The Metamorphosis of the Construction of Competence

Abstract

The idea of competence has different meanings in ordinary, academic, and vocational education and training-practice. These meanings also have historical dimensions. That is, what is meant by competence has evolved over time, and has been constituted differently in different areas of practice. For instance, in contemporary discussions in education and training, competing notions of competence have been the subject of debate, somewhat reminiscent of recurring debates in education over the last century or more. This paper examines the possible reasons why different meanings are associated with the term competence by examining the nature of the ends that are sought in constructions of competence in different areas of practice. The paper relates advocacy for different constructions of competence to the normative views that underpin them, and to periods in history when they gained their greatest sway. The genesis of the position of the cognitive psychological construction of competence and that of the competency-based training movement are examined against these normative positions. It is suggested that, for any convergence of meaning to occur, the construction of competence needs to have features that enable transactions across areas of practice. The cyclical movements in constructions are likened to an incomplete metamorphosis, continually thwarted by a failure to address the normative aspects of constructions of competence.