Showing papers on "Competence (human resources) published in 2004"

When Professionals Become Mothers, Warmth Doesn't Cut the Ice

Abstract: Working moms risk being reduced to one of two subtypes: homemakers—viewed as warm but incompetent, or female professionals—characterized as competent but cold. The current study ( N= 122 college students) presents four important findings. First, when working women become mothers, they trade perceived competence for perceived warmth. Second, working men don't make this trade; when they become fathers, they gain perceived warmth and maintain perceived competence. Third, people report less interest in hiring, promoting, and educating working moms relative to working dads and childless employees. Finally, competence ratings predict interest in hiring, promoting, and educating workers. Thus, working moms' gain in perceived warmth does not help them, but their loss in perceived competence does hurt them.

Negotiating Participation and Identity in Second Language Academic Communities.

Abstract: This article reports on a qualitative multiple case study that explored the academic discourse socialization experiences of L2 learners in a Canadian university. Grounded in the notion of “community of practice” (Lave & Wenger, 1991, p. 89), the study examined how L2 learners negotiated their participation and membership in their new L2 classroom communities, particularly in open-ended class discussions. The participants included 6 female graduate students from Japan and 10 of their course instructors. Student self-reports, interviews, and classroom observations were collected over an entire academic year to provide an in-depth, longitudinal analysis of the students' perspectives about their class participation across the curriculum. Three case studies illustrate that students faced a major challenge in negotiating competence, identities, and power relations, which was necessary for them to participate and be recognized as legitimate and competent members of their classroom communities. The students also attempted to shape their own learning and participation by exercising their personal agency and actively negotiating their positionalities, which were locally constructed in a given classroom. Implications for classroom practices and future research are also discussed.

Assessing competence in communication and interpersonal skills: the Kalamazoo II report.

Abstract: Accreditation of residency programs and certification of physicians requires assessment of competence in communication and interpersonal skills. Residency and continuing medical education program directors seek ways to teach and evaluate these competencies. This report summarizes the methods and tools used by educators, evaluators, and researchers in the field of physician-patient communication as determined by the participants in the "Kalamazoo II" conference held in April 2002. Communication and interpersonal skills form an integrated competence with two distinct parts. Communication skills are the performance of specific tasks and behaviors such as obtaining a medical history, explaining a diagnosis and prognosis, giving therapeutic instructions, and counseling. Interpersonal skills are inherently relational and process oriented; they are the effect communication has on another person such as relieving anxiety or establishing a trusting relationship. This report reviews three methods for assessment of communication and interpersonal skills: (1) checklists of observed behaviors during interactions with real or simulated patients; (2) surveys of patients' experience in clinical interactions; and (3) examinations using oral, essay, or multiple-choice response questions. These methods are incorporated into educational programs to assess learning needs, create learning opportunities, or guide feedback for learning. The same assessment tools, when administered in a standardized way, rated by an evaluator other than the teacher, and using a predetermined passing score, become a summative evaluation. The report summarizes the experience of using these methods in a variety of educational and evaluation programs and presents an extensive bibliography of literature on the topic. Professional conversation between patients and doctors shapes diagnosis, initiates therapy, and establishes a caring relationship. The degree to which these activities are successful depends, in large part, on the communication and interpersonal skills of the physician. This report focuses on how the physician's competence in professional conversation with patients might be measured. Valid, reliable, and practical measures can guide professional formation, determine readiness for independent practice, and deepen understanding of the communication itself.

