Competency-Based Training for Chemists G. N. Foukaridisl Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Medical University of Southern Africa, P.O. L. R. McFarlane Department of Didactics, University of South Africa. R.S.A.
B O 225, ~
Medunsa, 0204, R.S.A.
Criticism of the training offered by the universities t o future chemists is well d o ~ ~ m e n t (1-6). e d There is an urgent need for the production of competent chemists, able to cope with todav's nrohlems and with the challenees that chemistry will offer in the future. According to McGillivray and de Klerk (7), the success of an educational system is dependent on the students that it attracts. Chemistry as a profession has lost ground and bright students are choosing other careers 18-15), The competency-based education approach could help to improve the training offered to chemists and to attract high quality students to chemistry. The word competence appears in a number of articles dealing with aspects of chemical education (16-21) hut in an isolated context. There has not yet been an attempt, as far as it is known, to implement a competency-based program for the training of chemists. ~~
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Characterlstlcs of Competency-Based Education Competency-based education was first implemented for the training of teachers (22-23) hut applications have been reported in other fields as well. Ellis (24) and Auhertine (25) described the application of competency-based education for the design of a number of elementary and secondary curricula, respectively. Huff (26) discussed the use of competency-based education for vocational training. There is an abundance of literature regarding the implementation of competency-based education for the training of pharmacists (27-34). The approach has also been implemented in the training of medical doctors (35). The basic characteristics that most competency-based educational programs have are (36): (1) clearly formulated objectives, (2) accountability, i.e., competencies according to specified minimum achievement levels, (3) an emphasis on individualization, and (4) continuous assessment and feedback.
The advantages of each of the ahove characteristic properties for the didactical process far outweight the mainly administrative disadvantages (36). There are many articles dealing with the advantages and the implementation of ohjectives, accountability, individualization, and assessment for the training of chemists. The competency-based approach, if property utilized, has the potential to combine the ahove characteristics thus enhancing their didactical significance. A Model for the Planning of a Chemlstry Course
The proposed model (see figure) incorporates all the characteristic properties of competency-based education and can be utilized for the planning of chemistry courses. An outline of the steps of the model is given below.
' To whom all corresuondenceshould be addressed.
A mdel for the planning of a training program.
chemistry
course for a
competency-based
Step 1: General Situation Analysis. Aspects of the general situation analysis for chemists that need to he taken into consideration for the planning of chemistry courses are the students (their needs, aspirations, and motivations), the society (the requirements for trained manpower, the requirements for an "educated society"), and the costs. These factors affect the selection of aims (37). Step 2: Course Situation Analysis. This step will have to consider the available textbooks for the course under considVolume 65
Number 12 December 1988
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eration, literature regarding the past and present situation of the course, examination papers, opinions of chemists regarding aspects of the course, the existing knowledge of students, availahle course materials (other than textbooks), and the course level. Step 3: Identification of General Aims. The general aims correspond to a large extent with theaims of a degree course in che&stry. ~ h e s eaims are a direct consequence of the general situation analysis. Step 4: Identification of the Aims of a Chemistry Course. The aims of a chemistry course are derived from the general situation analysis, from the general aims and, mainly, from the course situation analysis. The procedure described by Burton and Merrill (38) on identifying a broad range of possible aims and then ranking the aims in order of importance can he utilized in this step. Aims are broad in nature andthe majority of them cannot be utilized directly in planning a course. However, once the aims of the course have been identified. com~etenciesthat thestudent should possess after successful completion of the course can be identified. Before discussing the next steps of the model, certain noints need t o he clarified. Short (39) mouped the different conceptions of "what competency redly means" in certain categories. Grussing (33) gave the following extended definition of competence which is applicable to practicing chemists: ~
