Analysis of the second e-forum on competency-based approaches

As its title suggests, this is an account of “the Second E-Forum on Competency-based Approaches” and summarises the opinions and experiences expressed by the participants. The forum was based on a discussion paper prepared by the Canadian Observatory of Educational Reforms and a series of questions raised by Philippe Jonnaert were used to stimulate the debate. The article concentrates on five main themes that came to light through the discussion: (1) the relevance of the concept of competency; (2)␣competency and situations; (3) competencies and theories of action; (4) competency-based approaches and pedagogy by objectives; and (5) teachers and educational reforms. The e-forum made it possible for many educators “to gather together” from around the world to share their viewpoints and perceptions. This document seeks to identify the points of convergence and divergence arising from the debate and to make the reader reflect on difficulties encountered when dealing with a curricular reform. Original language: English Leticia Perez (Argentina) A certified English translator and English teacher from Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires. She holds a post-graduate certificate in Translation Skills from the City University of London and the Sworn Translators Association of the City of Buenos Aires. She has worked as an Academic Pro-secretary at the School of Education and Social Communication of the Universidad del Salvador since 2004. Especially interested in education, she is currently taking a Master in Education at the Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires. E-mail: lperez@salvador.edu.ar or leticiaperezsaldi@hotmail.com     

Rendering Information Literacy Relevant: A Case-Based Pedagogy

The authors describe the use of case studies in a program of extracurricular library instruction and explain the benefits of case teaching in developing information literacy. The paper presents details of example cases and analyzes surveys to evaluate the impact of case teaching on student satisfaction.     

Acculturation and School Success: Understanding the Variability of Mexican American Youth Adaptation Across Urban and Suburban Contexts

The Urban Review - This article concentrates on the educational experiences of urban and suburban Mexican American youth, from recent immigrants to those that have been in the United States for...