MODULE III

DEVELOPING A COMPETENCY-BASED
CURRICULUM

Lesson 1 Translating a Competency

Standard into a Competency-
Based Curriculum

Lesson 2 Designing the Module of

Instruction

Lesson 3 Comparing the Parts of the

Competency Standard and the
Module of Instruction

Lesson 4 Developing the Module of

Instruction

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MODULE III

DEVELOPING A COMPETENCY-BASED CURRICULUM

 INTRODUCTION
This module presents developing a Competency-Based Curriculum. It
is hope that you will learn the TVET training providers who wants to register
their program and be recognize by TESDA must have a competency –based
curriculum. You will also learn about the translating a competency standard
into a competency-based curriculum, designing the module of instruction,
comparing the parts of the competency standard and the module of
instruction and developing the module of instruction.

OBJECTIVES

After studying the module, you should be able to:

1. translate a competency standard into a competency-based
curriculum;
2. design the module of instruction;
3. identify the parts of the module of instruction;
4. compare the Parts of the Competency Standard and the Module of
Instruction; and,
5. Develop a module of instruction.

 DIRECTIONS/ MODULE ORGANIZER

There are four lessons in the module. Read each lesson carefully then
answer the exercises/activities to find out how much you have benefited
from it. Work on these exercises carefully and submit your output to your
tutor or to the DMMMSU MLUC College of Education office.

In case you encounter difficulty, discuss this with your tutor through
online learning like messenger, face book, etc. If not contact your tutor at
the DMMMSU MLUC College of Education office.

Good luck and happy reading!!!

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
Lesson 1 Translating a Competency
Standard into a Competency-
Based Curriculum

Competency Standard (CS) is a written specification of the

knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the performance of a job or
occupation and the corresponding standard performance required for these
in the workplace. They are developed with input from industry experts and
agreed by industry as the standard to which work functions should be
carried out.
TESDA develops competency standards for middle-level skilled
workers. These are in the form of units of competency containing
descriptors for acceptable work performance. These are packaged into
qualifications corresponding to critical jobs and occupations in the priority
industry sectors. The qualifications correspond to a specific level in the
Philippine TVET Qualifications Framework (PTQF).
The competency standards and qualifications, together with training
standards and assessment arrangements comprise the national Training
Regulations (TR) promulgated by the TESDA Board. One of the important
purposes of the TRs is that it serves as basis for development of curricula for
the specific qualification.
In some cases that there is no Training Regulation for a certain skill, a
training curriculum can still be develop. The bases for the development of
training curriculum without TR can be a Training Needs Analysis report or a
skills requirement for emerging skills.

Components of a Competency Standard

The Competency Standard (CS) is a document that defines the

competencies required for effective performance in the workplace in
specific industries. It is a written specification of the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes required for the performance of a job or occupation and the
corresponding standard performance required for these in the workplace.

Competency Standards provide:

 The basis of TVET certification
 The benchmarks for assessment
 The basis for the development of curriculum and training programs
 Equivalency between TVET and higher education sectors

Unit Title, Unit Descriptor, Elements and Performance Criteria

Unit Title
 Defines area of the competency
 Written in output terms (Verb)
 A well framed unit will comprise a manageable component of work

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Unit Descriptor
 Outline what is done in the workplace
 Expands on the information in the title
 Clarifies scope and intent of the unit
 Helps to differentiate between titles with similar titles

Elements
 Building blocks of the competency
 Describe in outcome terms the functions that a person who works in
a particular area of works is able to perform (starts with a verb)
 Describes actions or outcomes that are demonstrable and can be
assessed and which the candidate must attain.

Performance Criteria
 Specifies what is to be assessed and in what level of performance
 Precise as possible so that standards can be assessed
 Covers all components of competency
 Focus on evidence to prove on competency

Range of Variables
 Describe the circumstances or context in which the work is to be
performed
 Define the boundaries within which the unit of competency applies
 Range of situations that should be the focus of assessment
 Relates to the unit of competency as a whole
 Allows for insertion of specific knowledge and enterprise
requirements
 Adjust range of variable to update standards

Range
 Define the boundaries within which the unit of competency applies
 Range of situations that should be the focus of assessment
 Allows for insertion of specific knowledge and enterprise
requirements
 Adjust range of variables to update standards

Evidence Guide
Each unit of competency has an Evidence Guide that relates directly
to the performance criteria and range of variables. Its purpose is to guide
the assessment of the unit of competency in the workplace and/or
training program:

 Critical Aspect of the competency

o Tells the assessor what evidence is essential for successful
performance

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o It may include task skills, task management skills,

contingency management skills and job/role environment
skills

 Underpinning Knowledge
Underpinning knowledge and attitude identifies the knowledge
or content needed in order to perform the work activity. It may include
knowledge of how to apply:
o Concepts
o Principles
o Terminology
o SOPs (Statement of the Problems)

 Underpinning Skills - This provides the assessor with the list to

achieve the elements and performance criteria in the unit of
competency

 Resource Implication - This section identifies the resources i.e.:

tools equipment, and facilities that must be available in order to
conduct the assessment

 Method of Assessment - This section identifies the ways in which

evidence of competency must be collected

 Context of Assessment - Indicates whether the unit of competency

may be assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace
environment.