Business competence of information technology professionals: conceptual development and influence on it-business partnerships

Abstract: This research aims at improving our understanding of the concept of business competence of information technology professionals and at exploring the contribution of this competence to the development of partnerships between IT professionals and their business clients. Business competence focuses on the areas of knowledge that are not specifically IT-related. At a broad level, it comprises the organization-specific knowledge and the interpersonal and management knowledge possessed by IT professionals. Each of these categories is in turn inclusive of more specific areas of knowledge. Organizational overview, organizational unit, organizational responsibility, and IT-business integration form the organization-specific knowledge, while interpersonal communication, leadership, and knowledge networking form the interpersonal and management knowledge. Such competence is hypothesized to be instrumental in increasing the intentions of IT professionals to develop and strengthen the relationship with their clients. The first step in the study was to develop a scale to measure business competence of IT professionals. The scale was validated, and then used to test the model that relates competence to intentions to form IT-business partnerships. The results support the suggested structure for business competence and indicate that business competence significantly influences the intentions of IT professionals to develop partnerships with their business clients.

Dimensions of Coaching Behavior, Need Satisfaction, and the Psychological and Physical Welfare of Young Athletes

Abstract: Grounded in self-determination theory (E. L. Deci & R. M. Ryan, 2000), the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of dimensions of coaching behavior to intrinsic need satisfaction and indices of psychological and physical well-being among male adolescent athletes. Participants were 265 British soccer and cricket players (Mage = 16.44). Structural equation modeling analysis, using maximum likelihood robust method, showed athletes’ perceptions of autonomy support, mastery focus, and social support from the coach to predict their satisfaction of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, respectively. The satisfaction of the need for competence emerged as the most important predictor of psychological and physical well-being. The findings suggest that particular aspects of the social environment may be salient for fostering particular psychological needs. The results also underline the importance of perceived competence for the psychological and physical welfare of adolescents in team sports.

Communities of Networked Expertise: Professional and Educational Perspectives

Abstract: Introduction. Part I. The Knowledge-Acquisition Perspective. Expert Knowledge as the Basis of Human Competence. Dynamic Development of Expertise. Organizational Support for Dynamic Development of Expertise. Part II. The Participation Perspective. Participation in Communities of Expertise. Networks of Knowledge Sharing. Facilitating Organizational Intelligence through Knowledge Management. Part III. The Knowledge-Creation Perspective. Models of Innovative Knowledge Communities. Role of Conceptual and Material Artifacts in Knowledge Creation. The Dynamic Nature of Innovative Knowledge Communities. Individual and Social Aspects of Knowledge Creation. Part IV. Educating for Networked Expertise. Acquisition Perspective: Developing Basic Knowledge and Competencies for Expertise. Participation Perspective: Organizing Networking Relations Between Learners and Expert Communities. Knowledge-Creation Perspective: Facilitating Progressive Inquiry in Education. Concluding Remarks: Relational Nature of Networked Expertise.

Assessment of young children's social-emotional development and psychopathology: recent advances and recommendations for practice.

Abstract: In this paper we have tried to document some of the recent advances in the conceptualization and assessment of early-emerging social-emotional and behavior problems, competencies, and psychopathology. Considerable evidence documents that young children evidence significant psychopathology (cf., Del Carmen & Carter, in press; Emde, 1999; Zeanah, 2001; Zeanah et al., 1997). Given the range of new assessment measures that have become available over the past 10 years, the field of young child mental health is poised for dramatic gains in knowledge. It is critical to conduct large-scale, longitudinal, epidemiological studies to inform our understanding of the course of psychopathological conditions within the context of a normative developmental framework. Multi-method, multi-informant assessment approaches are more essential in early childhood due to young children's inability to provide self-reports and the embedded nature of children's development in their caregiving contexts. Screening large representative samples affords the opportunity to ascertain unbiased clinically informative sub-samples for methodologically intensive sub-studies. These sub-studies can address the child's cognitive and linguistic developmental capacities as well as utilize observational methods to examine the relational context. This approach provides an opportunity to merge dimensional and diagnostic assessments and will yield critical information for disentangling continuities and discontinuities in normative and atypical development. The assessment methodology currently exists to routinely screen very young children for social-emotional and behavior problems as well as delays in the acquisition of competencies in pediatric settings as well as in early intervention programs. Yet, despite the likely long-term benefits and cost-saving potential of early identification and intervention services, short-term cost and knowledge barriers currently limit widespread implementation. Discussions with pediatricians suggest that one of the greatest barriers to screening is the limited availability of mental health referral sources. Indeed, very few children who are rated by parents as having elevated social-emotional and behavior problems are receiving any behavioral health services (Horwitz et al., in press). Unmet mental health needs exist among non-referred children in the community as well as among children receiving early intervention services for developmental concerns. Documenting the mental health needs of young children may promote training of professionals who have the competence to treat young children and their families. Moreover, the availability of social-emotional and behavior problem assessment tools should increase studies that focus on the clinical efficacy and effectiveness of prevention and early intervention programs designed to promote positive mental health. Finally, although significant progress is occurring in the arena of young child diagnosis, a strong case can be made for intervening when young children are exhibiting elevations in problem behaviors or delays in the acquisition of competence. This is particularly true when children are also experiencing exposure to multiple contextual risk factors. It is therefore important to advocate for changes to systems that require child diagnosis as a gateway to intervention. As we learn more about the precursors or prodromal manifestations of clinical psychopathology we will be able to examine the efficacy of earlier targeted preventive intervention approaches.

