Exploring competence development through the transfer of specialist knowledge and skills from engineering lecturers to students in South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges: A COMET study

This study investigates the potential of the COMET (Competency Measurement in Electrotechnology) occupational competence diagnostic model to assist TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) college lecturers in transferring skills, knowledge and competencies to their students by applying the dynamics of the model and through various pedagogical strategies. Achieving holistic problem-solving competence is a fundamental goal of the COMET framework and is embedded in eight competence criteria that focus on real-life, complex, work-related problems. A mixed method, explanatory sequential design comprising qualitative and quantitative research methods was adopted. Data were gathered from 275 students and 22 lecturers at five public TVET colleges. Two COMET large-scale open-ended learning tasks and a test task were conducted to measure the occupational competence of TVET students and lecturers. Lecturer data on competence scores, experiences of doing the task, and teaching and learning strategies were collected. Analysis of the data employed the SPSS version 26 and R Studio 4.0. This study demonstrated that lecturers were indeed able to transfer their skills and knowledge to students. Areas of learning in which transfer was strong and areas in which transfer could be enhanced were identified using the COMET diagnostic model. The evidence further indicated that a variety of pedagogic strategies – for instance, feedback, metacognition, cognitive apprenticeship, problem-based learning and work-integrated learning – are used to enhance transfer and are most effective when used interchangeably or integrated.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of the Western Cape

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Hurjunlal, Adhir

• COMET
• Occupational competence
• Competence measurement
• Problem based learning
• Lecturer competence

Licence

• https://uwcscholar.uwc.ac.za/bitstreams/7b85d680-778e-4410-8128-bd3c911f0a96/download