Outlines the method developed by the Standards Development Program (United Kingdom) and used by the Employment Department to define, measure, and improve competence in the work force. Discusses functional analysis and how it defines the standards of occupational competence, elements of competence, performance criteria, range statements; and…

Outlines a workshop to develop and discuss strategies for formative evaluation of courseware and to create evaluation tools appropriate to those strategies. After watching a software demonstration, small groups devised evaluation strategies. Two approaches were identified: one to evaluate the software and printed material separately and together,…

Describes the development of a staff evaluation method for a West African diesel power plant extension, focusing on project constraints, individual job performance, maintenance staff group performance, unscheduled emergency exercises, unplanned shutdowns and other critical incidents, and observation of staff behavior during shifts. Outlines staff…

Metacompetence is the ability to plan, execute, monitor, and evaluate one's own learning. Outlines the relationship between metacompetence and cooperative learning, describes the analysis of learning tasks and the use of the SOLO (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) taxonomy as a means of evaluating quality of competence. Concludes that…

The MEDA (Methodologie d'Evaluation des Didacticiels pour les Adultes) tool is a generic instrument to evaluate training courseware. It was developed for software designers to improve products, for instructors to select appropriate courseware, and for distributors and consultants to match software to client needs. Describes software evaluation…

The recognition that knowledge, competence, and contribution are stages on a continuum has major implications for assessment methods. Written examinations are thought convenient and cost effective, but if students are to be evaluated as future employees, assignments and examinations should have professional relevance. Students can be best…

To give students practical experience in professional engineering, final year students at Nottingham Polytechnic (United Kingdom) proctor (assist) groups of first and second year engineering students and local school students in completing projects. Outlines the aims and objectives of the proctoring program and its assessment procedure: a report…

Community enterprise projects link higher education students with the not-for-profit community and provide opportunities to acquire skills and competences not available in commercial experiences. Outlines personal and academic benefits to students, highlights benefits to communities and volunteer groups, and discusses competence assessment…

At the heart of the Royal Air Force's revised basic engineering training is competency based assessment. Discusses the need for: new technologies, different skills, new competences, appropriate expectations, systems awareness, and skills integration. Examines training requirements; approach used (task analysis, final criterion test, interim tests,…

The Training Development Group of Barclays Bank (United Kingdom) was formed in 1989 to design cost effective training for the banks employees. Describes the bank's "systems approach" to training design: the training needs analysis, identification of performance competences, determination of behavioral objectives, selection of…

To make a third-year communications-for-engineers course meet student needs, students were asked to identify training needs and to devise an appropriate delivery and assessment method for a course to teach oral presentations, control of meetings, teamwork skills, interview skills, curriculum vitae, and telephone skills. Industry experts were…