1

Promoting Competency-Based Education

Key directions for the future

2

Goal

Strategies to fostercompetenciesand skills needed in the labour market

3

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

4

Current curriculum needs

Priority study programmes using outcomes-based curriculum

Industry as partner in curriculum change

Academic staff development in curriculum development and implementation

5

Students’ unmet needs

Capability, confidence and security

Work experience

Career guidance

6

Competencies desired by employers 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

7

Directions for 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

8

Change management

Change in Sri Lankan Higher Education ?

Difficult ?

Possible ?

Available: a critical mass of committed change agents

9

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

10

Short-term project implementation Course materials developed

Learning support materials developed

Library and ICT resources available

Computer labs strengthened

Review of assessment practices

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

Student support funding

Counselling and career guidance Social harmony guidance Work/community experience across disciplines Learning support, mentoring Skills development projects

15

Transition to world of work Career Guidance Units

One Unit upgraded to provide national coordination and support

Tracer studies

Business Interaction Cells/Centres

16

Education

Quality

Relevance

Responsiveness

Equity

Conclusion

Vision

Policies

Consensus

Incentives

Pressure

Educated

Competent

Learning

Citizenry &

Workforce

EconomicEconomic

& Social& Social

DevelopmentDevelopment