Utilizing Standards in Competency Assessment for General Education – A Case Study of British Columbia, Canada and Lessons for Vietnam

The utilization of standards in competency assessment is a critical consideration in contemporary education. This study examines the experience of British Columbia in employing standardized criteria for assessing competencies in general education, drawing valuable insights for Vietnam. This paper analyzes the competency assessment frameworks and methods adopted by the province of British Columbia, Canada. It delves into the adoption and adaptation of standards, the alignment of assessment processes with predefined criteria. Findings highlight that incorporating standards in competency assessment enhances assessment validity and transparency. Standards facilitate a more consistent and reliable assessment process, while also aiding the establishment of clear performance expectations for learners. These findings offer valuable lessons for Vietnam's education system, emphasizing the potential benefits and challenges of integrating standardized criteria into competency assessment practices.


INTRODUCTION
Many countries worldwide have entered the 21st century with an increasing focus on and demand for accountability in education, reflected through various evaluation regimes and policies.
Typically associated with these orientations is the term "standards" in education.The term "standards" holds diverse meanings in different contexts and across different countries.According to Maxwell (2002), there are at least five ways in which the term "standards" is used, each with distinct implications for educational assessment and reporting: (1) Standards as Norms or Ethical Guidelines: These set expectations but aren't obligatory, often described as principles.Non-compliance may result in unintended consequences, particularly in assessment practices, where they're considered aspirational rather than essential; (2) Standards as Legal or Regulatory Requirements: These are mandatory and form the basis for quality assurance.They focus on ensuring specific processes or activities, with penalties enforcing compliance.Unlike aspirational standards, they emphasize execution quality rather than assessing outcomes; (3) Standards as Minimum Benchmarks: These specify goals or expected outcomes, carrying formal confirmation and consequences for non-compliance.They set minimum levels to be achieved or completed in education or product quality; (4) Merit Standards for Assessment Consistency: Applied in assessing task or course quality, they ensure consistency among evaluators and transparency in evaluations, regulating assessment practices; and (5) Standards as Learning Milestones: These identify progressive goals in students' learning, serving as references for assessing progress.Like performance standards, they form the foundation for evaluating developmental stages, guiding assessments and subsequent learning activities.for subsequent learning activities.Maxwell (2009) argues for the necessity to eliminate uncertainties related to the term "standards" and establish a more defined conceptual framework.When exploring the concept of "standards" in the contemporary era, the author has delved into several key aspects: first, There are four distinct concepts to consider: (1) learning versus performance; (2) development (assessing progress over time) versus achievement (evaluating success within a specific timeframe); (3) criterionreferencing versus norm-referencing; (4) quality (assessing how well something is done) versus quantity (assessing how much is done).
Second, The purposes of employing standards include: setting educational goals for students; showcasing student progress; ensuring consistency in evaluating achievement and progress; establishing certification requirements; interpreting test results; setting benchmarks for monitoring educational systems; defining the responsibilities of schools and educational institutions.
Third, Differentiating between content standards, performance standards, and developmental standards: content standards determine what is taught within the curriculum; performance standards outline the specific level of knowledge and skills students should possess; distinct achievement levels help outline educational expectations, serve as a basis for measuring academic outcomes, and establish criteria for rewards and disciplinary actions.In line with OECD (2013) findings, the term "standards" exhibits diverse interpretations across countries and situations, leading to confusion.
Sometimes, it is interchangeably used with "objectives" or as a measure to assess whether a specific achievement is appropriate.It can also signify the level of progress in a specific field.Standards essentially define the knowledge and skills necessary for competency in a particular domain.They serve as a means to express and convey desired goals, signifying quality learning or best practices.
Moreover, standards can act as benchmarks or tools for decision-making, highlighting the disparity between actual performance and the minimum level required for competence.Orientation, Physical Education, and Aesthetics.In 2006, the term "standard" was introduced in the GEC, particularly within "knowledge and skills standards," defined as criteria adhering to specific principles for assessing activities and tasks.However, a notable transition occurred in the 2018 GEC, where "knowledge and skills standards" were replaced by "required learning outcomes," signifying a shift towards a competency and qualities-based approach.These learning outcomes, presented as grade-level standards, illuminate student progress throughout their educational journey.This transformation from content-oriented to competency-based education requires a holistic approach encompassing curriculum integration of competencies, assessments to gauge students' development, and teaching strategies tailored to their zones of proximal development.Hence, the need for precise competency and qualities assessment standards is crucial, as they translate curriculum requisites into practical, criterion-based, and context-specific competency and qualities development within the educational framework.

