Modelling competencies for computing education beyond 2020: a research based approach to defining competencies in the computing disciplines

Abstract

How might the content and outcomes of tertiary education programmes be described and analysed in order to understand how they are structured and function? To address this question we develop a framework for modelling graduate competencies linked to tertiary degree programmes in the computing disciplines. While the focus of our work is computing the framework is applicable to education more broadly. The work presented here draws upon the pioneering curricular document for information technology (IT2017), curricular competency frameworks, other related documents such as the software engineering competency model (SWECOM), the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA), current research in competency models, and elicitation workshop results from recent computing conferences. The aim is to inform the ongoing Computing Curricula (CC2020) project, an endeavour supported by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society. We develop the Competency Learning Framework (CoLeaF), providing an internationally relevant tool for describing competencies. We argue that

Programme Integrating Courses Making Engineering Students Reflect

“…Thus, the students' collective view of the programme objectives seen as competencies was quite close to the programme director's view. This shows a good programme coherence with respect to the P ⇄ L edge in the programme triangle [33]. This is in contrast to Nilsson's interviewed engineers, who consider the educational and professional competence bases to be only loosely coupled [3].…”

An examination of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) version 7

“…Lewis et al (2013) have also investigated ICT curriculum design using SFIA skill sets and concluded this has benefits, including aligning better to the needs of industry and reducing costs. More recently, the Computing Curricula 2020 (CC2020) initiative (Impagliazzo and Pears, 2018;Frezza et al, 2018) has been established to summarise and analyse the prevailing curricular guidelines of academic programs for computing related degrees on a global basis, and make recommendations for the future direction of such guidelines. CC2020 defines a competency as a combination of knowledge, skill and disposition in a specific context, whereas in SFIA, the concepts of knowledge and disposition are embodied, to some extent, in the proficiency levels of individual skills.…”

“…For example, SFw for ICT represents technical skills as Technical Skills and Competencies (TSCs) and transferable skills as Generic Skills and Competencies (GSCs). The CC2020 initiative (Impagliazzo and Pears, 2018;Frezza et al, 2018) also clearly distinguishes between knowledge, skills and disposition.…”

ePortfolio Introduction: Designing a Support Process

“…Frezza et al [16], defines competence as an integrative function consisting of knowledge elements, a set of skill elements, and asset of disposition element. Disposition is described as the abilities to turn learning into action [16].…”

“…Frezza et al [16], defines competence as an integrative function consisting of knowledge elements, a set of skill elements, and asset of disposition element. Disposition is described as the abilities to turn learning into action [16]. Cedefop [17] defines competence as "actually achieved learning outcomes, validated through the ability of the learner autonomously to apply knowledge and skills in practice, in society, and at work" [17, p. 30].…”