Re: Compentency Matrices

[Myron Tribus <mtribus@scaup.prod.itd.earthlink.net>]

Kromkowski commented, in part, as follows:


>Myron wrote:
>
>"Moral:  Do not try to make of the competency matrix more than it can
>deliver.  There are issues of character which are not covered."
>
>Kohlberg, Powers, et al. would suggest that character (moral/ethical)
>development is very similar to cognitive development.  So why can't there be
>a Competency Matrix for character development?
>
>I have to confess, I still don't get the full import of the ostensible
>"differentness" of the use of CM as a pedagogy vs. the strawman "traditional
>method" that Myron sets up in the archived paper. By this, I mean, that
>"teacher as mediator" seems to be very similar to what the Socratic method
>(in its original form, cf Meno) was suggesting.

	The intended use of a competency matrix is as follows:
	a) At the start of the course, the students are given the
	   competency matrix.
         b) Teacher and students engage in discussions which determine
            operational meanings for each of the 'levels of competence'
             (the columns)
         c) Teacher provides information on resources available for
            gaining competence in the subjects in the rows.
         d) Teacher and students discuss what the teacher should do,
            what the students should do and how they are to prompt
            one another when someone does not do their part.
         e) Teacher and student discuss how they will know they are at
            a particular level of competence, how the teacher would
            know and how they could show a third party.
	With these five items out of the way, the students begin their
	studies.  They	start by self evaluations to see what they
	already know.  They use colored markers in each column to indicate
	where they stand.  The teacher samples	their work to see if the
	teacher and student agree on the level of attainment.  In this
	way the students take charge of their own learning.If a student has a
  	question for which another student knows the answer, that other
	student is expected to teach.  The teacher thus is a guide.

	There is another matrix, which I have described in some of my papers.
	In this matrix the rows are the same as in the competency matrix but
	the column headings are the resources available for the course.
	The instructor enters at each intersection of row and column a
	number (usually 0 to 3) to indicate how useful this resource is
	thought to be with regard to the topic.  At the end of the course
	the students are asked to give their opinions so the teacher
	can find better resources next time (or eliminate tedious ones).

	The objective of all this is to create autonomous learners.  I believe
	that the competency matrix does build character, but have not thought
	it useful to include the in the matrix, topics that define good
	character.  Maybe that is an error.

Kromkowskii also wrote:
> Secondly, I can see the whole tool
of CM, degenerating the same way that Drucker's ideas of MBO have.

	Although Drucker introduced the concept of Management by Objectives
	(MBO) it was Odiorne who made it operational and, thereby, created
	a destructive management tool.  Drucker was reminding managers
	that they should keep in mind their objective and manage towards
	it.  Odiorne proposed that each manager set objectives for his
	subordinates and tie the reward system to achieving the objective.
	This leads to all sorts of difficulties.  I know because when I
	first heard about it, I tried it with disastrous results.  later
	when I met Dr. Deming I understood why.  If you are a student of
	Dr. Deming you will read Odiorne's book with a growing sense of
	horror.  Odiorne picked up the phrase "Management by Objectives"
	and took it places Drucker probably never intended.  To avoid this
	my Japanese teacher and I used to talk about "Managing For Objectives"
	but no one else seemed to think it a good idea so I gave it up.

Myron Tribus,  350 Britto Terrace,  Fremont, CA 94539
Ph:510 651 3641  Fax: 510 656 9875   e-mail: mtribus@earthlink.net
You live only as long as you learn. You learn only as long as it is 
interesting. It is interesting only as long as it is fun.
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