METHODS
This research aims to provide insights and recommendations gleaned from the B.C.'s experiences, underscoring the crucial role of standards in fostering rigorous assessment methods.
Furthermore, the study aims to offer valuable guidance to educational policymakers, practitioners, and researchers, offering effective strategies to improve the quality and pertinence of competency assessment in the teaching and learning processes implemented under the 2018 GEC.

Research questions
1) What are the standardized criteria employed in competency assessment in general education in British Columbia, Canada, and how have these criteria been adapted and aligned with assessment processes in the province?
2) How can the experiences of British Columbia in employing competency assessment standards be effectively translated into strategies for enhancing the quality and relevance of competency assessment in the education system of Vietnam?

Research Design
Descriptive and Analytical Approach: Employing a descriptive methodology, this study aims to provide a detailed account of the competency assessment frameworks in British Columbia, Canada.
The analytical approach will enable a critical evaluation of these frameworks and their impact on assessment processes.

Data Collection
Document Analysis: Official documents, educational policies, scholarly literature related to competency assessment of British Columbia, Canada will be systematically reviewed.

Data Sources
First, Government Publications in the form of Official documents and policies related to competency assessment standards.Second, Scholarly Literature in the form of Academic articles, journals, and publications addressing competency assessment methods and standards.

Data Analysis
Thematic Analysis: Data will be analyzed thematically, focusing on commonalities, variations, challenges, and innovative practices related to the adoption of competency assessment standards.

Integration of Findings
Synthesis: Findings from the document analysis will be synthesized, emphasizing the adoption and adaptation of standards, alignment processes.
Integration with Research Questions: Each finding will be related back to the research questions, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the studied phenomena.
This research methodology will provide a further understanding of how competency assessment standards are adopted, adapted, and integrated in different educational systems, offering valuable lessons and strategies for Vietnam's education system and other similar contexts.

Overview of the redesigned curriculum
In autumn 2016, the Ministry of Education of British Columbia, Canada (2019) introduced a new curriculum emphasizing conceptual understanding and competency development for Grades K-9.As teachers started integrating this curriculum, there was a demand for more teaching and assessment resources.In response, the ministry collaborated with educators from four subjects -Science, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Mathematics -to develop classroom assessment materials for Grades K-9.This initiative aligns with two key changes in B.C. curriculum and assessment.
Competency-Focused Curriculum -The updated B.C. curriculum centers around competencies.
This emphasis on curricular competencies, which encompass the skills, strategies, and processes students acquire within different learning domains, marks a significant shift.The curriculum, teaching methods, and evaluations now prioritize practical application and skill development.
Elevated Emphasis on Classroom Assessment -Classroom assessment has gained prominence in the educational landscape.In Grades 10-12, the Graduation Numeracy and Literacy Assessments have replaced provincial subject-specific exams.Across K-12, student advancement concerning learning standards will primarily be tracked through ongoing formative assessments conducted by classroom educators.
Learning standards, previously referred to as Learning Outcomes, are explicit declarations outlining the expected abilities of students within specific grades or learning domains (Curricular Competencies).These standards outline both the practical skills students should possess (Curricular Competencies) and the theoretical knowledge they should have in a particular subject area at a specific grade level (Content).
These changes are geared towards nurturing students' development of both curricular competencies and Core Competencies.The emphasis on competency development (students' practical abilities) is reshaping classroom teaching and evaluation methods.Formative assessments, aligned with specific criteria, are increasingly becoming the foundation for interactive communication among students, parents, and teachers, helping to pinpoint students' current learning status ("Where am I now?") and outlining the necessary steps for improvement ("Where to next?").In British Columbia's updated educational curriculum (2023), two vital aspects crucial for 21st-century learning have been integrated: a concept-based learning approach and a focus on fostering competencies for deeper, more transferable knowledge.These methodologies harmonize due to their shared emphasis on active student engagement.
Aligned with the "Know-Do-Understand" model (Figure 1), all learning areas in the curriculum follow a concept-based, competency-driven approach.This model seamlessly integrates Content

Utilization of "competency"
Within the redesigned curriculum of British Columbia (2023), the terms "competency" holds diverse interpretations based on different contexts.In business and industry, they primarily refer to the skills necessary for specific job roles.In education, these terms signify students' capability to execute tasks as anticipated within particular disciplines or learning domains.This capability encompasses a blend of skills, processes, behaviors, and cognitive habits.A student is considered competent in a specific area of learning when they can comprehend and apply knowledge to novel situations.
While competencies are often narrowly viewed as skills, in the context of 21st-century education, they embody a much broader and adaptable achievement than a mere set of skills.The updated curriculum delineates competencies at two levels: Core Competencies, which span across the curriculum, and Curricular Competencies, which are explicit statements outlining the expected skills at each grade level in various learning domains.

