Identification of Core Competencies for an Undergraduate Food Safety Curriculum Using a Modified Delphi Approach

Abstract

Identification of core competencies for undergraduates in food safety is critical to assure courses and curricula are appropriate in maintaining a well‐qualified food safety workforce. The purpose of this study was to identify and refine core competencies relevant to postsecondary food safety education using a modified Delphi method. Twenty‐nine experts representing food safety professionals in academia, government, and industry were given 2 rounds of questionnaires that specified initial food safety competencies, core domains, and subdomains. Competencies were defined as a set of skills, knowledge, and abilities that correlate to success of a trainee. The framework for which competencies were classified consisted of (1) core domains, defined as broad food safety subjects; and (2) subdomains, or more specific food safety subjects. The expert panel used a 5‐point Likert scale with an acceptance criterion, or consensus, of 75%, with a rating of “4” or greater. After 2 rounds of questionnaires and revisions from the expert panel, 5 core domains were established: (1) Food Production, Manufacturing, Retail, and Consumer; (2) Foodborne Hazards; (3) Public Health; (4) Legislation and Policy; and (5) Communication and Education. Specific responses from the experts highlighted areas in which further curriculum revision would be beneficial. This study provides a framework for the development of a vetted, standardized undergraduate food safety curriculum. The Delphi method, with its inclusion of professionals representing various sectors of food safety, provided relevant perspectives for curriculum design, and also allowed participants the opportunity to contribute to the education of future food safety professionals.

Instructional Design Competencies for Online High School Teachers Modifying their own Courses

“…As was expected from other Delphi studies (Johnston et al 2014;Penciner et al 2011;and York and Ertmer 2011) with this instrument, none of the 10 competencies that met the criteria for the final list were rated 'Strongly Agree' by 100% of participants. As a group, pre-service instructors and practitioners each rated 'Strongly Agree' on the highest number of competencies.…”

“…While the use of percentage has been commonly used to indicate agreement among participants, there is not an agreed upon definition of what constitutes consensus in a Delphi study (Hasson et al 2000). This study followed the majority of studies in using a 75% ranking 'Strongly Agree' to indicate consensus on an item (Johnston et al 2014;Penciner et al 2011;York and Ertmer 2011).…”

The development of a set of core communication competencies for introductory communication courses

“…A modified Delphi technique uses both written responses and face-to-face discussions and deliberation to aggregate judgments, analyze results, and reach a workable consensus. This modified Delphi technique is often used by competency researchers across academic disciplines (Barry, Battel-Kirk, & Dempsey, 2012;Johnston et al, 2014;Lindberg, Lundström-Landegren, Johansson, Lidén, & Holm, 2012;Schultz, Koenig, Whiteside, Murray, & National Standardized All-Hazard Disaster Core Competencies Task Force, 2012;Shaikh & Khoja, 2014).…”

Development of a Reality‐Based Multimedia Case Study Teaching Method and its Effect on Students’ Planned Food Safety Behaviors

“…The majority of students in the course had never been inside a food manufacturing facility, which presented a challenge of providing real world context while teaching the subject matter. A recent study determined that applying theoretical knowledge to real world settings was the number one skill college graduates lack (Johnston and others ). Even though a student may comprehend the subject matter, the student may not know how to apply this in the workplace or other situations (Egan and others ).…”