Key competencies
supplementary
statement for
Engineering
Technology
© 2001
Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies
Floor 7, 295 Ann St Brisbane Queensland
PO Box 307 Spring Hill Qld 4004
Telephone: (07) 3864 0299
Fax: (07) 3221 2553
Email: office@qbssss.edu.au
Website: www.qbssss.edu.au

1 Information
The rationale for embedding key competencies in Board and Board-registered subjects is explained in Information Statement 12/99 of 3 September 1999.
The key competencies define skills essential for effective participation in adult life, including further education and employment. The key competencies are:
1.	Collecting, analysing and organising information
2.	Communicating ideas and information
3.	Planning and organising activities
4.	Working with others and in teams
5.	Using mathematical ideas and techniques
6.	Solving problems
7. Using technology
2 Purpose of the statement
Under the normal schedule, this syllabus is not due for immediate review and revision. This supplementary statement is designed to encourage teachers of this subject to give more emphasis to relevant good practices in teaching, learning and assessment that promote the development of key competencies in students’ learning.
This statement suggests to teachers of Engineering Technology what they can do under the current syllabus to emphasise appropriate elements of the key competencies in teaching and assessing. The statement highlights links between elements of the key competencies and of good practice in teaching and assessing in the subject, and where:
the syllabus already clearly allows and encourages these practices
they are compatible with the requirements of the syllabus.
Although elements of the key competencies are evident in achievement standards, the Board does not expect any particular assessment instruments to have the sole purpose of identifying attainment in terms of individual key competencies. The Board will not develop any separate assessment and reporting of students’ achievements in terms of performance levels in the key competencies.
3 The supplementary statement
The key competencies relevant to the senior syllabus in Engineering Technology (1998) are:
Collecting, analysing and organising information
Communicating ideas and information Planning and organising activities Working with others and in teams
Using mathematical ideas and techniques Solving problems
Using technology

3.1 Implications for teaching and the design of learning experiences
The table describes some common and emergent features of good practice in teaching this subject compatible with the requirements of the syllabus. It shows links between these features and appropriate elements of key competencies. The Industrial Technology Subject Advisory Committee supported by the Engineering Technology State Review Panel has identified these links from knowledge of the syllabus and current and emergent good practice in the subject.
Learning experiences that teachers can design include:	Elements of key competencies emphasised	
Students should be able to test run	KC7 — Performance level 3	
elementary automation control programs	a) determines the task and selects, providing justification, the	
(of an industrial nature).	technology most appropriate for the completion of that task
c)	determines the desired outcomes and uses a variety of technology, or a piece of technology, in a variety of ways to achieve that outcome
d)	uses technology taking into account the relevant health and safety issues, including responsible classroom/workplace behaviour	
The students:	KC3 — Performance level 2	
•	Research available resources	a) manages processes to achieve predetermined objectives	
•	Evaluate alternatives	b) determines own priorities	
•	Undertake and solve engineering	c)	evaluates the processes against predetermined criteria	
technology problems	d)	evaluates the outcomes against predetermined criteria	
Students:	KC4 Performance level 3	
•	Participate in group discussions	a) determines the purposes and objectives of the task and how these	
•	Communicate solutions to others by a	will be achieved by working together as a team	
variety of techniques	b) establishes roles, procedures and timeframes taking into account	
•	Work with individuals and in groups to	different perspectives	
solve technological problems e.g.	c) negotiates with others to define objectives and where necessary to	
establishing an industrial automated control system	monitor and redefine them	

3.2	Implications for assessment practices
The table identifies links between some good assessment practices and appropriate elements of key competencies. The Industrial Technology Subject Advisory Committee supported by the Engineering Technology State Review Panel has identified these links from knowledge of the syllabus and current assessment practices in the subject.
Aspects of assessment practices	Elements of key competencies emphasised	
Research assignment to apply relevant	KC6 — Performance level 2	
knowledge to the resolution of engineering	a)	clarifies the desired outcomes and processes and the relationship	
technology problems	between them
b)	draws on a range of processes to achieve an appropriate completion
c)	takes opportunities to improve or enhance processes and outcomes
d)	selects from specified criteria to evaluate the processes and outcomes	
Students:	KC5 — Performance level 3	
•	Interpret simple phase diagrams	a) determines the purposes and objectives of the activity	
•	Solve theoretical and practical	b) recognises the assumptions which need to be made in order to	
problems requiring application of	select and apply mathematical ideas and techniques	
engineering mechanics based upon	c)	adapts and reliably uses ideas and techniques to fit the constraints	
coplanar forces	of the situation
d)	determines and meets accuracy requirements e) evaluates methods and solutions	
Student assessment involves Projects	KC2 — Performance level 2	
including Research assignments,	a) communicates by appropriately adapting ideas and information in	
Modelling, Simulation	familiar contexts to anticipated audiences
c)	clearly and coherently communicates a number of disparate ideas
d)	revises the communication in the light of feedback	

