A competency based approach to RedRs training and learning activities

StephenBlakemore
helping rebuild lives in times of disaster

November2008

Introduction
Starting in early 2009, those who attend RedR courses in security management, people management and project management will receive a Certificate of Competency, rather than the previous Certificate of Attendance, as a reflection of RedRs new competency-based approach to training. In order to ensure that participants have the necessary skills, participants attending the new Certificate in Security Management and Managing People and Managing Projects in Emergencies courses will be required to demonstrate competence and will be assessed against various critical competencies. RedR is moving to a competency-based approach in its training. This move is complex and requires significant effort in the redesign of courses. This paper is designed as a starting point to this work, outlining the key issues and considerations in moving towards a competency based approach.

What is a competency?
A competency is a skill performed to a specific standard under particular conditions. Competencies result from breaking down a job or role into the specific and observable skills that are needed to do it well. The UKs National Council for Vocational Qualifications define a competency as the ability to perform those activities within an occupation or function to the standard expected in employment. In essence, competencies describe what people need to be able to do in their particular job. If they cannot do it, should they be in that job? This is where competency based training is needed. A competency is the ability to perform those activities within an occupation or function to the standard expected in employment

What is competency based training?

Conventional training courses are designed to achieve a series of learning objectives that will be met (or not met) within a given timeframe usually this is by the end of the course. The objectives are based on an often broad assessment of learning needs. Learning is then measured against these objectives and tested during the course. At the end of the training, participants might receive a certificate of attendance and complete an action plan for further learning and development. Competency based training is more rigorous and more flexible. Rigorous because the emphasis is on performance not on the recall of knowledge; flexible because competencies are independent of the learning process and can, therefore, be achieved through any mode. Learning is self-paced. For example, participants will enter the training already competent in certain areas. These can be demonstrated and assessed before or during the training and the participant will focus on what he or she needs to learn. At the end of the training, new competencies are recorded. There is no reference to scores, grades or a failure to achieve. Only what has been attained is noted.

The advantages of a competency approach

Competency based training courses require careful design and trainers may require new skills, but the approach has many advantages. These advantages include: It is a learner centred approach and is therefore more likely to meet peoples needs It takes account of prior experience and existing skill levels It is more participative and therefore a more enjoyable experience for learners. It facilitates learning rather than pushes in information It emphasises skills progression, stimulating an appetite for further learning and improved performance It is flexible. Participants can learn at their own pace, achieving all or some competencies Training can be designed and redesigned to reflect the context in which people work Learning can continue to be measured beyond the training course Behavioural changes that result from training are easier to measure Employers have a clear measure of their employees strengths and weaknesses Overall weaknesses cannot be compensated by particular strengths. Learners are either deemed competent in given areas or not.

This last point is important. In traditional education, and some training courses, learners may lack skill in some areas but receive a pass at examination because they do well in other areas. In a competency based approach, all the stated elements must be met for the learner to be deemed competent in that skill. Training courses rarely rely on examinations and learning is usually tested through case-studies, role plays, simulations and other activities. At the end of the course, participants receive a certificate of attendance. Whereas the certificate is intended only to say that the person attended the course, it may imply that training objectives have been met. This is rarely the case for every individual on a course levels of learning will differ from person to person and only some learning outcomes will have been tested in the working context. There is clear case for competency based training, particularly in relation to staff safety and security. Trainers and employers must be sure that the individual is able to carry out his or her duties to an agreed standard, and to be aware of any gaps in skill. Competency based training may also be attractive to donors since the emphasis is on developing competent personnel and not simply target numbers of trainees.

Security Management Competency based training in security management is designed around the skills required to perform the duties of a security advisor. For example, this includes effectively reviewing and enhancing security management practice and procedures in the field. The trainer then assesses the ability of participants to demonstrate these skills under certain conditions and to specific standards.

