Human Competence

What People Have Said About Human Competence: "Among the ideas bulging from this classic work: performance exemplars, potential for improving performance, behavior-accomplishment distinction, performance matrix, ACORN troubleshooting test, performance audits, states, Worth = Value - Cost, knowledge maps, mediators, and job aids. The great accomplishments Gilbert left behind will continue to profit behavior analysis and performance improvement for a long, long time." --Ogden Lindsley, Behavior Research Company "Human Competence is probably the most borrowed and least returned book in my library. It?s good to have it in print more than once, so that I can keep replacing it, and rereading it for new insights from the original master of HPT." --Rob Foshay, TRO Learning, Inc. "Human Competence stands not only as a tribute to Tom's genius, but also as the best single source of ideas about performance technology. It is a 'must have' for anyone serious about changing the performance of individuals or organizations." --Dick Lincoln, Centers for Disease Control

European competitiveness in a global perspective is a major issue on the agenda of the European Union and European industry. The question of competitiveness is often re lated to continual technological change and changing work structures to create more flexible and adaptive work places. But these changes are in themselves insufficient to meet the demands of a turbulent business environment, if they are not brought about in close relationship with and anchored to the development of the human resource poten tial. Technological innovation and modern post-Tayloristic work structures place new demands on workers. Workers' abilities and competencies must be raised in virtually every sphere - in what are termed the new key/core competencies related to knowl edge and cognitive skills, social skills, general and work related personality character istics together with a high level of technological ability. At the same time, to make optimal use of the human potential, the way in which work is organised and accord ingly the way in which people are managed, must allow workers to develop and use the required competencies. An integrated Human Resource Development approach is needed in which workers abilities and competencies take a central place. European competitiveness, from this perspective, implies a strategic choice by European compa nies and policy makers to invest in people and their (potential) abilities.

In today’s complex and ever-changing world it has become obvious that even highly developed knowledge and skills are no longer sufficient to meet new challenges, situations and problems facing individuals, organisations and nations. This raises an enormous and potentially confusing issue for educators and trainers: how is it possible to generate and assess abilities to deal with challenges and problems unknown – or not even in existence – at the time when the learning takes place? The book builds on the experiences and insights of its expert contributors, all of whom have worked with, studied and analysed competences and how they are developed. Their collected work presents Comprehensive explanation and analysis of the concept and nature of competence. Specific contexts of competence development, e.g. in the public sector or small business. Competence development as a national strategy for building an up-to-date education and training system. With chapters from around the world, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Scandinavia, this book illustrates in an engaging and convincing manner the importance and innovative nature of the concept of competences, resulting in a varied, differentiated and empathetic guide to the topic. It will appeal to educators, both in academic and management circles, as well as students and administrators of education.

As the world’s economy develops into a more dynamic, fast-moving, and unpredictable entity, it is crucial that the workers who create wealth have the ability to assess and respond to new and unforeseen challenges. In other words, the future will require a more competent workforce. What, though, does this mean in practice? In this, the fully revised second edition of Christine Velde’s book, a variety of researchers from around the world provide a truly international perspective on the issue. They help to redefine the term competence. Rather than responding to challenges using a pre-existing set of skills, they see competence as having the ability to assess new situations, and then adapt one’s response accordingly, particularly in collaboration with others. Providing the reader with insightful perspectives about competence in different situations and contexts, the book’s sections explore the concept of competence in industry and vocational education, in schools and colleges, in small businesses and companies, and in universities. The interpretation, experience and teaching of competence in the workplace is boiled down to five essential components that in themselves represent an argument for a more holistic conception of competence. Velde herself concludes the book by synthesizing and reflecting on the contents. This book provides the reader with insightful perspectives on competence, and the characteristics of learning environments in different workplace contexts. Drawing on phenomenographic insights allows it to present a more enlightened view of competence, at the same time as opening up an international dialogue about the meaning and interpretation of competence in the workplace. Useful not only to educators and researchers, this volume will also assist leaders and managers in a variety of contexts to develop more meaningful workplaces.

The actions social workers take are aimed at helping people, communities, and societies attain a sense of mastery, become or remain competent, and achieve or retain a sense of well-being. Such a broad scope of practice necessitates a theoretical foundation that is anchored in the concept of human competence. This text explores the concept of competence, and shows how it is expressed in a variety of theoretical frameworks, including traditional models and emerging theoretical approaches. This approach toward human behavior focuses on mutually beneficial interactions between people and society, and emphasizes the connections between individuals and various systems that influence their lives. It enables the social worker to conduct multilevel client assessments, gaining an understanding of how clients function within their total environment, and plan a range of helpful interventions. The volume is organized around the competency-based approach to social work education, adopted by the Council on Social Work Education. Written by leading analysts in the field, Competence is essential reading for the field of social work.