Opening Minds: An evaluative literature review

Sussex University carried out a literature review to collate an evidence base with regards the effectiveness of competence based curricula.

The review aimed to answer three questions:

What is the evidence base to support a competence based approach to education generally?

What is the evidence base for the competences defined by Opening Minds and how do these compare to other competences as utilised by other approaches?

How could outcomes and impacts of OM be measured and evaluated?

This report recommends the following:

• The RSA should be promoting both the versatility of its curriculum and how it appears to meet the diverse aims or drivers underpinning competence based approaches.

• CBE must be grounded in the local and individual context and this is what OM already does.

• Tailoring OM must also be realised by students being able to use standard knowledge in a localised context as well as embracing other existing knowledge types.

• Teachers using the OM curriculum should ensure that OM is fully grounded in an understanding of a conception of learning skills and, in particular how such skills can be developed over time.

• The RSA should consider its definition of competence and choose one that has salience with the main stakeholders concerned, i.e. teachers, learners and employers.