Key issues when considering competency based training

RedRs training courses are already highly participative and are often built around simulations and role-paying activities. A competency based approach is therefore a manageable next step. The new dimension is, of course, assessment and this will require some redesign of existing courses and some new skills for trainers. The key issues to consider are: Attention must be given to identifying competencies, usually starting with a job or role analysis. An accurate and clear analysis of competencies is needed to inform both design and assessment. Time and resources are required to develop or redevelop activities, training materials, learning guides for participants and assessment checklists for trainers. Trainers and facilitators may need to learn new skills in: Assessment Coaching Training design

The competency approach is concerned with observable and demonstrable performance. It relies heavily on assessment skills. Trainers and facilitators will need to learn assessment skills and techniques. The trainer or facilitator also acts as a coach, supporting participants as they practise and master skills. Coaching and feedback skills are vital. Since the emphasis is on the actual work context and environment, trainers need to understand this context and be able to design appropriate and realistic training activities. The competencies on which the training is designed must be clearly stated and available to all. Line managers and learners need to know what the training will and will not achieve. Assessment criteria and the means of assessment should also be published.

Writing competencies
Competencies describe a skill for example, carrying out a risk assessment. To assess this skill it helps to know the conditions under which it must be demonstrated and the standard to which it must be performed. For example, carry out a risk assessment based on information contained in the case-study and show the results on an impact/probability grid.

Skills and elements

Skills are be broken down into individual elements. In competency based training, these elements become the learning objectives. Take risk assessment as an example. The participant needs to demonstrate that they can carry out a risk assessment for their organisation or programme. In order to assess whether they can, we might require evidence that they are able to: define risk, threat and vulnerability; identify specific threats; take steps to reduce vulnerability; involve the team and communicate information.

Blooms Taxonomy
Since competencies must be observable and demonstrable, the way they are written is important. We need to know how we will assess, with precision, whether somebody is competent or not. To help, we can use Blooms Taxonomy (1947) to write competences and elements. Blooms Taxonomy has six levels, shown here. For each level, there are words that help us to design the means of assessment. For example, if you need to know that the learner can apply theory to practice, ask them to demonstrate, operate, illustrate, etc. Analysis is about breaking down knowledge into parts and you may require the learner to, for example, distinguish, test or differentiate to know that they are competent. Blooms Taxonomy is reproduced at the end of this paper.

Levels of competence
It may be helpful to determine different levels of competency. For example, Level 1 might include routine activities carried out by all personnel. Higher levels would indicate more complex, technical or specialised skills. The training gap would depend on the persons role and what is required of them, but also on their existing skills. The diagram on the next page illustrates this. The thick line on the right shows the level to which people need to be competent. Somebody working in Role B undertakes a range of work activities, some more routine than others. They need to competent in some Level 1, 2 and 3 skills. A person in Role D, perhaps a senior official or somebody in a highly specialised position needs some skills at Levels 4 and all Level 5 skills. For each, the gap is determined by the extent to which they are already competent and this would be assessed prior to training. 5

Competency level 1 Competency level 2 Competency level 3 Competency level 4 Competency level 5

Role A

Role B

Role C

Role D GAP

Integrating knowledge with skill

In competency based training, theory is integrated with skills practice. The knowledge that people bring with them, and that which they learn on the training, supports the performance of skill. Supporting materials and resources should contain the essential information related to the skills being developed. Participants are not assessed on recall of information but on how they use this information to complete a task. For example, rather than simply have someone tell you the components on a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or a Contingency Plan, have him or her write one so as to demonstrate that they understand and can do it in practice. This demonstrates competency in this area.

Facilitating learning
It has been noted already that the trainer or facilitator must also act as a coach. He or she needs to be especially skilled at observing, encouraging and giving feedback to participants. Participants need to know what knowledge is important and why, how complex tasks are broken down, and when and how they are being assessed. It will help if participants can carry out their own self-assessment before and during the training. Some form of learning guide is therefore essential for competency based training.

