Article Gold Open Access 2025

Standardizing course assessment in competency-based higher education: an experience report

Frontiers in Education
Journal · Vol. 10 · Art. 1579124
Abstract

Introduction: Competency-Based Education (CBE) has become increasingly important in Chilean higher education since the 2006 reform, which aimed to improve educational quality. However, implementing CBE effectively poses challenges, particularly in developing assessments that adhere to CBE principles and are consistent across all university courses. To address this issue, the Competency Assessment and Monitoring (C-A&M) model was created. This study evaluates the effectiveness of C-A&M in standardizing course assessments within the CBE paradigm at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV) in Chile. Methods: Two observational studies were conducted. The first study utilized a within-group design and included 20 Engineering courses. The second study employed a between-groups design, examining the perceptions of 109 instructors from various faculties, including Law, Economic and Administrative Sciences, Philosophy, and Education, among others. Results: The within-group study emphasized the need for better course assessment and alignment of learning objectives with competencies. It found a positive correlation between C-A&M and the effective implementation of CBE in university courses. The between-groups study showed a minor effect size but suggested a similar relationship. Discussion: Assessment based on CBE principles is not being effectively implemented at PUCV. Key areas for improvement include the evaluation plan, aligning learning objectives with competencies, and coordinating training with these objectives. The application of C-A&M has led to significant improvements, indicating a positive correlation between its use and these enhancements. © © 2025 Vargas, Arredondo, Heradio and Torre.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Higher education assessment model competency-based course assessment standardization competency-based education course structuring systematic evaluation

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
School of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, VS, Chile
Programa de Desarrollo Docente, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, VS, Chile
ETSI Informática, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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