Learning competencies
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A learning competency, sometimes simply called a competency, is a skill or capability of performing a skill that is necessary in one's field of work or study. A competency can only be achieved when an individual demonstrates the ability to perform a specific task in a specific setting. Unlike a learning target, which is a goal or guideline for learning a skill, a learning competency is a measurement of how well an individual can perform a skill. Different groups assign different definitions to certain education terms, but a competency is typically considered an actual skill, whereas learning targets pertain more towards the understanding of ideas or knowledge.[1]
A popular topic in education discussion is competency-based learning. It should be noted here that while competencies can be used in nearly any educational or instructional setting, these two terms are not necessarily connected. A common theme between the two terms is that of requiring demonstration of achievement in order to progress to the next step of learning or task performance, but it should be emphasized that the term "learning competency" is not expressly connected to competency-based learning.[2]
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