Autonomy and Competence in German and American University Students: A Comparative Study Based on Self-Determination Theory.

Abstract: According to self-determination theory (R M Ryan & E L Deci, 2000), supports for autonomy and competence are essential for growth and well-being in any learning environment Educational contexts differ in their relative support for these 2 needs The authors examined the role of autonomy and competence in 2 German and 2 American university settings, as they were predicted to differ in terms of their relative emphasis on competence versus autonomy Invariance analyses supported the construct comparability of the measures and demonstrated that German students felt significantly more autonomous and less competent than American students Perceived pressures and positive informational feedback were modeled as antecedents of autonomy and competence, and well-being was examined as a consequence The hypothesized model was generally supported across the 4 samples

Nurse competence scale: development and psychometric testing.

Abstract: Background. Self-assessment assists nurses to maintain and improve their practice by identifying their strengths and areas that may need to be further developed. Professional competence profiles encourage them to take an active part in the learning process of continuing education. Although competence recognition offers a way to motivate practising nurses to produce quality care, few measuring tools are available for this purpose. Aim. This paper describes the development and testing of the Nurse Competence Scale, an instrument with which the level of nurse competence can be assessed in different hospital work environments. Methods. The categories of the Nurse Competence Scale were derived from Benner's From Novice to Expert competency framework. A seven-step approach, including literature review and six expert groups, was used to identify and validate the indicators of nurse competence. After a pilot test, psychometric testing of the Nurse Competence Scale (content, construct and concurrent validity, and internal consistency) was undertaken with 498 nurses. The 73-item scale consists of seven categories, with responses on a visual analogy scale format. The frequency of using competencies was additionally tested with a four-point scale. Results. Self-assessed overall scores indicated a high level of competence across categories. The Nurse Competence Scale data were normally distributed. The higher the frequency of using competencies, the higher was the self-assessed level of competence. Age and length of work experience had a positive but not very strong correlation with level of competence. According to the item analysis, the categories of the Nurse Competence Scale showed good internal consistency. Conclusion. The results provide strong evidence of the reliability and validity of the Nurse Competence Scale.

Design principles for competence management systems: a synthesis of an action research study

Abstract: Even though the literature on competence in organizations recognizes the need to align organization level core competence with individual level job competence, it does not consider the role of information technology in managing competence across the macro and micro levels. To address this shortcoming, we embarked on an action research study that develops and tests design principles for competence management systems. This research develops an integrative model of competence that not only outlines the interaction between organizational and individual level competence and the role of technology in this process, but also incorporates a typology of competence (competence-in-stock, competence-in-use, and competence-in-the-making). Six Swedish organizations participated in our research project, which took 30 months and consisted of two action research cycles involving numerous data collection strategies and interventions such as prototypes. In addition to developing a set of design principles and considering their implications for both research and practice, this article includes a self-assessment of the study by evaluating it according to the criteria for canonical action research.

