This paper has a title that clearly defines its content, but I found section 4, “The Proposed Model and Case Study,” the most interesting. Competency-based education and assessment can be briefly defined as “the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively work within an organization.” Generally, this type of education system is dominant in the vocational education and training sector, though it is sometimes used in higher education.

While there are many competency models and definitions in this paper, two different models are explained and compared: the IMS reusable definition of competency or educational objective (IMS RDCEO) and the human resources XML (HR-XML) specification. The authors then propose a competency model, which they define as a quadrilateral of generic skills, specific knowledge, performance criteria, and context. The proposed model is fully explained and referenced; however, I did expect a wider range of topics with detailed information. The stated conclusions represent a starting point for future enhancements and testing.

I would recommend this paper to lecturers and educators working in competency-based education.