COMPETENCY-BASED CURRICULUM

A Paper

Submitted to fulfill the assignment of Curriculum and Learning studies

(Kurikulum dan Pembelajaran)

Lecturer:
Muhammad Zuhdi, S.Ag., M.Ed., Ph.D.

by:

Sahara Adjie Samudera

11160110000055

DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TARBIYA AND TEACHING SCIENCES
SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH JAKARTA
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY
2017/ 1439
 CONTENTS

CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... iv

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1

A. Background .................................................................................................. 1

B. Problem Formulation ................................................................................... 1

C. Writing Purpose ........................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................ 2

A. Definition of Competency-Based Curriculum ............................................. 2

B. Characteristics of Competency-Based Curriculum ...................................... 4

C. Implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum .................................... 4

CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION...................................................................................................... 7

A. Conclusion ................................................................................................... 7

REFERENCES ...................................................................................................... 8

iv
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

A. Background
Because of global developments and changes in various aspects of life that
have come so quickly, it has become a national challenge and demands immediate
and serious attention. This is very reasonable because the phenomenon in the global
era, especially related to the world of work is always characterized by uncertainty,
the faster and often change, and demand greater flexibility. This change
fundamentally demands not only a hard-working workforce, but it is also essential
to master the ability to face change and to take advantage of the change itself (soft
competence). Therefore, it becomes a challenge of vocational education to be able
to integrate these two components of competence in an integrated way in preparing
students to have the ability to work and develop in the future.
One effort to anticipate such changes and developments is to develop an
educational curriculum, especially in vocational education that provides skills and
skills to survive and compete in change, conflict, and life difficulties. One of the
strategic steps to anticipate the problem is by applying Competency Based
Curriculum.

B. Problem Formulation
1. What is Competency-Based Curriculum?
2. What are the characteristics of Competency-Based Curriculum?
3. How Competency-Based Curriculum can be implemented?

C. Writing Purpose
1. To know and understand what competency-based curriculum is.
2. To understand the characteristics of Competency-Based Curriculum.
3. To understand how to implement Competency-Based Curriculum.

1
 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

A. Definition of Competency-Based Curriculum

Before we go further, we have to know the definition of Competency-Based

Curriculum. There are various definition of “competency” that depends on the
author or the experts of this subject.
According to Anshari R. Sastrawinata, Competence is a statement which
describes the appearance of a certain ability unanimously that a blend of knowledge
and skills that can be observed and measured.1 Elza Mylona said that “competency”
is about integration and application of learned facts, skills and affective qualities
needed to serve the patient, the community and the profession.2
Competency-based refers to systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and
academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating that they have learned
the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress through their
education.3 In the other definition said, competency-based concept is a focus on
student mastery of performance and learning outcomes through a set of pre-defined
learning objectives.4
While curriculum is derived from Latin verb currere, “to run”. Currere
became a diminutive noun and meant a “racing chariot” or “race track”.5 The other
definition said that curriculum is an interactive process developed among learners,
teachers, material, and the environment. It functions as a mirror that reflects cultural
beliefs, social and political values and the organization.6

1
Anshari R. Sastrawinata, Curriculum Development of KBK - KTSP in Indonesia,
(https://id.scribd.com/document/62005684/Curriculum-Development-of-KBK, Accessed on December
1st, 2017)
2
Elza Mylona, Developing a Competency Based Curriculum,
(http://www.dent.uoa.gr/fileadmin/dent.uoa.gr/uploads/curriculum-competency/mylona-march-
2013.pdf, Accessed on December 1st, 2017)
3
Edglossary, Competency Based Learning, (http://edglossary.org/competency-based-learning/,
Accessed on December 2nd, 2017)
4
Elsevier Education, Competency-Based Education, p. 2.
5
Shao-Wen Su, “The Various Concepts of Curriculum and the Factors Involved in
Curricula-making”, Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2012, p.153.
6
Ibid., p. 155.

2
 3

Competency-Based Curriculum is a design based on specific competencies is

characterized by specific, sequential, and demonstrable learning of the task,
activities, or skills which constitutes the act to be learned and performed by
students7
Competency-based curriculum is a curriculum that emphasizes the complex
outcomes of a learning process (i.e. knowledge, skills and attitudes to be applied by
learners) rather than mainly focusing on what learners are expected to learn about
in terms of traditionally-defined subject content. In principle such a curriculum is
learner-centered and adaptive to the changing needs of students, teachers and
society. It implies that learning activities and environments are chosen so that
learners can acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to situations they
encounter in everyday life. Competency-based curricula are usually designed
around a set of key competences/competencies that can be cross-curricular and/or
subject-bound.8

From those definitions, I conclude that Competency-Based Curriculum is a

design of teaching and learning activities which is learner’s competency-centered.
Obviously, the focus is the student-competency, not subjects and others. That’s the
different between Competency-Based Curriculum and other term of curriculum.

There are some aspects that describe the concept of competency, those are:9
1. Knowledge
2. Understanding
3. Skill
4. Value
5. Attitude
6. Interest

7
Dwi Rahdiyanta, Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi dan Konsep KBK,
(http://staffnew.uny.ac.id/upload/131569341/penelitian/19-kurikulum-berbasis-kompetensi-kbk-
pengertian-dan-konsep-kbk.pdf, Accessed on December 5th, 2017), p. 5
8
Internasional Bureau of Education, Competency Based Curriculum,
(http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/glossary-curriculum-terminology/c/competency-based-curriculum,
Accessed on December 2nd, 2017)
9
E. Mulyasa, Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi, (Bandung: PT. Remaja Rosdakarya), 2010, p. 38
– 39.
 4

B. Characteristics of Competency-Based Curriculum

Jobelle B. Salvador wrote that characteristics of Competency-Based
Curriculum are:10
1. Learning is measured according to how well the learner performs in relation to
competencies (objectives).
2. Instructional system in which performance based learning process is used.
3. Focuses on the outcome of the learning
4. Addresses what the learners are expected to do rather than on what they are
expected to learn about.
5. Allows the students to learn at their own pace
6. Students progress by demonstrating competence, which means they have to
prove that they mastered the knowledge and skills required for a particular
course.

C. Implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum

Competency-Based Curriculum is one way to develop student’s ability to gain
great results in the future. To achieve that goal, the implementation is required. To
apply this, there are some things to do and need to be adjusted. Which is “School
Reformation”.
The school reform can be seen from the following challenges:11
1. The development of science and technology so fast that it is difficult to
followed just like that without education. This is certainly a big influence on
the education system at school. It is therefore necessary to change within the
school environment to adapt the Competency-Based Curriculum concept.
2. The development of population requires greater education services in a
country. Because of that, a big budget is required to be spent by a country.
3. The quality human resources are the basic capital as well as the key to the
success of national development if the human resources are well developed.

10
Jobelle B. Salvador, “Standar Based Curriculum vs Competency Based Curriculum”
11
E. Mulyasa, op. cit., p. 144 – 145.
 5

4. The development of information and technology raises a lot of thought, way of

thinking, philosophical view, in this case education. To face these challenges,
schools must be able to control it.

To face these challenges, there are several solutions that need to be applied.
There are:12

1. Modernization of School Management

Schools should not be separated from the community. Therefore, in the
modernization of school management education implementers should work
with other sectors in the community, especially those who have done
modernization.
2. Modernization of Teacher.
However good a curriculum is, but the outcome is highly dependent on
what the teacher and the class do (actual) do. Therefore, teachers play an
important role both in the preparation and implementation of the curriculum.13
3. Modernization of Learning Process
Teaching updates do not have to be accompanied using all-round
equipment. In order to develop teacher education and educational career
development such as it should be emphasized the importance of developing
new ways of learning that are effective and in accordance with the ability of
each student.
4. Additional Funds for Education
It should be noted that expensive education is not necessarily a measure
of student success. But good education is "not cheap" which means having high
quality. To achieve this, a substantial amount of funding for educational needs
is required.

E. Mulyasa, op. cit., p. 146 – 149.

12
13
Nana Syaodih Sukmadinata, Prinsip dan Landasan Pengembangan Kurikulum, (Jakarta:
P2LPTK Depdikbud, 1988), p. 212.
 6

In addition, the government needs to provide the infrastructure that supports

the curriculum. It is intended for education to run as planned and certainly get good
results. For some countries, including Indonesia, this is a major problem that
hinders the development of education there.
 CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION

A. Conclusion
Competency-based curriculum is a curriculum that emphasizes the complex
outcomes of a learning process (i.e. knowledge, skills and attitudes to be applied by
learners) rather than mainly focusing on what learners are expected to learn about
in terms of traditionally-defined subject content. In principle such a curriculum is
learner-centered and adaptive to the changing needs of students, teachers and
society. It implies that learning activities and environments are chosen so that
learners can acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to situations they
encounter in everyday life.

The concept of this curriculum is mentioned with its characteristics that

Learning is measured according to how well the learner performs in relation to
competencies (objectives). Besides that, Instructional system in which performance
based learning process is used. And also, this curriculum focuses on the outcome
of the learning.

To achieve the goals, it needs adjustment and reformation in the education

sector. Such us, modernizing school, teacher, management, and also budget to cover
those needs. All of that can be understood as “school reformation”. If schools
complete those term, they will be fine to implement this curriculum as well as it’s
plan.

7
 REFERENCES

Mulyasa, E. Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi. Bandung: PT. Remaja

Rosdakarya, 2010.

Sukmadinata, Nana Syaodih. Prinsip dan Landasan Pengembangan

Kurikulum. Jakarta: P2LPTK Depdikbud, 1988.

Edglossary. “Competency Based Learning”,

http://edglossary.org/competency-based-learning, Accessed on
December 2nd, 2017.

Elsevier Education, “Competency-Based Education”, www.elsevier.com,

Accessed on December 12th, 2017.

Internasional Bureau of Education. “Competency Based Curriculum”,

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/glossary-curriculum-
terminology/c/competency-based-curriculum, Accessed on December
2nd, 2017.

Mylona, Elza. “Developing a Competency Based Curriculum”,

http://www.dent.uoa.gr/fileadmin/dent.uoa.gr/uploads/curriculum-
competency/mylona-march-2013.pdf, Accessed on December 1st,
2017.

Rahdiyanta, Dwi. “Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi dan Konsep KBK”,

http://staffnew.uny.ac.id/upload/131569341/penelitian/19-kurikulum-
berbasis-kompetensi-kbk-pengertian-dan-konsep-kbk.pdf, Accessed
on December 5th, 2017.

Salvador, Jobelle B. “Standar Based Curriculum vs Competency Based

Curriculum”

8
 9

Sastrawinata, Anshari R. “Curriculum Development of KBK - KTSP in

Indonesia”, https://id.scribd.com/document/62005684/Curriculum-
Development-of-KBK, Accessed on December 1st, 2017.

Shao-Wen Su, “The Various Concepts of Curriculum and the Factors

Involved in Curricula-making”, Journal of Language Teaching and
Research, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2012.