What is competency-based assessment?

When do you use competency-based assessment? What types of assessments are competency-based?

Competency-based assessment is used at the end of a training module or course to check knowledge and skills acquisition. They are often used to determine if a student has the skills or knowledge required to show competence in relation to the learning outcomes.

Competency-based assessments often involve a student performing a task related to the industry they will be working in. They will be demonstrating skills and knowledge that are essential for that industry. The learners often do not receive a mark, rather they receive a grade indicating that they ‘Pass’ or have met the required criteria. If they have not met the required criteria the learners will receive an ‘Incomplete’ indicating that they have not shown that they have met all the required criteria.