Three criteria for the competency-based assessment of communication skills in vocational education and training

It would seem that present practices in the competency-based assessment of communication skills in vocational education and training lack a sound theoretical and conceptual foundation. This article will describe a number of perspectives which illuminate the nature of the competency-based assessment of communication skills, and will then propose three criteria for such assessment. These criteria suggest that the competency-based assessment of communication skills should be multi-dimensional, integrative, and evaluative of person perception. This article will describe the research procedures which were employed to evaluate these three criteria, and discuss some of the salient issues which emerged from the research process. The three criteria will form the conceptual foundations for a theoretical model for the competency-based assessment of communication skills in vocational education and training.