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Transcript of “Assessing Skills through Competency-Based Approaches” Nuzhat Jafri, Executive Director...
“Assessing Skills through Competency-Based Approaches”
Nuzhat Jafri, Executive DirectorWorkforce One-Stop 2012, Conference Board of Canada
Metro Toronto Convention CentreApril 25, 2012
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Office of the Fairness Commissioner:Introduction
• Regulatory agency of Government of Ontario
• Opened 2007
• Ensures that regulated professions have transparent, objective, impartial and fair licensing
• Oversees 40 regulatory bodies for professions
• Commissioner is Hon. Jean Augustine, PC, CM
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Office of the Fairness Commissioner: Introduction
• Regulatory bodies
– Health and non-health
– 790,000 members
– 14 percent internationally trained
• Commissioner’s role
– Assess licensing practices
– Recommend changes
– Monitor improvement
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Assessments
• Types
– Degree equivalency
– Occupation-specific
– Prior learning
– Examinations
– Competency
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Competency Assessment
• Definition: A competency based assessment process determines what an individual knows and can do.
• Used by post-secondary institutions, regulatory bodies for professions
• May be useful to understand expertise of internationally trained people
• Research shows that competency assessment often refers to the same process as ‘prior learning assessment’
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Competency Assessment
• Purposes
– To help identify educational/learning needs
– To provide feedback on how a person is progressing
– To assess performance
– To decide whether someone has achieved competency through informal or formal means
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Competency Assessment
• How does it work?
– Does not necessarily replace assessment of credentials
– May include:
• Written exam
• Portfolio
• Self-assessment
• Demonstration
• Oral questioning
– Must include more than one tool
– Should involve comprehensive training for assessors
– Must include clear communication with applicants
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Competency Assessment
• Ontario regulatory bodies
– 20 of 38 professions report they use it
– Use a variety of approaches:
• Single examination
• Verified practice in the profession
• Formal program, e.g., residency or bridging program
– May or may not be competency assessment
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Competency Assessment
• Alberta example
– ‘Substantially Equivalent Competency’ (SEC) Assessment
– For internationally educated nurses
– At Mount Royal University, Calgary
• Steps
– Nurse applies to regulatory body for initial assessment of transcripts
– Regulator refers 75 % of internationally educated nurses to SEC
– SEC uses multiple assessment tools in a comprehensive and structured approach
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Competency Assessment
• Research themes
– The literature cites a need for more research.
– Multiple assessment methods should be used.
– Assessors must be highly trained.
– Clear, timely communication with applicants is necessary.
– Organizations must assure the quality of their assessments.
– Competency assessment is costly for organizations and lengthy for applicants.
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Competency Assessment
• More information
– Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment. Assessing the Skills and Competencies of Internationally Trained Immigrants: A Manual for Regulatory Bodies, Employers and Other Stakeholders ISBN 978-0-9781782-1-5
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Contact: www.fairnesscommissioner.ca