The Working Group suggests that competencies sit atop the apex of a hierarchy of experiences that have currency for the learner. Figure 2 depicts the language structure the Working Group has developed to differentiate among terms that appear to be used synonymously elsewhere in the literature. Differences in traits and characteristics help explain why people pursue different learning experiences and acquire different levels and kinds of knowledge and skills. Figure 2 Characteristics of Competencies Skills, abilities, knowledge and competencies are often used interchangeably. The full scope of outcomes also include those that accrue to postsecondary participants over long time frames, such as better health and the economic benefits passed on to their children.
Competencies are a combination of skills, abilities and knowledge.
A given competency can be used in many different ways. For example, measuring distances is important to both professional golfers and surveyors. Of course, different distance measuring skills may be involved in carrying out these two tasks. Competencies have utility in the context of a task. That is, a person may have great hand-eye coordination, knowledge of the rules of baseball, and skill in mixing just the right combination of gin, vermouth and bitters, but there is no task that uses this particular combination of skills, abilities and knowledge.