty, by department • Strengths in high levels of subject knowledge • Weaknesses in many departments, in undergraduate skills and competencies needed in the labour market, especially in Humanities • Strengths in a few priority disciplines
Current curriculum needs • Priority study programmes using outcomes-based curriculum • Industry as partner in curriculum change • Academic staff development in curriculum development and implementation
Students’ unmet needs • Capability, confidence and security • Work experience • Career guidance
Open and positive mindset Lead a team Interpersonal skills Initiative, creativity Communicate effectively, including in English Computer literacy Discipline-based knowledge Willingness to learn from a wide cross-section of people Dress sense, personal grooming, business etiquette Civic awareness and responsibility Critical thinking and problem solving Competencies desired by employers
Directionsfor the future:Curriculum options • Study programmes fostering competency attainment within mainstream courses • E.g. in Humanities; Management; Agriculture • Study programmes across subject areas • existing examples: engineering with sociology; agriculture with science; medicine with anthropology; science with management • Study programmes to teach English, Computing and generic competencies
Change management • Change in Sri Lankan Higher Education ? Difficult ? Possible ? • Available: a critical mass of committed change agents
Recommendations • Policy on outcomes-based curricula • Monitoring : Quality Assurance subject reviews • Incentives for professional development • Incentives to staff through promotion criteria • Review of assessment practices
Short-term project implementation • Course materials developed • Learning support materials developed • Library and ICT resources available • Computer labs strengthened • Review of assessment practices
Medium-term project implementation • English language teaching units upgraded and strengthened • Teaching of English introduced for all staff and students to allow greater use of English as medium of instruction and in administration • Language translation centres for Sinhala and Tamil strengthened
Funding for sustainable action • Staff development units (SDUs) strengthened • One Unit upgraded to provide national coordination and support • Discipline/Subject networks enhanced • Curriculum Development Units strengthened
Implementation example • National staff development activities: • Annual conferences • Publications on learning and teaching • Website • Discussion lists • Incentive Awards for quality teaching • Coordination of staff development short courses
Student support funding • Counselling and career guidance • Social harmony guidance • Work/community experience across disciplines • Learning support, mentoring • Skills development projects
Transition to world of work • Career Guidance Units • One Unit upgraded to provide national coordination and support • Tracer studies • Business Interaction Cells/Centres
Conclusion Educated Competent Learning Citizenry & Workforce Economic & Social Development Vision Policies Consensus Incentives Pressure ð ð Education Quality Relevance Responsiveness Equity ð