Studying Abroad: The Role of College Students' Goals on the Development of Cross-Cultural Skills and Global Understanding

Abstract: This study examined the broader impact that study abroad programs have on students' cross-cultural skills and global understanding and the role that students' goals for participating in study abroad programs play on the development of these outcomes. Two hundred and thirty two (N=232) study-abroad college students were queried regarding their cross-cultural skills prior to and at completion of the program. A factor analysis of the Study Abroad Goals Scale (SAGS) revealed three factors that students report for joining study abroad programs (1) to enhance their cross-cultural skills, (2) to become more proficient in the subject matter and (3) to socialize. The results showed that overall students' cross-cultural skills and global understanding improved; but students' goals to study abroad influenced the magnitude of these outcomes. Namely, only the first factor (cross-cultural competence) significantly predicted students' global understanding and cross-cultural skills. Based on these findings, specific recommendations are provided to university officials and policy makers involved in study abroad programs. ********** Study abroad programs, defined as all educational programs that take place outside the geographical boundaries of the country of origin, have increasingly gained popularity and interest in the last few years (Carlson, Bum, Useem & Yachimowicz, 1991; NAFSA, Association of International Educators). In fact, over the past four years enrollment has increased by 45 percent. According to the Association of International Educators, in 1999-2000 academic year, 129,770 students from the United States studied abroad. This sizable and increasing involvement leads to questions of impact. What are the effects of studying abroad? Does studying abroad enhance students' global understanding and cross-cultural skills? In attempting to answer these questions, numerous research studies, have reported that overall study abroad programs contribute to students' cross-cultural development (Carlson & Widman, 1988; Sell, 1983). However, no studies have examined whether mediating factors such as student's goals for attending a study abroad program contribute to the enhancement of their cross-cultural skills. This study, therefore, examines the influence of students' goals on these expected outcomes of the study abroad programs. Several studies focusing on study abroad outcomes have provided evidence that study abroad programs enhance students' worldview (Carlson & Widman, 1988), global perspective (McCabe, 1994), cross-cultural effectiveness (Kitsantas & Meyers, 2002), interest in travel, art., foreign languages, history, and architecture (Carsello & Creaser, 1976), and increase reflective thought, self reliance, self confidence and personal well being (Kuh & Kaufman, 1984). For example, a study by Carlson and Widaman (1988) queried 450 students participating in a study abroad program regarding their perspective on global issues and cross-cultural understanding at the onset and at the conclusion of their study abroad experience. Using a questionnaire, the students were asked to think retrospectively and indicate their positions. The students were then asked to respond to a parallel set of items with their current perspective. This method allowed the researchers to assess the students' change in global perspective and worldview. The researchers found that participation in study abroad programs provided student sojourners with an opportunity to view the world from completely new and different perspectives. This experience resulted in higher levels of international political concern, cross-cultural interest and cross-cultural cosmopolitanism compared to similar groups of students who did not participate in a study abroad program. In addition to measurement of study abroad program outcomes (e.g., changes in students' global perspective, worldview, and cross-cultural skills), maximization of positive outcomes is also a major concern for researchers and educators. …

Simulation in undergraduate medical education: bridging the gap between theory and practice

Abstract: Objective To evaluate the use of simulation-based teaching in the medical undergraduate curriculum in the context of management of medical emergencies, using a medium fidelity simulator. Design Small groups of medical students attended a simulation workshop on management of medical emergencies. The workshop was evaluated in a postcourse questionnaire. Subjects All Year 4 medical students allocated to the resuscitation rotation during the first half of 2002. Main outcome measures Student perceptions of learning outcomes, the value of the simulation in the undergraduate curriculum and their self-assessed improved mastery of workshop material. Results A total of 33 students attended the workshop and all completed questionnaires. Students rated the workshop highly and found it a valuable learning experience. In all, 21 (64%) students identified teamwork skills as key learning points; 11 (33%) felt they had learnt how to approach a problem better, particularly in terms of using a systematic approach, and 12 (36%) felt they had learnt how to apply their theoretical knowledge in a clinical setting better. All 33 students were positive about the use of simulation in their training; 14 students wrote that simulation should be used more or should be mandatory in training; 5 students commented positively on the realism of the learning experience and a further 5 said they valued the opportunity to learn new skills in a safe environment. Conclusion This study demonstrates that medical students value simulation-based learning highly. In particular, they value the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a safe and realistic setting, to develop teamwork skills and to develop a systematic approach to a problem. A medium fidelity simulator is a valuable educational tool in medical undergraduate education.

