31 Jan Carer+ Digital Competence Framework: mapping & developing carers’ skills
31 Jan, 2013
The Carer+ consortium is currently finalising research that will lead to the creation of the Carer+ Digital Competence Framework. But what is a competence framework in the first place? And how can it serve care workers and caregivers in their personal and professional development?
The purpose of a competence framework is to give a clear, systematic picture of what knowledge, skills and attitudes will make a person competent in certain area of work or study. Competence frameworks usually organise their elements in at least two dimensions. Firstly, the types of target activities and work tasks are described and the required knowledge, skills and attitudes are linked to them. Secondly, it is important also to define different proficiency levels that will indicate how complex should the knowledge, skills and attitudes get at different levels from, say, beginner to master.
Thus, the Carer+ Digital Competence Framework will provide care workers and caregivers with a reference tool that will help them assess their digital competence and plan their further development in an organised and outcome-oriented way. Using the framework, the care giver will be able to tell what knowledge and skills he/she currently possesses, on what levels of mastery, and where best to aim further learning. Schools, teachers and trainer can make good use of the framework as well by structuring and facilitating their courses’ plans and objectives. It can also help employers to plan their staff’s professional development.
The tool will be finalised in the first quarter of 2013 and published in a wiki environment in the Carer+ Portal for all interested stakeholders to use, review and comment.