Core Competencies
The Core Competencies represent essential intellectual, personal, and social-emotional skills necessary for students to engage in profound, lifelong learning.These competencies, alongside foundational literacy and numeracy skills, form the heart of British Columbia's K-12 curriculum and assessment system, playing a crucial role in nurturing students into informed and educated citizens.

Curricular Competencies
The B.C. curriculum (2023) specifies curricular competencies for each area of learning and grade level/grade range as follows: "The curricular competencies are the skills, strategies, and processes that students develop over time.They reflect the "do" in the know-do-understand model of learning.While curricular competencies are more subject-specific, they are connected to the core competencies." Based on curricular competencies, criteria categories reflect the key competencies within an area of learning and are the same from Kindergarten through Grade 12.They are associated with areas of learning; however, they can also facilitate cross-curricular assessment.Teachers may choose the categories that are relevant to particular tasks or contexts.In some cases, they may focus on one category.In more extensive tasks and inquiries, they may use all of the categories.
These categories have been developed by teachers for teachers.They are not required and are intended only to support teachers in their assessments.Table 1 shows the criteria categories developed by the teacher teams for Science, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Mathematics.

Communicating and Representing
Within each category, the assessment criteria meticulously delineate specific curricular competencies within the grade-level ranges.These criteria adopt a strength-based approach, emphasizing students' capabilities, and intricately integrate essential facets of the curricular competencies at that particular level.They are designed to focus on tangible evidence of learning and maintain a consistent structure across grades, thus forming a coherent continuum.This continuity not only provides educators with a comprehensive understanding of the content preceding and following the grade they are currently teaching but also serves as a valuable resource for assessing and planning strategies for students who might not yet meet the grade-level standards.These criteria are intentionally broad, allowing flexibility and adaptation to diverse tasks and situations within the learning environment.While they are intentionally limited in number per category, this strategic limitation ensures that the emphasis remains on the most crucial aspects of learning.It's important to note that while all criteria are essential, not every one of them might be applicable in every specific situation, allowing for tailored and context-specific assessments.

Core Competencies
In the curriculum's intentional design (2023), the Core Competencies serve as the bedrock upon which the Big Ideas, Curricular Competencies, and Content are built.This deliberate integration ensures that students consistently gauge their progress in the Core Competencies by engaging in selfreflection, self-assessment, and presenting evidence of their development.As self-reflection becomes inherent to the learning process, it fosters a sense of personalization, inclusivity, diversity, and ownership of learning among students.
Teachers play a crucial role in facilitating this self-assessment by actively recognizing, articulating, and linking the Core Competencies with students' learning experiences both within and outside the classroom.Moreover, since the Core Competencies are intricately woven into the subjectspecific Curricular Competencies, teachers, while formatively and summatively assessing these subjectbased competencies, are inherently evaluating and encouraging student growth in the Core Competencies.This symbiotic relationship between students' self-assessment of Core Competencies and teachers' assessment of subject-specific Curricular Competencies is purposeful, aiming to provide educators with opportunities to nurture students' Core Competency development within specific areas of learning.
In the educational process, regular opportunities for self-assessment and goal setting are essential components, strategically placed within the learning journey through collaborative efforts between teachers and students.Building a strong teacher-student rapport involves initiating conversations that highlight the benefits of self-reflection in achieving learning objectives.Methods to facilitate active demonstration of learning progress include continuous goal-setting and self-reflection opportunities, enabling students to take ownership of their educational journey.Teachers play a vital role in fostering understanding by embedding discussions about Core Competencies into genuine learning experiences.Additionally, educators and school leaders actively observe, identify, and connect Core Competencies to students' ongoing learning encounters, enhancing personal comprehension.
Throughout the academic year, students engage in both continuous and end-of-year self-assessment, with teachers providing necessary support, thereby nurturing a culture of reflective learning and accountability.
The Student Progress Report Order (2016) mandates self-assessment of Core Competencies for students in Grades K-9 at the school year's end.In Grades 10-12, students, being lifelong learners, persist in their continual reflection and self-assessment of Core Competencies.They utilize this selfassessment and documented learning progress for their capstone projects, fulfilling requirements in Career Education and graduation.

