Incremental steps towards a competency-based post-secondary education system in Ontario

Abstract

As one of Canada’s 13 distinct jurisdictions, Ontario is a national leader in developing a competency-based postsecondary education system. Hindered by challenges of a disaggregated system of policy actors in system design, quality assurance and credit transfer, sweeping change has not occurred. Instead, various bodies with operational powers over university, college, or private-provider quality assurance have slowly incorporated concepts of competency-based education into frameworks by introducing learning outcomes. This paper outlines the challenges facing Canadian and Ontario postsecondary education, discusses the roles and responsibilities of agencies involved in quality assurance, and actions made towards developing and implementing learning outcomes at the system level. The research highlights the ad-hoc and unaligned activities, but also demonstrates the commitment to move towards a competency-based education system.