Competence evaluation processes in adult education

Professionals in the adult education field regularly have to deal with evaluating the competences of diverse populations at various stages in their work process: first when analysing people\u27s needs, next when designing training programmes to meet these needs (translating competence needs into training needs), and finally when assessing whether the training helped individuals acquire the expected competences. [...] This chapter will examine a number of aspects of the process of competence evaluation. First, it will outline various elements to help identify the origins and subsequent development of competence evaluation activities. Secondly, it will explain the conceptual and practical difficulties associated with evaluating competences, describing the most commonly used tools and methods. Finally, the author will look at how competences are evaluated in various European countries, concluding with a number of examples of schemes currently in use. (DIPF/Orig.