Curricular Competencies
The classroom assessment is an indispensable part of the teaching process and serves as a meaningful source of information about students' learning.Feedback from continuous in-class assessments is timely and personalized for learners, guiding them to recognize their misconceptions and enabling them to use this information to set new learning goals.The framework holds the following features:

Changes in the
a. Provides a uniform approach across all grades and subjects: While the assessment criteria are tailored to specific subjects, the five-category structure remains consistent throughout all subjects.
Often, these categories are similar across subjects, fostering opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching and assessment.Engaging local communities and businesses in the competency assessment process is essential for relevance and practicality.Emphasizing the relevance of assessed skills in real-world scenarios ensures that competencies align with societal needs.Community involvement not only validates the assessments but also enhances the employability and practical skills of graduates.By integrating community perspectives, educational institutions can produce graduates who are not only academically proficient but also socially and professionally adept, contributing meaningfully to society.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study has provided a comprehensive analysis of the competency assessment framework employed in British Columbia, Canada, and has offered a series of recommendations for enhancing Vietnam's education system.
These recommendations represent a blueprint for creating a more competitive, inclusive, and adaptable educational environment.Implementation will require a collective effort from all stakeholders, but the potential benefits are immense.By embracing competency-based education inspired by global best practices, Vietnam can equip its students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the 21st century.

(
Know), Curricular Competencies (Do), and Big Ideas (Understand) to cultivate profound learning experiences.The Content standards specify fundamental subjects and knowledge areas relevant to each grade level.Curricular Competencies, focusing on skills and processes, progress within the Know-Do-Understand model, intricately linked with the Core Competencies.Big Ideas encapsulate generalizations and crucial concepts, representing the "Understand" element.These enduring ideas go beyond a single grade, fostering future comprehension.British Columbia's curriculum design advocates for a personalized, adaptable, and innovative educational approach across all education levels.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1."Know-Do-Understand" model (B.C.Ministry of Education, 2023) Core Competencies, integral to the curriculum, are acquired through active participation in practical applications, termed Curricular Competencies, within specific learning domains.Despite unique traits, these competencies intertwine, forming foundational elements across education.Emerging from early childhood and home environments, their development spans a lifetime, nurtured in formal and informal settings.Progression entails demonstrating competence in supported situations, evolving into independence in complex scenarios.Crucially, competency development transcends school years, permeating personal, social, educational, and professional realms postgraduation, underlining their enduring relevance in diverse life contexts.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Three Core Competencies (B.C.Ministry of Education, 2023) British Columbia curriculum focus on classroom assessments (2019).This trend supports the development of students' subject-specific competencies and core competencies.British Columbia's new emphasis on competency development (what students can do) is influencing classroom teaching and assessment activities.Process-based assessment criteria provide a basis for active communication among students, parents, and teachers regarding the student's current position in their learning journey and what needs to be done to improve.The emphasis on competency development at the provincial level is reshaping teaching, learning, and the approach educators take toward assessments.A Classroom Assessment Framework has been devised, offering a conceptual structure for crafting classroom assessments centered around the curricular competencies.This framework outlines how teacher teams, guided by the framework, worked together to establish specific criteria for Science, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Mathematics, facilitating classroom assessment efforts.Figure3illustrates the conceptual framework, starting with an analysis of the curricular competencies.

( 6 )
Technology Integration for Assessment:Integrating technology platforms for competency assessments revolutionizes the evaluation process.Adaptive testing and real-time feedback enhance the efficiency and accuracy of assessments, providing instant data for analysis.Personalized student support becomes achievable, as educators can identify specific areas of improvement promptly.Technology-driven assessments prepare students for a digitally advanced world, equipping them with essential skills and familiarity with modern tools vital for their future endeavors.Research and Evaluation Framework: Establishing a robust research framework to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of competency assessments in Vietnamese classrooms is essential.Informed decision-making based on research findings ensures the ongoing relevance and efficiency of competency assessments.Continuous evaluation allows for adaptations and improvements, creating a dynamic educational system responsive to the evolving needs of students.Research-driven insights provide valuable data for policymakers and educators, shaping the future of Vietnamese education effectively.(7)Support Systems for Diverse LearnersDeveloping comprehensive support systems and accommodations for students with diverse learning needs is a testament to the inclusivity of competency assessments.Ensuring that competency assessments are fair and reflective of each student's abilities fosters a supportive and inclusive educational environment.Tailored support systems guarantee that every student, regardless of their learning style or abilities, can fully participate in the educational process.Embracing diversity enriches the overall learning experience, creating a nurturing space where every student can thrive.International Collaboration and Benchmarking: Fostering collaborations with international educational institutions to benchmark competency assessment standards and share best practices opens avenues for continuous improvement.Learning from global successes and challenges provides valuable insights, enabling Vietnam to remain at the forefront of educational innovation.International collaborations enrich the educational landscape, offering diverse perspectives and innovative approaches.By benchmarking with leading institutions globally, Vietnam can refine its educational practices, ensuring the highest quality of education for its students.

Table 1 .
Criteria categories for Science, ELA, Social Studies, and Mathematics (B.C.Ministry of Education, 2023)