Translating a Competency Standard into a Competency-Based Curriculum

The TVET training providers who wants to register their program and
be recognize by TESDA must have a competency –based curriculum.

A competency-based curriculum is the specifications for a course or

subject (module) which describes all the training experiences a trainee or
learners undergoes, it generally includes learning outcomes, contents,
conditions, methodologies and assessment methods. It specifies outcomes
that are consistent with the requirements of the workplace as agreed
through industry or community consultation.

Component of this competency-based curriculum are set of modules

of instructions compiled together to form a course design. The illustration
below describes the relationship of competency standard with the
competency-based curriculum.

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As you can see, the competency standards are composed of different

units of competency. Inside each unit of competency are elements, which
describe the work done in a particular unit. The developer of the curriculum
will now analyze this unit and convert it into modules of instruction. This
module of instruction describes the training to be done to learn a particular
unit of competency. Then it will be compiled to form one course design
summarizing all the content of every module.

THINK!

How to translate a Competency Standard into a

Competency-Based Curriculum?

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Lesson 2

 Designing the Module of

Instruction

The implementation of competency-based training will greatly

depend on the design of the competency-based curriculum. It will describe
the strategies and methods of training and assessment that will result to the
achievement of outcomes specified in the performance criteria of the
competency standard. The required instructional resources should be well-
planned in the competency-based curriculum.

In this lesson, you will learn how to design one of the most important
components of the competency-based curriculum, the module of
instruction.

Parts of the Module of Instruction

Unit Title A unit of competency which when applied in a work

situation can logically stand-alone. It indicates a
title and expressed in outcome-terms.

Module Title Briefly describes the title of the module.

Module Description Brief description of the module’s scope and

delimitation.

Level of Qualification Level of Certification based on the Philippine TVET

Qualification Framework (PTQF): NC 1, NC 2, NC 3
and NC 4.

Nominal Duration Estimated/suggested number of hours per module.

Summary of Learning This contains the summary of learning outcomes to

Outcomes be gained from this module.

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The succeeding pages of the module of instruction has the following

parts:

Assessment Criteria -Listing of criteria by which the achievement of the

learning outcomes will be judged.

-Specifies the performance outcomes the learner

will be expected to demonstrate at the conclusion
of the learning outcome.

-This will assess the necessary knowledge, skills,

and attitudes, reflecting the performance criteria
as outlined in the relevant industry or competency
standards.

Conditions -Outlines the situations and contexts under which

learners will be assessed.

-Specifies the conditions under which the learning

and assessment will take place.

-This can include a list of tools and equipment,

access to learning resources and equipment
manuals, and types of facility.
Contents -Includes the specific underpinning knowledge,
skills, attitudes and safety elements that are to be
addressed within this learning outcome.

Trainers Methodology -Specifies the method/s that will be used in

presenting the contents of the module.

Assessment Method -Specifies the method of assessing the learning

outcome.

-Lists the methods used to gather evidence of

sufficient quantity and quality by which to make
sound judgement about a learner’s competency.

-Assessment methods include observation,

simulation, questioning, and performance test
among others.

THINK!
Enumerate and discuss the different parts of the
Module of Instruction including its succeeding pages.

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Lesson 3


Comparing the Parts of the
Competency Standard and
the Module of Instruction

The illustration describes the relationship between the Module of

Instruction and Competency Standard. It shows that the module title is
usually derived from the unit title or sometimes from the element, if the
unit of competency is too big for a single module.

The module description can be derived from the unit descriptor or

sometimes from the summary of learning outcomes if the relationship of the
module and standard is not 1:1.

The level of qualification will follow the qualification level of the

standard since the module is referring to the same standard.

Summary of learning outcomes is derived from the element or group

of performance criteria if the element is too broad for one learning
outcome.

Assessment criteria is derived from the performance criteria or

sometimes from the curriculum developer’s point of view to guide the

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learners in demonstrating their acquired skills, knowledge and attitudes for

that particular learning outcome.

Conditions can sometimes be derived from a range of variables and

resource implications under the evidence guide.

Content can be derived from the evidence guide. The derived content
should be in accordance with the assessment criteria. This means that the
required knowledge, skills and attitudes stated in the assessment criteria
must also be reflected in the content, otherwise the content does not
satisfy the training requirement needed for a particular learning outcome.

Training methodology is selected based on the developer’s strategy in

presenting the lesson and availability of training resources.

Assessment method can be derived from the method of assessment in

the evidence guide of the competency standard. Sometimes, the
institutional method of assessment is aligned with the training methodology
used.

There is no standard way in developing a module of instruction,

however there are several techniques which can be applied to convert the
competency standard into a module of instruction. This guide only describes
the usual way of developing a module of instruction. The most important is
for a developer to conceptualize his/her training plan based on his strategy,
availability of resources and profile of training personnel without totally
diverting away from the competency standards.

THINK!
Compare the Parts of the Competency Standard and the
Module of Instruction.

