Competence in Terms of Outcomes-Based Education

When they can show evidence that they have consistently shown Foundational Competence, Practical Competence, and Reflexive Competence for every Specific Outcome, Critical Cross-field Outcome and Developmental Outcome prescribed by the Learning Programme, according to a standard that is acceptable according to the quality standards and benchmarks prescribed by the employer or sectoral organisation.

The statement above is one of responsibility and very onerous... It is important to examine some of its meaning in more detail...

According to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) the evidence of applied competence is the learner's ability to integrate concepts, ideas, and actions in authentic, real-life contexts. It is expressed as practical, foundational, and reflexive competences, namely:

Practical competence - the demonstrated ability to perform a set of tasks and actions in authentic contexts.

Foundational competence - the demonstrated understanding of what we are doing and why we are doing it.

Reflexive competence - the demonstrated ability to integrate our performances with our understanding so that we are able to adapt to changed circumstances and explain the reason behind these adaptations (SAQA, 2001: 11).

Within the NQF model, the term “applied competence” or “applied knowledge” encompasses all types of knowledge, i.e. practical and theoretical, and the ability to reflect within a particular context. In the past theoretical knowledge in particular, was privileged. It was decided that the NQF would value all types of knowledge and, depending on the context, assign equal value to all dimensions of knowledge.

Evidence – just as in any legal case, evidence may consist of physical proof or from a 3rd-party, objective witness testimony.

Consistency – this means that we have to gather the evidence over a period of time and ensure that the person who is presenting his or her evidence of competence meets at least the minimum standard set at present and will at any point in the future still be able to display the minimum or improved standards of competence.