Assessing skill
Pre-assessment will determine whether the individual has the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to embark on the programme what you might call the entry level criteria. This is usually done by a combination of self-assessment (e.g. questionnaire, CD-ROM, etc.), assessment by the supervisor or line manager (e.g. questionnaire, interview) and assessment by the trainer (e.g. interview, questionnaire). It is often impractical to carry out an observation in the workplace, but some form of pre-course test particularly one that uses hypothetical situations or multiple-choice questions can be an

effective way to determine whether they have the entry level criteria and what it is they need to learn. Assessment needs to be: During the training, simulations are the most effective Reliable way of assessing performance, particularly if they match, as closely as possible, the actual work context Flexible and environment. During the simulation, the facilitators will assess each persons performance using Practical (including cost) a checklist. Such assessment relies on all participants having equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills and if this is not the case, other activities such as role plays, need to be designed into the training. Additionally, specific knowledge and attitudes can be tested by using questionnaires. It is important that participants not only have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and be assessed, but that if they fall short of the required standard, they can improve and be re-assessed at some point either on the course or later. It may be possible, in some cases, to assess peoples skills once they have returned to their workplace. However, such follow-up visits are often impractical.

Assessing knowledge and attitudes

When you need to know that somebody has understood something and you assess this by observation alone, a carefully crafted questionnaire will help. Open questions those that cannot be answered with a yes or no are useful where there is no one definite answer. For example, What would you do if... Closed questions are useful where there is a finite set of answers from which to choose. Questions that can only be answered yes, no or dont know are least useful at assessing learning. Other types of closed questions are: Multiple-choice the respondent picks an answer or answers from a number of possible options. For example, Which of the following best describes the action to take when caught in cross-fire? Ordinal the respondent ranks or prioritises all possible answers or actions. For example, In the scenario outlined above, list the threats in order of impact (with 1 having highest impact and 5 the least impact). Categorical when the possible answers for questions are categories. For example, For each statement say whether it is TRUE or FALSE. Or Indicate whether the threats listed below are HIGH, MEDIUM or LOW risk.

Assessing attitude
Attitudes are harder to assess than knowledge. Evidence of attitude change is most commonly assessed using a Likert type scales. Learners can be asked to respond to a series of attitudinal items prior to the training and then to the same items again after training. Typically, the Likert scale uses a statement and the respondent is asked to indicate the extent to which they agree with that statement. Traditionally there are five points, but some people prefer four, forcing the respondent to choose between the two extremes. A common Likert scale is illustrated in the example on the right.
Ultimately, protection is the most effective security strategy. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agree

Beyond training
Having developed competency based training, the same information can be used as a basis for recruitment and selection, performance monitoring and appraisal, and organisational development. This gives RedR the opportunity to work with agencies in new ways, helping to build capacity and improve organisational effectiveness and impact. Engaging managers in a competency based approach might also encourage them to consider how they can best support their employees development, perhaps through coaching (and RedR can provide the training to help them become competent coaches). Finally, competency is one thing, excellence is something else entirely. RedR can support humanitarian workers in their continual professional development by providing a range of learning opportunities, including mentoring.

Planning competency based training key tasks

Blooms Taxonomy of Levels of Learning

Levels of Learning Knowledge
To recall a wide range of knowledge, facts and experiences describe, recall, define, state, recognise, name, list, underline, reproduce, measure, write, label, identify, acquire

Associated action verbs

Comprehension
To grasp the meaning of their acquired knowledge, and to process, translate and interpret this knowledge comprehend, understand, draw, interpolate, extrapolate, predict, to have insight into, translate, illustrate

Application
To apply knowledge and comprehension in different situations, relate material, and infer from facts apply, show, demonstrate, perform, use, relate, develop, transfer, infer, construct, explain

Analysis
To analyse data or material, breaking it down into its component parts so that its organisational structure may be understood analyse, identify, separate, detect, break down, discriminate, categorise, distinguish

Synthesis
To synthesise and combine elements to produce a coherent whole and make logical deductions combine, restate, summarise, prcis, generalise, conclude, derive, organise, design, deduce, classify, formulate, propose

Evaluation
To evaluate data, make judgements and assess material
evaluate, judge, decide, choose, assess, contrast, criticise, select, defend support, attack, seek out, compare, determine

10