Transversal competencies are highly valued by employers because they are personal attributes that enable individuals to interact effectively with others in the workplace.
Once I understood that an employer would be just as interested in my collaboration and time management skills as my multimedia portfolio, I wanted to join this project. It’s also fun to work on these skills because I get “credit” for all of my work outside of class too like when I go to the gym or when I mentor another student.
— Sharjana, a 1st-year Micromedia student at Vanier College
However, it’s not just about meeting the demands of employers. Developing transversal competencies is essential for individuals to reach their full potential as human beings. These skills enable individuals to make better decisions, both professionally and personally, and contribute positively to their families, communities, and society as a whole. For example, a good collaborator at work is also probably a good friend, romantic partner and family member.
Our current project
The Skills4Life project, funded by Entente Canada-Québec (ECQ), aims to create pedagogical tools for the Quebec college network to evaluate and monitor students’ transversal competency levels. We are currently working on tools such as competency continua grids and a “Portrait of a Graduate”, among others. Our objective is to co-create and share these tools with partners and institutions across Quebec and beyond.
Competency framework
At the heart of the project, we are adapting a set of competency continua to help students understand their current level and progress toward proficiency and beyond for transversal skills.
We partnered with Building 21, a non-profit from Pennsylvania, as they have developed these continua over the past 13 years with schools all over North America. Not only are these continua based on the best practices of competency-based education, but they have also been battle-tested with feedback from over 1,000 educators and 28,000 students.
These grids are based on performance-level indicators of competency, describing how each skill becomes more sophisticated as it develops toward readiness. They are written in simple language so students can know where they are and how to improve. While some people can find these continua to have “too many words”, students in our program who have spent several weeks with them find them quite easy to use.
When I first saw the grids, I was a little lost. But after about a week or two, I understood the system quite easily. I could work by myself or with a mentor to find my level. Then I set goals for improving to the next level. It can take a long time to move up a level, but I really am improving. I really enjoy working on these skills with these grids.
— Rafsun, 1st-year Micromedia student at Vanier College
An example of an evaluation grid for learning to meet people and to network including the level and performance indicators.
We have been working on a set of competency continua for different skills including time management, networking and decision-making.
The “Portrait of a Graduate”
We are also trying to work on a prototype for a “Portrait of a Graduate” which could be an interactive tool designed to serve as a comprehensive exit profile for students.
With a clickable menu and adaptable to various devices, this document will provide a shared understanding of the skills students are expected to develop. Please let us know what you think by going to this page and clicking on the feedback button at the end.
A community-based approach
A diverse community of high schools, CEGEPs, and universities have been dedicated to co-creating our project. At the moment, 2 CEGEPs, 2 high schools and 1 university are actively involved:
- John Abbott College
- Vanier College
- Edu2
- Building21
- Université de Montréal
We are actively seeking additional collaborators to foster a more community-focused approach. By bringing together a wide range of collaborators, including educators, students, and community members, we hope to create a unified effort toward developing transversal competencies. Visit our website if you’d like to learn more or help with any part of the project.
Tools to track student performance levels
Once we know and agree on what we expect someone who’s graduated from CEGEP to be able to do in terms of transversal competencies, we then aim to develop tools and approaches to track and assess student performance levels. Along with the continua grids, these tools will provide students with meaningful feedback and motivation to develop those skills.
1. Badging system
Implementing a badging system where schools, families, and communities are involved in issuing badges could provide students with clear indicators of their proficiency levels in different skills. The system could be validated by qualified individuals, such as teachers, parents, and community members, as well as recognized by employers. Students could include the badges on their LinkedIn pages as a way to show off their abilities and achievements when applying for jobs.
I have earned two badges in oral presentations and it feels great. We put them up on a board and I know all the work that went into getting the badge. I am also excited about putting my badges up on LinkedIn to help me find a job.
— Mark, 3rd-year Micromedia student at Vanier College
Our current badging system features the mascot of our Skills4Life project, the capybara. The students chose the capybara for the logo because it is cool, calm and collected throughout its life, but it also gets things done for its community. So they found that the capybara represents quite effectively transversal competencies.
Examples of badges representing transversal competencies
2. Gamified app
We have also been working on a prototype of a gamified web application to motivate students to track their transversal competency development both at school and in their extracurricular activities, such as sports and art.
Students would be able to track their progress and see at which level they are in an engaging way. Through gamification elements such as trivia questions, asynchronous modules, and challenges, students can assess their skills in a fun and immersive way.
3. Peer mentorship program
Peer mentorship has proved to be a valuable part of this process, where students who are more advanced act as mentors for other students working on the development of those skills.
By pairing students with mentors, students can receive personalized guidance.
I love being a mentor for other students in my program. It is a great way to help other people develop these skills. But I also find that I work on and improve my transversal skills while I am mentoring. And I talked about my mentorship experience in a job interview and that definitely helped get that job.
— John, 3rd-year Micromedia student at Vanier College
These tools not only provide students with valuable feedback and motivation, but also foster a collaborative and supportive learning environment, giving them the power to reach their full potential and succeed in the 21st century and beyond.
Looking for collaborators!
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher, or community leader, we’re actively looking for collaborators for a community-based effort to develop student transversal competencies.
If you are interested in any parts of this project, please reach out! By working together as a community, we can create a more holistic approach to education and empower students for success. Feel free to share your ideas or provide feedback in the comments below!