3.3 Implications for understanding and using exit criteria and standards
The table identifies links between some elements of the criteria and standards defining exit levels of achievement, and appropriate elements of key competencies. The Industrial Technology Subject Advisory Committee supported by the Engineering Technology State Review Panel has identified these links from knowledge of the syllabus and expectations of exit standards.

Elements of the criteria and standards for exit levels of achievement

Elements of key competencies emphasised

The student is proficient in analysing relevant data. Appropriate decisions have been made consistently and valid solutions offered to simple and complex problems by successfully testing alternatives and providing in-depth evaluation. The student has demonstrated initiative.

KC1 — Performance level 2
a)	clarifies the purpose for collecting, analysing and organising information
b)	retrieves information from a variety of source
c)	selects from a variety of structures to analyse and organise information
d)	assesses information for relevance, accuracy and completeness

Communication of research and decision making is logically organised, clear, concise and precise. It includes symbolic, scientific and language conventions which comply with standards, graphical representation and extended written expression.

KC2 — Performance level 2
a) communicates by appropriately adapting ideas and information in familiar contexts to anticipated audiences
c)	clearly and coherently communicates a number of disparate ideas
d)	revises the communication in the light of feedback

The 7 key competencies

KC1: Collecting, analysing and organising information

The capacity to locate information, sift and sort information in order to select what is required and present it in a useful way, and evaluate both the information itself and the sources and methods used to obtain it

Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) follows guidelines for collecting, analysing and organising	a) clarifies the purpose for collecting, analysing and organising	a) determines the purpose of collecting, analysing and	
information	information	organising information	
b) follows guidelines for the retrieval of information from	b) retrieves information from a variety of sources	b) determines and applies procedures for the retrieval of	
specified sources	c) selects from a variety of structures to analyse and organise	information from a variety of sources	
c) organises information into predetermined structures	information	c) determines procedures and structures to analyse and	
d) checks information for accuracy and completeness	d) assesses information for relevance, accuracy and	organise information	
	completeness	d) evaluates the quality and validity of information	

KC2: Communicating ideas and information

The capacity to communicate effectively with others using the range of spoken, written, graphic and other nonverbal means of expression

Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) communicates ideas and information in familiar contexts to	a) communicates by appropriately adapting ideas and	a) communicates by appropriately adapting ideas and	
anticipated audiences	information in familiar contexts to anticipated audiences	information in unfamiliar contexts and/or to unanticipated	
b) communicates using specified modes, forms and styles	b) communicates by choosing from a variety of modes, forms	responses from audiences	
appropriate to a set audience and in a set context	and styles the most appropriate to a set audience and in a set	b) communicates by choosing the mode and form	
c)	clearly communicates prescribed information	context	appropriate and varies styles of presentation to suit a	
checks the communication for accuracy and completeness	c) clearly and coherently communicates a number of disparate	variety of audiences and contexts	
	ideas	c) clearly communicates an interpretation of a number of	
	d) revises the communication in the light of feedback	disparate ideas and the links between them
d) evaluates and revises the communication in the light of feedback	

KC3: Planning and organising activities

The capacity to plan and organise one’s own work activities, including making good use of time and resources, sorting out priorities and monitoring one’s own performance

Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) follows guidelines to achieve predetermined objectives	a) manages processes to achieve predetermined objectives	a) determines own objectives and manages processes to	
b) follows predetermined priorities	b) determines own priorities	achieve them	
c) checks the process used against predetermined criteria	c) evaluates the processes against predetermined criteria	b) incorporates a range of external factors when	
d) checks the outcomes against predetermined criteria	d) evaluates the outcomes against predetermined criteria	determining own priorities
c)	determines and applies own criteria for evaluating processes
d)	determines and applies own criteria for evaluating outcomes	

KC4: Working with others and in teams

The capacity to interact effectively with other people both on a one-to-one basis and in groups, including understanding and responding to the needs of a client and working effectively as a member of a team to achieve a shared goal.

Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) demonstrates an understanding of a set task and how the	a) can explain to other members of the group the objectives	a) determines the purposes and objectives of the task	
group will work to complete it	and purposes of the task and how these will be achieved by	and how these will be achieved by working together as a	
b) understands and works within a defined group role	working together	team	
c) works with others in the group to achieve the agreed	b) organises procedures and timeframes to take account of	b) establishes roles, procedures and timeframes taking	
objectives within agreed timeframes	different roles and perspectives	into account different perspectives	
	c) works with others to achieve agreed objectives within	c) negotiates with others to define objectives and where	
	organised timeframes	necessary to monitor and redefine them	

KC5: Using mathematical ideas and techniques

The capacity to use mathematical ideas, such as number and space, and techniques, such as estimation and approximation, for practical purposes

Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) clarifies the objectives of the activity	a) clarifies the purposes and objectives of the activity	a) determines the purposes and objectives of the activity	
b) follows guidelines for selecting the ideas and techniques for	b) selects the mathematical ideas and techniques which are	b) recognises the assumptions which need to be made in	
a task	applicable	order to select and apply mathematical ideas and	
c) uses given mathematical ideas and techniques reliably and	c) sequences and applies mathematical ideas and techniques	techniques	
efficiently meets accuracy requirements	reliably and efficiently	c) adapts and reliably uses ideas and techniques to fit	
d) meets accuracy requirements	d) clarifies and meets accuracy requirements	the constraints of the situation	
e) checks that the answer makes sense in the context	e) checks that the answer makes sense in the context	d) determines and meets accuracy requirements e) evaluates methods and solutions	

KC6: Solving problems

The capacity to apply problem-solving strategies in purposeful ways, both in situations where the problem and the desired solution are clearly evident and in situations requiring critical thinking and a creative approach to achieve an outcome

Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) identifies desired outcomes and processes	a) clarifies the desired outcomes and processes and the	a) determines major factors affecting processes and	
b) follows a given process through to an appropriate	relationship between them	outcomes	
completion	b) draws on a range of processes to achieve an appropriate	b) adapts and manipulates processes to achieve an	
c)	responds to faults and difficulties as they arise	completion	appropriate completion	
d)	checks the process and outcomes against specified criteria	c) takes opportunities to improve or enhance processes and	c) anticipates constraints and opportunities and the	
	outcomes	conditions under which they arise	
	d) selects from specified criteria to evaluate the processes	d) determines own criteria to evaluate processes and	
	and outcomes	outcomes	

KC7: Using technology
The capacity to apply technology, combining the physical and sensory skills needed to operate equipment with the understanding of scientific and technological principles needed to explore and adapt systems
Performance level 1	Performance level 2	Performance level 3	
a) follows guidelines to select the most appropriate technology	a) selects, providing justification, the technology most	a) determines the task and selects, providing	
for the completion of a set task	appropriate for the completion of a set task	justification, the technology most appropriate for the	
b) uses a given piece of technology to meet the needs of	b) adapts familiar technology to meet the needs of routine	completion of that task	
routine situations	situations	b) adapts familiar technology to meet the needs of non‑	
c) with guidance uses a piece of technology in a variety of	c) uses a variety of technology and/or a piece of technology in	routine situations	
ways to achieve a required outcome	a variety of ways to achieve a required outcome	c) determines the desired outcomes and uses a variety	
d) uses technology taking into account the relevant health and	d) uses technology taking into account the relevant health and	of technology, or a piece of technology, in a variety of	
safety issues, including responsible classroom/workplace	safety issues, including responsible classroom/workplace	ways to achieve that outcome	
behaviour	behaviour	d) uses technology taking into account the relevant	
e) follows established guidelines for the proficient use of	e) uses technological equipment and materials proficiently	health and safety issues, including responsible	
technological equipment and materials	within the limitations of physical capacity and the work	classroom/workplace behaviour	
	environment	e) manipulates the processes when using technological equipment and materials to overcome the constraints of physical capacity and the work environment