Teaching the Competencies

What are the competencies?

The Brescia Competencies are our university’s degree
-level learning outcomes. We developed them straight out of Brescia’s mission statement: through the scholarly knowledge of their disciplines, our our graduates are prepared to lead with wisdom, justice, and compassion in a changing world. In other words, we believe that students equipped with all seven Competencies will demonstrate a new, essential kind of women’s leadership. 

Use this website to learn more about teaching and assessing the Brescia Competencies, and how the ALT Centre can support your exploration of an outcomes-based approach to educating women.

Read more:

• What is outcomes-based education?
• The Competencies: 7 essential skills and abilities
• Brescia Bold: A Core Introduction to the Competencies

Brescia Levels of Understanding

Brescia adapted the SOLO (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome) taxonomy as a way to scaffold our students’ learning of the Competencies across their degree (Biggs, 1996; Biggs & Tang, 2011). Our goal is that each Brescia student will graduate with at least Level 3 of the Competencies.

The Brescia Competency Handbook includes learning outcome statements for each level of all seven Competencies. Brescia Faculty and Staff are encouraged to refer to these learning outcomes to learn more about the SOLO taxonomy. The Handbook is a resource but not a requirement: we recommend you re-phrase the Competency descriptions in language suitable to your discipline or department.

Teaching the Competencies

Brescia chose an outcomes-based approach to help you make the implicit parts of your discipline more explicit to students. What are the non-disciplinary skills, values, and abilities required in your field? We want our graduates to know what the Competencies are and how your course(s) assist with their development.

Visit the ALT Centre’s Trello Board to explore our print and online Competency resources including:

• Teaching strategies for each Competency
• Reading suggestions (for you or your students)
• Resources on outcomes-based course design

Mapping the Competencies 

Every Brescia syllabus is required to indicate which Competency(ies) students develop or acquire through the successful completion of that course. We’ve created a course syllabus template to model a few different ways you can display this information to students.

For a copy of your School, Program, Module, or Course curriculum map, including the teaching activities previously used in your course, please email brescia.curriculum@uwo.ca.

Assessing the Competencies

General assessment rubrics are available for each level of the Brescia Competencies. These rubrics use non-disciplinary language, so the ALT Centre is happy to assist you with editing them to fit your needs.

For information on acceptable use of the Brescia Competency rubrics please contact Caroline Whippey, Director of Library Services and Brescia Copyright Officer.

Download general rubrics by Competency:

• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Inquiry & Analysis
• Problem Solving
• Self Awareness & Development
• Social Awareness & Engagement
• Valuing