The Politics of Competence

Book excerpt: The extent to which we are being shaped by the "competency-based" concept in the training and licensing of teachers is the topic of this volume. The central statement "The Politics of Competence: A Review of Competency-Based Teacher Education," provides a review and interpretation of activity nationally. (The importance of this activity can be underscored by the estimate that hundreds of thousands of educator-person years are being consumed by this movement.) This statement is followed by a series of perspectives by people who either helped shape the "competency-based" concept, or who are now responding to the concept's shaping force. The general purpose of the National Institute of Education in publishing a volume such as this one is to raise the level of public debate on contemporary issues in education. To this end, the format followed is to review and interpret a national activity, followed by perspectives from major interested parties.