The Family-School Partnership: An Opportunity to Promote the Learning Competence of All Students.

Abstract: . In this article, family--school partnerships are discussed as a viable and essential way to increase the opportunities and supports for all students to enhance their learning progress and meet the recent demands of schooling inherent in accountability systems and most notably of Title I No Child Left Behind legislation. School psychologists are encouraged to make the family--school partnership a priority by collaborating with school personnel to (a) apply principles from systems-ecological theory to children's learning; (b) maintain an opportunity-oriented, persistent focus when working with youth and families living in challenging situations; and (c) attend to the process of partnering with families. Example opportunities for school psychologists to make this partnership a priority for children's academic, social, and emotional learning are delineated. ********** As I reflect on the past two decades of research and practices with respect to family involvement in education, I am reminded of a Charles Dickens (1859) phrase from A Tale of Two Cities, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ..." (p. 1). The "best of times" is reflected in an increased awareness of the (a) effect of family influences on and contributions by families to children's educational outcomes; (b) conceptual models for family involvement; (c) importance of establishing shared goals and monitoring child success; (d) characteristics of constructive, collaborative relationships; and (e) variety of home- and school-based activities to engage families in education (Chen, 2001; Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; Comer, Haynes, Joyner, & Ben-Avie, 1996; Epstein, 1995; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Nord & West, 2001; Sheridan, Kratochwill, & Bergan, 1996; Swap, 1993). It is noteworthy that previous efforts to examine school psychological service delivery at invited conferences (Brown, Cardon, Coulter, & Meyers, 1982; Ysseldyke & Weinberg, 1981) and publications (Talley, Kubiszyn, Brassard, & Short, 1996) have highlighted the seminal role of parents for students' school success. At the beginning of the 21st century, our myriad efforts as a discipline--researchers, trainers, and practitioners--have resulted in the family--school partnership being recognized as salient for positive developmental and learning outcomes of children and youth. (1) The "worst of times" is evident in the disconnect of the two primary socializing agents for educational success. This disconnect is seen daily across our schools in (a) predominant use of the school-to-home transmission model (Swap, 1993); (b) the extreme social and physical distance between some educators and families; (c) diminished resources for implementing family--school programs; (d) challenges reaching all families; (e) challenges related to addressing the needs of non-English speaking families and children identified as English Language Learners (ELL); and (f) too little focus on the interaction process that yields a strong relationship as various interventions are implemented (Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; Liontos, 1992). Although shared responsibility across home and school for educational outcomes is the rhetoric, school policies and practices are not always aligned with this notion. I suspect an analysis of current assessment and intervention practices would reveal infrequent use of those that focus on home and school as contexts for children's development and learning. Our Challenge as a Discipline Educators often ask: How can schools get families to support their values and practices? Coincidentally, families often ask: How can families get schools to be responsive to their needs and aspirations for their children? Less often educators and families ask: How can we work together to promote the educational experiences and performance of students or this student? …

Public Space and the Culture of Childhood

Abstract: Contents: Childhood in crisis? Terror talk: geographies of fear Gender and parenting cultures 'I can handle it': children and competence The retreat from the street Contested terrain: teenagers in public space Children and the future of public space References Index.

