PROBLEM OF MEASURING AND EVALUATING COMPETENCIES IN HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Evaluation of the results of educational activities is one of the most discussed, controversial and unresolved problems in education. The purpose of this article is to analyze the methods and technologies for measuring the formation of competencies and assessment of the educational results. To introduce a competency-based approach, serious adjustments to the educational process are required, which should be associated with changes in teaching and assessment methods. The assessment of the quality of training of students involves assessment of the level of mastering disciplines and assessment of students' competencies. The criteria-based approach and operational approach are used to build the system of assessment of individual educational achievements of students. The development of a competency model is necessary to determine a set of abilities and characteristics of a student, clustering and profiling competencies. The competence model identifies the planned levels of professional competencies formation and the criteria for their assessment. A meaningful description reflects structural elements of competence according to its levels, based on the categories of B. Bloom’s taxonomy of learning goals. As professional competencies cannot be observed directly, the educational activities are employed that will allow one to draw reliable conclusions about the level of formation of students' professional competencies. Situational, integrated and practice-oriented complex tasks are considered for the formation and assessment of professional competencies of students in this article. Modern software tools automate the processing of data; their work is based on the use of a Rasch model. A system for assessing the levels of competence formation consists of principles, assessment tools, and forms of assessment. The assessment process for competencies can be represented as a sequence of interrelated stages: development of a competency model, requirements for competency levels, and assessment tools and assessment technologies. It is also important to ensure the reliability and validity of assessment procedure.