Visual literacy is essential for engineers. Technological professions have important visual characterization, both in the transmission of information and problem-solving. This means that future engineers must be proficient at communicating, thinking, and learning visually. However, engineering curricula takes partially the need to have visually…

Transversal Competencies (TCs) (interpersonal, intrapersonal, critical thinking and global citizenship skills) are essential skills, knowledge and behaviours for work and life success. Limited literature exists on methods to develop TC for adult education. This scoping review explores how TCs are being embedded into health professional learning…

Purpose: This paper aims to deal with the skills for sustainable development in engineering courses. The main objective is to identify which competences should be developed in these courses to contribute to the resolution of conflicts related to sustainability, as well as the means used by universities for their development.…

In order to be successful in the 21st century, students will need to master an expanded set of competencies that extends beyond discrete academic standards. Competency-based education (CBE) is an educational approach that focuses on mastery of these competencies -- rather than seat time -- as a measure of student learning. This approach is being…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a classroom assessment aimed at determining the extent to which five key sustainability competencies develop in students during an introductory transdisciplinary sustainability course. University sustainability programs intend to provide integrated education that fosters the key…

We explore on the basis of a simple survey tool the "perceived" impact of the Erasmus mobility experience on the improvement of the thirty generic competences of the Tuning Europe list. We rely on a self-assessment procedure, i.e. on data collected by the Erasmus Office of the University of Padova, Italy, through end-of-stay…

Often the work of school guidance counsellors goes on "behind the scenes" in the privacy and confidentiality of the counselling room. This article makes visible particular aspects of school counselling practice. It illustrates the potential for understanding school guidance counselling as a site of student learning, in particular of key…

At the heart of competency education is the assumption that by maintaining a laser focus on learning, allowing time to be a variable, and powerful competencies to set the bar, an education system can be created that produces high achievement for students from all income levels and across all racial and ethnic communities. However, the transition…

The impact of touch-screen technology on spatial cognitive skills as related to molecular geometries was assessed through 102 one-on-one interviews with undergraduate students. Participants were provided with either printed 2D ball-and-stick images of molecules or manipulable projections of 3D molecular structures on an iPad. Following a brief…

Higher education is facing world-wide a number of problems such as: adjusting to larger and more homogeneous student populations, increasing the number of graduating students, and preparing them for lifelong learning. Enhancing students' learning proficiency can make a substantial contribution to solving each of these major concerns. Taking the…

The author offers a three-dimensional model stressing problem solving, human relations skills, and professional knowledge as a guide for the development of competent supervisors. (Editor)

Presents a case study analysis which attempts to illuminate the difference between knowledge accumulation and ability to deal with problem solving in stoichiometry. Competence is presented as ability to properly represent, solve, and verify solutions. Discusses rule or algorithm based vs. heuristic based problem solving. (JM)

A study sought to determine the feasibility of the COMP/ACT objective test, a competency battery, as a measure of ability to function effectively in adult roles. (Using stimulus materials from many different courses, such as broadcasts and television documentaries, the test measures six skill areas, including communicating, problem solving, and…

Describes a new competence-based engineering doctorate proposed by the Science and Economics Research Council (United Kingdom). The Parnaby Report mandated expert knowledge; appreciation of industrial engineering and development culture; skills in: project and program management, teamwork and leadership, communication, technical organization,…

The Perkins Act requires states to adopt systems of outcome-based standards and measures of performance for judging the success of local vocational programs and guiding program improvement. Criteria for the design of states' systems of performance measures and standards include the following: the measures should be defined clearly and precisely;…