Second Language Acquisition as Situated Practice: Task Accomplishment in the French Second Language Classroom

Abstract: This article provides an empirically based perspective on the contribution of conversation analysis (CA) and sociocultural theory to our understanding of learners' second language (L2) practices within what we call a strong socio-interactionist perspective. It explores the interactive (re)configuration of tasks in French second language classrooms. Stressing that learning is situated in learners' social, and therefore profoundly interactional, practices, we investigate how tasks are not only accomplished but also collaboratively (re)organized by learners and teachers, leading to various configurations of classroom talk and structuring specific opportunities for learning. The analysis of L2 classroom interactions at basic and advanced levels shows how the teacher's instructions are reflexively redefined within courses of action and how thereby the learner's emerging language competence is related to other (interactional, institutional, sociocultural) competencies. Discussing the results in the light of recent analyses of the indexical and grounded dimensions of everyday and experimental tasks allows us to broaden our understanding of competence and situated cognition in language learning.

Toward a Grounded Theory of the Psychosocial Competencies and Environmental Conditions Associated with Soccer Success

Abstract: The purposes of this study were to identify and examine psychosocial competencies among elite male adolescent soccer players in order to present a grounded theory of factors associated with soccer success. Participants (N = 40) were 20 Canadian international youth soccer players (M age = 16.8 years), 14 English professional youth soccer players (M age = 16.2 years), and 6 English professional coaches. Using grounded theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), data analysis followed several coding procedures geared toward theory development. Four major psychosocial competencies that appear to be central to success in elite youth soccer emerged from the data. The competencies were labeled Discipline (i.e., conforming dedication to the sport and a willingness to sacrifice), Commitment (i.e., strong motives and career planning goals), Resilience (i.e., the ability to use coping strategies to overcome obstacles), and Social Support (i.e., the ability to use emotional, informational, and tangible support). The...

Clinical skills in junior medical officers: a comparison of self-reported confidence and observed competence

Abstract: Background The intern year is a key time for the acquisition of clinical skills, both procedural and cognitive. We have previously described self-reported confidence and experience for a number of clinical skills, finding high levels of confidence among Australian junior doctors. This has never been correlated with an objective measure of competence. Aims and hypothesis We aimed to determine the relationship between self-reported confidence and observed competence for a number of routine, procedural clinical skills. Methods A group of 30 junior medical officers in their first postgraduate year (PGY1) was studied. All subjects completed a questionnaire concerning their confidence and experience in the performance of clinical skills. A competency-based assessment instrument concerning 7 common, practical, clinical skills was developed, piloted and refined. All 30 PGY1s then completed an assessment using this instrument. Comparisons were then made between the PGY1s' self-reported levels of confidence and tutors' assessments of their competence. Results A broad range of competence levels was revealed by the clinical skills assessments. There was no correlation between the PGY1s' self-ratings of confidence and their measured competencies. Conclusions Junior medical officers in PGY1 demonstrate a broad range of competence levels for several common, practical, clinical skills, with some performing at an inadequate level. There is no relationship between their self-reported level of confidence and their formally assessed performance. This observation raises important caveats about the use of self-assessment in this group.

