Training on Competency-Based Education & Assessment for One Health University Networks

Competency-based education (CBE) is a system-wide approach in which educators and students work towards mastering specific core skills within a focus area of a given discipline. The CBE method requires a shift from the traditional content-based instruction and assessment to a more flexible and interactive, capacity-based learning that includes assessment strategies.

To ensure that key stakeholders within the AFROHUN and SEAOHUN University Networks were developing competencybased training materials to equip and build the capacity of their One Health workforce, the Global Team convened a CBE and assessment training session with each University Network. A pre-training assessment revealed 86 percent of participants from AFROHUN and SEAOHUN indicated that no national One Health (OH) competency framework defining minimum competencies for OH professionals existed in their countries.

Through the CBE training, we introduced the OH competency framework manual and assessment tool to participants and faculty members so they could advocate for CBE at their universities and share knowledge with their peers to adapt and utilize resources to teach and evaluate students.

We piloted the training with 25 participants from Uganda and subsequently trained 141 participants, 72 from AFROHUN and 69 from SEAOHUN, who received certificates of completion. The Global Team organized the 90-minute weekly sessions over five weeks, which included didactic presentations to introduce the concepts of the CBE framework and assessment strategies and the introduction to curriculum development using principles of backward design. We also facilitated virtual, interactive group discussions for participants to share experiences and best practices. Participants were evaluated using pre-and post-testing polls to assess participant knowledge, experiences, and satisfaction with each session. In addition, participants received reading assignments from the competency-based framework manual and assessment tools to enhance their understanding of competency-based assessment strategies.

Overall, participants were satisfied with the training workshop.

“Thank you for the well-planned facilitation and wonderful training experience. It was interesting beyond words.” -Participant from Jimma University in Ethiopia.

“The training session was interesting. Thank you for the valuable [shared] documents.”
-Participant from the University of Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis in Senegal.

Following the training, many participants expressed that the training was essential for their work and workforce development. In addition, more than 87 percent of the participants reported that the training was relevant and applicable to their work and geographical setting.

Though most participants still use traditional education and assessment approaches, this training demonstrated the significance of competency-based assessment and gave participants a model to practice and to implement competency-based assessment in their respective settings. As a result, there is now clearer focus on providing technical support and on implementing a selected OH training course to demonstrate competency-assessment strategies on simulation and practical exercises that build institutional capacity in each Network.

A recording of the CBE training session and additional resources are available here: bit.ly/CBE-training-resources