Transversal And Specific Competencies In The Perception Of The Students In Geography

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyse students' perceptions of their own specific and transversal competencies, the diversity and typology of the formulated competencies, competencies’ formulation modalities. The data were collected using the survey method, and 30 geographic students answered the questionnaire. The data collection was done in 2019 by the survey method. In the seminar of the discipline Geography Didactics we have applied a questionnaire with two open questions: Which are the transversal competencies (besides disciplinary) you have trained and developed in different contexts, apart from university studies? Which are the specific competencies that you have trained and developed in the study program from the specialization for which you are preparing? The formulations were subjected to content analysis, qualitative text analysis and comparative method. We determined: greater diversity of categories and transversal competencies than that of the competencies specific to specialization; ascertainment of some competencies areas in the case of transversal competencies; presentation of hierarchies and classifications of transversal competencies; a higher average per student of transversal competencies, compared to that of specific competencies; different ways of presenting competencies (grouping by categories and subcategories, competencies areas enumeration; competencies enumeration); similar formulations as meaning in the name of a skill. The students in geography presented more comprehensive lists than those in previous series and demonstrated the use of transversal competencies in the context of the observed didactic activities.

Keywords: Studentshigher educationcompetencies areacompetencies typologies

Introduction

The inhabitants of the present space of Romania have proven throughout their historical time that they hold diverse competencies and developed at a high level (Scridon & Ilovan, 2015, 2016; Ilovan, Jordan, Havadi-Nagy, & Zametter, 2016), and in the pre-university and university education there was a permanent interest in training the competencies of those who learn (Dulamă & Ilovan, 2015; Dulamă, Ilovan, Bagoly-Simó, & Magdaș, 2019). At present, competencies represent the main aims of vocational education and training, specified in the official documents of education (legislation, programs and textbooks). In this study, the competencies will be analysed from the perspective of the definition of competencies mentioned in Art. 4. of the Law of national education (Parlamentul României, 2011): “multifunctional and transferable set of knowledge, habits / competences and competencies” (p. 2). Brien (1997) mentions that this set is made up of declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge and attitudes and that this assembly is activated in the planning and execution of a task that requires more operations. Regarding transversal competencies, Tsankov (2017) argues that they are formed in specific contexts and that they provide opportunities for the proper accomplishment of the person's practical activities.

The way of training the students' competencies, mainly of the geographers, and of assessing the level of competence has been the aim of many studies. Recent studies have focused, in particular, on the use of ICT and digital competencies in the training and development of other competencies of "digital native" students. Thus, the development of the specific competencies of the students in geography to analyse the urban landscape was studied and the changes within it using web-based research and visual imagery (Ilovan, 2019) and by using digital mapping (Ilovan et al., 2019). One study looked at how students use online apps, web sources and electronic devices to analyse and interpret the geographical processes in the field and in the laboratory (Rus et al., 2019). The digital competencies of the students in geography from generation Z has been harnessed in making didactic films about the use of teaching methods and means in some learning activities in order to support the training and development of the didactic competencies of the future geography teachers (Dulamă, Ursu, Ilovan, & Voicu, 2019). Although the Internet is a valuable source of information and working models, in training professional competencies in the academic environment, the teacher plays an essential role in designing and organizing activities for training and developing competencies (Dulamă, Ilovan, Ciascai, & Maroşi, 2015), as well as in assuring feedforward and feedback regarding the level of competence achieved by the student and its growth modalities (Dulamă & Ilovan, 2016). The individual study carried out by the students was analysed and included in the category of transversal competencies Jucan (2014, 2016).

Problem Statement

Students in geography who go through the program of psycho-pedagogical studies to become teachers learn about the theories and practices regarding competencies in order to be able to create to their students appropriate contexts to form the competencies provided in the official documents. In the scientific and didactic works in Romania there are different opinions about the concept of skill, about their typology and formulation, about the training and evaluation mode (Mândruț & Dan, 2015), we asked about the students' perception regarding competencies. Because in studies it is shown that a teacher can facilitate the training and development of the competencies he holds, to the students. (Dulamă & Ilovan, 2016), we asked ourselves what are the competencies that students have when discussing competencies.

Research Questions

The questions we sought to answer in this research are the following: What are the transversal competencies that students in geography consider to have? What are the specific competencies for the specialization that students in geography consider that they train and develop through the study program they are currently pursuing? How do students formulate and describe their competencies?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this research is to analyse students' perceptions of their own specific and transversal competencies the diversity and typology of the formulated competencies, competencies formulation methods.

Research Methods

Findings

Conclusion

At the end of the research, our main findings regarding the competencies presented by students in geography are: greater diversity of categories and transversal competencies than that of the competencies specific to the specialization; establishing some competencies areas in the case of transversal competencies; presentation of hierarchies and classifications of transversal competencies; a higher average per student of transversal competencies, compared to that of specific competencies; different ways of competencies presentation (grouping by categories and subcategories, listing of competencies areas; listing of competencies); similar formulations as meaning in a skill denomination. Students in geography have presented more comprehensive lists than those in previous series and have demonstrated the use of transversal competencies in the context of the observed didactic activities.

References

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