COMPETENCE-BASED APPROACH TO INDIVIDUALIZATION OF STUDENT POTENTIALS
COMPETENCE-BASED APPROACH TO INDIVIDUALIZATION OF STUDENT POTENTIALS

Summary/Abstract: The paper focuses on the problem issue of competencies and competency approach in education which has nowadays been a dominant trend in Europe and worldwide. Educational policy has appeared as a main advocate of competency approach, while scientists have had quite opposed standpoints in view of it. The fact that certain standards have been established in the form of competences to be achieved by all the pupils and externally evaluated has necessarily led to negligence of developmental and individual characteristics of pupils. A question has arisen as to how not to neglect developmental characteristics of pupils within competency approach, how to address the needs of standards through competencies and respect the principles of individualization. In regard to individualization of student potentials the starting point in the paper refers to notional determinations, pointing to different theoretical approaches and models, and suggesting certain simple ways of (self)evaluation. Empirical part of the paper deals with the research on standpoints of teachers as main factors of individualization of student potentials, aiming at determining the orientation and identifying the variables which might have influence on the orientation of standpoints. The results of the empirical part refer to encouraging and optimistic findings, indicating a positive attitude of research participants and identifying the variables influencing the differences in the orientation of attitudes (working experience of the research subjects and particular segments of upbringing-educational ecology). Concluding remarks appeal for caution and point to the problem issue of transferring responsibility to students, ascribing ability to make judgements decisions to students, and equating independence and self-determination.

• Details
• Contents