A legislative proposal, under which studies completed in liberal adult education can be recorded in the Koski data repository maintained by the Finnish National Agency for Education, was adopted in May 2021. Data on studies and qualifications completed at different levels of education can be recorded in Koski, where they can also be viewed by the learners themselves. While many educational institutions have eagerly anticipated this change, others have to some extent stayed on the side-lines.

In order to record studies in Koski, competence-based descriptions must be provided for them. Competence has recently also sparked discussion in this blog, and with good reason. There is no societal discussion in the field of liberal adult education about competence as a concept, or depending on the speaker, it is used to refer to different things. So what does the concept of competence mean, or what do we want it to mean?

The tricky concept of competence

Competence is a word used in everyday language, and its meaning can consequently be easily intuited. However, its everyday use may encompass meanings that the concept did not originally contain. Competence is strongly linked to today's trendy concept of continuous learning. Rather than covering everyone and all types of competence, however, it is used to refer to the work-related competence of working-age people, as has been noted by Jyri Manninen among other authors.

There have been few attempts to define competence even in research literature, partly precisely because of its everyday meanings and politically charged nature. An interesting definition is offered by Marita Mäkinen and Johanna Annala (2012), who have looked at interpretations of a competence-based curriculum in higher education. They argue that competence can be seen as either linear or dynamic competence which, while not mutually exclusive, have a tense relation.

Linear and dynamic competence

Linear competence refers to highly mechanical, one-way competence that is built up cumulatively. Competence is thought of as a resource that an individual can cumulate by learning new things. The examination of competence focuses on achieving learning outcomes. In other words, competence can be assessed by examining if the learner achieved the predefined general objectives by the predefined means. Linear competence can be boiled down to competence categories, which makes for measurable learning and straightforward assessment. The risk, however, is that something very important about the individual's unique learning and diversity of competence eludes this definition.

In dynamic competence, the examination focuses on the learning process instead of learning outcomes. Competence is seen as something changing and unique that is based on the individual's potential. Considered in this light, the experience of competence leaves more room for change, context relevance and deeper understanding. The holistic, individual and dynamic process enables an empowering experience that arises from noticing or attaining competence. This means that an individual’s learning cannot be assessed on the basis of predefined objectives. Instead, the purpose of the assessment is to support the individual's capabilities and processes. Context relevance also means paying attention to social interdependencies as part of the individual's learning process.

This dynamic view of competence, and assessing competence while supporting the individual's potential, is close to the process of education (Bildung) as defined by Seppo Niemelä. Niemelä argues that in the education process, the individual must have an opportunity to develop their potential and personality, be critical and creative, learn in interaction with communities and influence their environment. Hannu Heikkinen and Harri Kukkonen (2019) also see a connection between dynamic competence, critical thinking and ecosocial education. While becoming educated and developing dynamic competence are interactive processes that genuinely continue throughout life, assessing them is difficult as they are never completed.

Continuous learning, competence linked to working-life benefits and identification and recognition of prior learning are topics of the current societal discussion. Liberal adult education studies that can be recorded in Koski must have predefined learning outcomes and be linked to curricula, enabling the assessment of competence in relation to them. Consequently, competence is assumed to be linear, measurable, and linked to qualifications as a basic premise.

Pause, and think and talk about competence

As we are now focusing on identifying and recognising such linear competence linked to benefits for working life in the field of liberal adult education, are we making visible all the other diversity of competence, which is important and essential in the field of liberal adult education? Can we happily assume that dynamic learning will automatically take place alongside the identification and recognition of linear competence and that the value of dynamic competence will be visible even if we do not talk about it?

I welcome the possibility of also identifying and recognising working life competence in liberal adult education by recording it in Koski data repository. Like Raija Meriläinen, however, I would prefer not to see competence replacing education, or people’s diverse and unique competences being boiled down to linear competence that benefits working life.

Following Sanna Rekola’s example, I conclude by questing after the relationship of education as Bildung and liberal adult education with the big questions – and also competence. When asking large and critical questions, you should always start with yourself. This is why you should pause for a moment and think about what you mean by competence. Could we, in the spirit of the education as Bildung process, come together, talk about the competence created in the field of liberal adult education, and also invite other actors in society to participate in the discussion about what we want competence to mean?

Text: Tiia Kontkanen

Tiia Kontkanen, who works as an educational content producer at KSL Study Centre, wrote her Master’s thesis in Community Educator degree programme on competences and competence validation in organisations. Her educational background also includes a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and a qualification in carpentry. Tiia received her calling for liberal adult education after listening to Peter McLaren, Professor in Critical Studies, and keeps diving deeper into this rabbit hole. In her free time, Tiia tries to remember the importance of slowing down and living in the moment by doing yoga and heading into the forest with her backpack.

***

This article is part of the Sivistystori blog series of the SVV (Freedom and Responsibility of Liberal Adult Education), in which articles by liberal adult education researchers, experts in this field of education, and the SVV's partners are published roughly once a week.