Lesson 4

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Developing the Module of

Instruction

The module of instruction is a description of the training

requirements for a unit of competency. It includes:

• Module title and description;

• Nominal duration;

• Learning outcomes;

• Assessment criteria;

• Learning contents;

• Condition for assessment;

• Methodology; and

• Assessment methods.

 LEARNING ACTIVITY

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Explain how to develop the module of instruction.

 MODULE SUMMARY

In module III, you have learned about developing a competency-based

curriculum. You have learned the TVET training providers who wants to
register their program and be recognize by TESDA must have a competency –
based curriculum.

There are four lessons in Module III. Lesson 1 deals with the
Translating a Competency Standard into a Competency-Based Curriculum.
The Competency Standards provide the basis of TVET certification, the
benchmarks for assessment, the basis for the development of curriculum
and training programs and the equivalency between TVET and higher
education sectors.

Lesson 2 deals with the Designing the Module of Instruction. In this

lesson, you will learn how to design one of the most important components
of the competency-based curriculum, the module of instruction. The
following are the parts of the module of instruction; Unit Title, Module
Title, Module Description, Level of Qualification, Nominal Duration and
Summary of Learning Outcomes.

Lesson 3 is the Comparing the Parts of the Competency Standard and

the Module of Instruction. There is no standard way in developing a module
of instruction; however, there are several techniques, which can be applied
to convert the competency standard into a module of instruction.

Lesson 4 is the Developing the Module of Instruction. The module of

instruction is a description of the training requirements for a unit of
competency.

Congratulations! You have just studied Module III, now you are ready
to evaluate how much you have benefited from your reading by answering
the summative test. Good Luck!!!

 SUMMATIVE TEST

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I. MULTIPLE CHOICE: Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer in

the space provided for.

_____1. It is a written specification of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes

required for the performance of a job or occupation and the corresponding
standard performance required for these in the workplace.
a. competency-based TVET Framework
b. competency based development
c. competency based curriculum
d. competency standard

_____2. TESDA develops competency standards for __.

a. entrepreneur
b. professionals
c. assessors and trainers
d. middle-level skilled workers

_____3. The competency standards and qualifications, together with

training standards and assessment arrangements comprise the ____
promulgated by the TESDA Board.
a. National Training of TVET Trainers
b. TESDA Training for Assessors
c. TESDA Board Certification and Assessment
d. Training Regulations

_____4. One of the important purposes of the TR’s is that __.

a. It serves as basis for development of module of instruction for the
different specific competencies.
b. It serves as springboard for the specification of the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes required for the performance of a job or occupation.
c. It describes the relationship of competency standard with the
competency-based curriculum.
d. It serves as basis for development of curricula for the specific
qualification.

_____5. Competency Standards provides the following, EXCEPT:

a. The basis of TVET certification and benchmarks for assessment
b. Basis for the development of curriculum and training programs
c. Equivalency between TVET and higher education sectors
d. Task management skills, contingency management skills and
job/role environment skills.

_____6. This section identifies the ways in which evidence of competency

must be collected.
a. underpinning skills

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b. resource implication
c. context of assessment
d. method of assessment

_____7. This provides the assessor with the list to achieve the elements and
performance criteria in the unit of competency.
a. method of assessment
b. resource implication
c. context of assessment
d. underpinning skills

_____8. This section identifies the resources i.e.: tools equipment, and
facilities that must be available in order to conduct the assessment.
a. underpinning skills
b. method of assessment
c. context of assessment
d. resource implication

_____9. It indicates whether the unit of competency may be assessed in

the workplace or in a simulated workplace environment.
a. underpinning skills
b. resource implication
c. context of assessment
d. method of assessment

_____10. Building blocks of the competency.

a. unit title
b. unit descriptor
c. performance criteria
d. elements

II. IDENTIFICATION: Direction: Write the word/ group of words of the

correct answer in the space provided for.

_____________11. A unit of competency which when applied in a work

situation can logically stand-alone. It indicates a title and expressed in
outcome-terms.

_______________12. Briefly describes the title of the module.

_______________13. Brief description of the module’s scope and

delimitation.

_______________14. Level of Certification based on the Philippine TVET

Qualification Framework (PTQF): NC 1, NC 2, NC 3 and NC 4.

_______________15. Estimated/suggested number of hours per module.

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_______________16. This contains the summary of learning outcomes to be

gained from this module.

_______________17. This will assess the necessary knowledge, skills, and

attitudes, reflecting the performance criteria as outlined in the relevant
industry or competency standards.

_______________18. It includes the specific underpinning knowledge, skills,

attitudes and safety elements that are to be addressed within this learning
outcome.

_______________19. It specifies the method/s that will be used in

presenting the contents of the module.

_______________20. Assessment methods include observation, simulation,

questioning, and performance test among others.

III. Definition of Terms: Define the following terms. (5points each)

1. Module title and description

2. Nominal duration
3. Learning outcomes
4. Assessment criteria
5. Learning contents
6. Condition for assessment
7. Methodology
8. Assessment methods

IV. Explain the given illustration. (40points)

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