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Competence is: i) Knowledge-based; (ii) Performance-based; (iii) Influenced by attitudes of learners and competent performers; (iv) A complex network of knowledge, attitudes and skills integrated and applied in response to performance in specified settings and situations; (vl . . Demonstrable at all levels in a com~lexhierarchical network, depending on the lp~elof the applied knowledgeor perf8rrmanc~: and ( W I An interactive procQSS,involving the individual reacting wand mpacting upon hisens,ironmmt. Grussing (33) characterized the approaches for identifying com~etenciesas svnthetic or analytical ones, while Hall and on& (23) reported eight sourc& from which to identify competencies. Gagne and Briggs (40) used the terms "target ohjectives'' to identify objectives that are to be reached only by the end of the course and "enabling objectives", which are smaller in scope and are required in order to attain a target objective. Steo 5: Identification of Theoretical CompetencieslTarget ~ k e c t i u e sThe . aims df the chemistry degree will lead to certain com~etenciesrelevant to the possession of chemistry knowledge. ~ h e s competencies e will have t o be incorporated in the com~etenciesof the appropriate course, which will he derived from the course aims.-~hksecompetencies should he translated into target obiectives for this course. However, regar&ng chemistry knowledge, there is almost no difference hetween competencies and target objectives, and these concepts will be &ken as one in order to facilitate the planning of a chemistry course. The of minimum levels of achievement for - snecification ~ ~ the identified competencies is an aspect requiring special consideration. Each competency will have to be considered independently in deciding on the required minimum level of achievement. These minimum levels will have to be taken into consideration when planning the assessment procedures for the course. Step 6: Identification of Practical CompetencieslTarget Objectives. Practical competencies derived from the aims of the chemistry degree and from the aimsof the specific course will have to he identified a t this stage. The specification of minimum levels of achievement needs also to he considered. Steps 7 and 8: Selection of Content. Before dealing with the selection of content for a chemistry course, i t is impor-
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tant to discuss briefly three important prohlem areas in content selection: (i) Releuant content excluded. Shortage of time in the planning stage . of a course may lead to the exclusion of important tutorial matter. (ii) Irreleuant content at undergraduate leuel. Certain topics, especially theoretical ones, are dealt within detail at undergradua.. t.e level. ..
(iii) L'nn~cessoryduplication. Some chemistry topin are dealt with in different chemistry courses. If them is no co~rdination among the academic stall of the different chemistry disciplines, unnecessary duplication will take place. The content areas identified from the competenciesltarget ohjectives will constitute the content of the course. At this stage, the selected content can be organized in a provisional sequence of instruction. In addition, identified practical content can be sequenced in such a way as t o follow the appropriate theoretical content. Steps 9 and 10: Selection of Learning Objectives. Once the content areas of the course have been identified and selected, learning objectives for each content area will have t o be identified, selected, and sequenced. Each area of specified learning content will have to be analyzed methodically so as to identify the behaviors, performances, kuowledges, and skills that are involved. These components will have to he translated into ohjectives, preferably expressed in behavioral terms. Minimum levels of achievement, where approoriate. should also he sti~ulated.The selection of learning bhjectives is a enormous iask as it can he seen from the 315 obiectives nrooosed bv the American Chemical Society (41) fo; the thebreiical pait of the general chemistry course. Step 11: Seouencinr of Content. The selection of learning objec&ves is followed-bi a decision on the sequence of the decided upon content. Practical courses must also be sequenced t; follow the appropriate theoretical prerequisites. The criteria for judging an adequate learning sequence have been described by Cyrs (27). Step 12:PlanningAssessment. Steps I5 and 16: Continuous and Final Assessment. Traditionallv. the planning of assessment for a course follows after in&cti& has been com~letedor toward the end of the instruction. In competency-based education, the planning of assessment mustbe done in a svstematic wav. The instructor must plan continuous and fidal assessment based on the achievement of learning- ohiectives. The advantage of planning the assessment before the instruction is evident. The selection of content leads to the identification of learnine obiecti\,es. The instructor decides on how to assess the a c c i e v k e n t of these objectives by his students. After that. he or she can nlan the instruction in a way that will facilitate the achievement of these objectives. In competency-based training programs, traditional student evaluation procedures cannot be used alone. In addition. student achievement is compared not against other students' achievements but again& a specified minimum. The establishment of preficiency levels requires special consideration and depends on the competencies. Step 13: Planning Instruction. The planning of the instruction for a course requires a lot of thought and effort. The planning of the instructional strategies will depend on the nature of the learning objectives. When possible, alternate ways of instruction must be planned to cater for individualization. Step 14: Implement Course. Step 17: Course Evaluation and Feedback. After all the planning has taken place, the course must he implemented. Feedback obtained from the results of the continuous assessment may lead t o certain modifications. Field trial will eliminate the need for major modifications, but this is not always possible. The final assessment together with the results of the continuous assessment will provide valuable information for the evaluation of