The past, present, and future of curriculum-based measurement research

Abstract: Thirty years ago, the dominant approach to progress monitoring was mastery measurement. With mastery measurement, teachers specify a hierarchy of instructional objectives constituting the annual curriculum and, for each objective in the sequence, devise a criterion-referenced test to assess mastery. When a student achieves the mastery criterion for an objective, the teacher simultaneously shifts instruction and assessment to the next skill in the hierarchy. In this way, learning is conceptualized as a series of short-term accomplishments, which are believed to accumulate into broad competence. This notion of progress monitoring was represented in popular methods such as the Wisconsin Instructional Design System (see www.wids.org) and Precision Teaching (e.g., www.celeration.org). At about that same time, Stan Deno at the University of Minnesota, with a handful of doctoral students (including Doug Marston, Steve Robinson, Mark Shinn, Jerry Tindal, Caren Wesson, and me), launched a systematic program of research on the technical features, logistical challenges, and instructional effectiveness of progress monitoring. The initial focus of that research program was mastery measurement, but several technical difficulties associated with mastery measurement quickly emerged. For example, to assess mastery of a specific skill, each mastery measurement criterion-referenced test addresses a single skill. Such testing is potentially misleading, however, because many low achievers can read consonant-vowel-consonant words if they know that all words on the page conform to the pattern; similarly, they can solve addition with regrouping problems if they know that all problems on the page fit that problem type. By contrast, when a test mixes words with different phonetic patterns or mixes math problems of different types (as occurs on high-stakes tests and in the real world), these same students no longer perform the "mastered" skill competently. This questions mastery measurement's assumption that a series of short-term accomplishments accumulates into broad-based competence; it compromises the relation between number of objectives mastered during the year and end-of-year performance on more global assessments; and it can lull educators into a false sense that their students are making progress. The CBM Alternative To address this and other important problems associated with mastery measurement (for a full discussion, see Fuchs & Deno, 1991), Deno (1985) conceptualized an alternative approach for the purpose of progress monitoring: curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Each weekly CBM is an alternate form, representing the performance desired at the end of the year. In this way, CBM circumvents mastery measurement's technical difficulties by requiring students to simultaneously integrate the various skills required for competent yearend performance on every weekly test. As students learn the necessary components of the annual curriculum, their CBM score gradually increases. Also, because each weekly test is comparable in difficulty and conceptualization, slope can be used to quantify rate of learning. Slope can also be used to gauge a student's responsiveness to the instructional program and as a signal to revise the student's program when inadequate responsiveness is revealed. A key challenge in the development of CBM is to identify measurement tasks that simultaneously integrate the various skills required for competent year-end performance. Two approaches have been used. One involves identifying a task that correlates robustly (and better than potentially competing tasks) with the various component skills constituting the academic domain. For example, Deno, Mirkin, and Chiang (1982) first identified passage reading fluency (often termed "oral reading fluency") as a key CBM task by showing how its correlations with valued criterion measures exceeded correlations for other potential CBM tasks. Conceptually, it makes sense that passage reading fluency is a robust indicator of overall reading competence. …

Defining competencies in psychology supervision: a consensus statement.

Abstract: Supervision is a domain of professional practice conducted by many psychologists but for which formal training and standards have been largely neglected. In this article, supervision is proposed as a core competency area in psychology for which a number of elements reflecting specific knowledge, skills, and values must be addressed to ensure adequate training and professional development of the trainee. Supra-ordinate factors of supervision viewed as permeating all aspects of professional development are proposed. These include the perspective that professional development is a lifelong, cumulative process requiring attention to diversity in all its forms, as well as legal and ethical issues, personal and professional factors, and self- and peer-assessment. A competencies framework is presented with particular elements representing knowledge (e.g., about psychotherapy, research, etc.), skills (including supervising modalities, relationship skills, etc.), values (e.g., responsibility for the clients and supervisee rests with supervisor, etc.), and meta-knowledge. Social contextual factors and issues of education and training, assessment, and future directions also are addressed, with specific elements listed. Suggestions for future work in this area are addressed, including the need to refine further and operationalize competences, develop clear expectations for accreditation and licensure regarding supervision competencies, and expand the description of developmental levels of supervisors from minimal to optimal competence. This is one of a series of articles published together in this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Several other articles that resulted from the Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology will appear in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice and The Counseling Psychologist.

Faculty and the observation of trainees' clinical skills: problems and opportunities.

Abstract: The clinical skills of medical interviewing, physical examination, and counseling remain vital to the effective care of patients, yet research continues to document serious deficiencies in clinical skills among students and residents. The most important method of evaluation is the direct observation of trainees performing these clinical skills. Standardized patients and other simulation technologies are important and reliable tools for teaching clinical skills and evaluating competence and will be incorporated in the near future as part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Standardized patients and simulation, however, cannot and should not replace the direct observation by faculty of trainees' clinical skills with actual patients. Faculty are in the best position to document improvement over time and to certify trainees have attained sophisticated levels of skill in medical interviewing, physical examination, and counseling. Unfortunately, current evidence suggests significant deficiencies in faculty direct observation evaluation skills. The author outlines the nature of the problems in clinical skills and their evaluation by faculty and ends with recommendations to improve the current state of faculty skills in evaluation.

