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    Core Abilities
    • 21 Aug 2023
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    Core Abilities

    • Updated on 21 Aug 2023
    • 2 Minutes to read
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    Article summary

    Definition
    Macro outcomes comprised of transferable skills, attitudes, and abilities to be mastered by learners completing a degree or certificate. Core abilities go beyond a specific program, major, or discipline thread, are integrated throughout the learning experience, and are often set as learning goals for an entire organization. A group of core abilities pertains to the educational institution/organization.

    Checklist

    • Core abilities describe for learners the broadest outcomes or skills that they will learn
    • Core abilities describe outcomes that will addressed throughout a program or course
    • Core abilities identify integrated, transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, or occupational success skills that go beyond the context of a single course
    • Core abilities encourage learners to perform at higher levels
    • Core ability criteria provide specifications for the performance described by the related core ability
    • Core ability criteria describe measurable and observable specifications
    • Core ability criteria are assessed feasibly within the context of the learning experience
    • Core ability criteria do not use instructor judgment as a reference, but may reference checklists developed by the instructor

    Core abilities are the broadest outcomes that are addressed throughout a program or course rather than in one specific unit or lesson. Core abilities address broad knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are transferable and go beyond the context of a specific course.

    How Core Abilities Relate to Competencies

     A competency is taught in a specific lesson or sequence of related lessons. In contrast, a core ability is a broader skill that is cross-functional to many disciplines and occupations. Core abilities are essential regardless of an individual’s personal, occupational, or community role. Core abilities are not taught in specific lessons—they are woven throughout instruction.

    Linking Core Abilities

    In WIDS, you can document the relationship between a core ability and its related program outcomes, courses, competencies, assessment tasks and learning plans by linking them.  This is important because assessment at the course and competency level documents the learner’s progress toward mastery of the core ability. Assessment at the course and competency level also provides information to guide adjustment of learning and teaching strategies that improve student success and performance along the way.

    When you have assigned core abilities to courses in WIDS, you can run a matrix report to show where those outcomes are addressed across multiple courses. You can also run matrix reports that show how the core abilities link to program outcomes or course competencies.

    Sources for Core Abilities

     Core abilities are usually set by the organization. If they are not available, you can derive them from the mission or goals of your organization.

    Core Ability Summative Assessment Strategies

     Summative assessment strategies define the product or process used to assess a core ability. Some examples include:

    • Portfolio
    • Reflection
    • Completion of a course
    • Standardized test
    • Clinical evaluation

    Core Ability Criteria

     Core ability criteria help define the skill described in the core ability and clarify the required levels of performance. They are observable and measurable criteria for assessing core abilities.

    Core ability criteria:

    • Provide a structure in which to answer the question, “Did the learner achieve the core ability?”
    • Describe important characteristics of a satisfactory performance.
    • Establish specifications by which the performance of the core ability will be evaluated. In WIDS users can insert core ability criteria into scoring guides for assessment.
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