Monkey see, monkey do: a critique of the competency model in graduate medical education

Abstract: Background Graduate medical education in the UK is in danger of being subsumed in a minimalist discourse of competency. Argument While accepting that competence in a doctor is a sine qua non, the author criticises the construction of a graduate and specialist medical education based solely upon a competency model. Many competency models follow the concepts of either academic competence or operational competence, both of which have lately been subject to criticism. Conclusion The author discusses the need for replacing such criterion-referenced models in favour of a model that engages the higher order competence, performance and understanding which represent professional practice at its best.

Redefining Translation Competence in an Electronic Age. In Defence of a Minimalist Approach

Abstract: Since the 1970s the notion of “translation competence” has been viewed as at least 1) a mode of bilingualism, open to linguistic analysis, 2) a question of market demands, given to extreme historical and social change, 3) a multicomponent competence, involving sets of skills that are linguistic, cultural, technological and professional, and 4) a “supercompetence” that would somehow stand above the rest. The general trend among theorists has been to expand the multicomponent model so as to bring new skills and proficiencies into the field of translator training. This trend may be expected to continue with the increasing use of electronic tools. Here it is argued, however, that the multicomponential expansions of competence are partly grounded in institutional interests and are conceptually flawed in that they will always be one or two steps behind market demands. On the other hand, a simple minimalist concept of translation competence, based on the production then elimination of alternatives, can help orient translator training in times of rapid technological and professional change.

Competence-based VET in the Netherlands: background and pitfalls

Abstract: In the Dutch Vocational Education and Training (VET) system, competence-based education is the leading paradigm for innovation, both at the system level and at the level of learning environments. This article provides an historical analysis of the development of competence-based education in various countries and explores the concept of competence and its popularity. Possible pitfalls with respect to the concept of competence, standardisation, school and workplace learning, determining learning activities, assessment of competencies, changing teacher roles/identity and competence-based management will be discussed. Taking these pitfalls into account, roads for future development will be sketched. A learning policy connecting governance, practice and research is believed to be the most fruitful way to develop flexible VET systems that are suited to the emerging knowledge-based economy.

Mothers and Fathers in the Workplace: How Gender and Parental Status Influence Judgments of Job-Related Competence

Abstract: We investigated the influence of gender and parental status on employment decisions. The shifting standards model predicts that parenthood polarizes judgments of women and men such that mothers are held to stricter employment standards than fathers. Social role theory predicts that parenting role, rather than gender, guides judgments of mothers and fathers. One hundred ninety-six undergraduates at two universities evaluated a job applicant; the applicant was either male or female and was either single or married with two children. Results showed that parents were judged less agentic and less committed to employment than non-parents. Parental status also interacted with gender, indicating that fathers were held to more lenient standards than mothers and childless men. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.

Effects of training in direct observation of medical residents' clinical competence: a randomized trial.

Abstract: The authors studied direct observation of competence, a new approach to improving faculty skills in evaluating trainees' clinical ability. The new method appeared to make faculty more critical obse...

Competencies conference: future directions in education and credentialing in professional psychology.

Abstract: The Competencies Conference: Future Directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology was organized around eight competency-focused work groups, as well as work groups on specialties and the assessment of competence. A diverse group of psychologists participated in this multisponsored conference. After describing the background and structure of the conference, this article reviews the common themes that surfaced across work groups, with attention paid to the identification, training, and assessment of competencies and competence. Recommendations to advance competency-based education, training, and credentialing in professional psychology are discussed. This is one of a series of articles published together in this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Several other articles that resulted from the Competencies Conference will appear in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice and The Counseling Psychologist.