Academic Standard
A statement of expectation for demonstrated knowledge or performance in the academic disciplines.

Authentic Assessment
Collection of assessment data in the context of student performance of actual occupational, academic, or life tasks.

Benchmarking
The establishment of generalized achievement criteria to be met during phases of the learning process.

Career Cluster
A career area that includes multiple related positions and titles, and applies to various organizations and industries.

Competency-Based Education
Competency-based education is an organized set of learning experiences that are:

• based on competencies (knowledge, skills, attributes) to be demonstrated by the learner
• derived from occupational expectations
• explicit in stating expected mastery levels

Competency-based education involves both the ability to perform in a given context and the capacity to transfer knowledge and skills to new tasks and situations.
Competency-Based Education and Training

Context (of a performance assessment)
The surrounding circumstances within which the performance is embedded. For example, problem-solving/troubleshooting can be assessed in the context of specific technical content (e.g., PC principles and operations) or in the context of a real-life laboratory problem requiring the use of math, science, and communication skills.

DACUM (Developing a Curriculum)
A structured process used to identify the primary functions and tasks within a career cluster by gathering data on essential job requirements from practitioners and other experts.

Foundation Skills
Basic academic and employability skills learners need to be effective in the modern workplace. Foundation skills, based largely on SCANS, are often areas of "process" development (e.g., critical thinking, teamwork, and communication) in the curriculum.

Information Technology
…Encompasses all the technologies used for creating, abstracting, visualizing, presenting, collaborating, communicating and otherwise 'managing' the flow of information.
John Viulami
The World of Information Technology

Integrated Curriculum
A way of organizing curriculum content, for example, the integration of technical skills and foundation or workplace skills that enables the learner to transfer and apply skills in several settings.

Integrated Learning
Exposure of students to learning experiences that involve collective use of knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of settings.

Key Competencies
Specific, observable behaviors, knowledge, abilities and skills that detail and support the learner program outcomes. Attainment of key competencies leads to the successful achievement of program outcomes.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
A cluster of attributes deemed necessary for the successful performance of a job or task.

Learning Component
Key teaching/learning areas (meaningful categories of related skills and knowledge) that reflect curricular emphasis. Learning components emphasize either technical knowledge (e.g., business knowledge, word processing) or foundation skills (e.g., problem-solving/troubleshooting, written communication).

Learner Program Outcomes
Statements that support each of the major learning components by describing what learners must know and be able to do by the end of the program. Two additional levels of detail support the learner program outcomes: key competencies and performance indicators. Leaner program outcomes are determined through input from industry skill standards, course syllabi, local advisory boards, subject matter experts, academic standards, etc.

Module
A unit of education/learning that can be assessed independently and combined flexibly with other units.

Project-Based Learning
A teaching/learning method that combines multiple related activities.

Performance Assessment
Direct observation of student performance or student work and professional judgment of the quality of that performance against pre-established performance criteria.

Performance Indicators
Specific criteria, or characteristics, that detail and support the key competencies, and constitute evidence of learning. Performance indicators may be used to assess learner attainment of skill and knowledge competencies. The performance indicators are often divided into two levels: proficiency and expert.

SCANS (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills)
A 1991 federal report that identifies skills and competencies necessary for work readiness in any career area. The skills are divided into foundation skills (basic skills, thinking skills and personal qualities) and workplace competencies (allocating resources, interpersonal skills, using information, and understanding social, organizational and cultural systems).

Skill Standards
Voluntary standards that establish the industry-identified knowledge, skills and abilities required to succeed in the workplace. Skill standards detail specific performance attainments that are measurable. Skill standards answer two critical questions:

• What do workers need to know and be able to do to succeed in today's workplace?
• How do we know when workers are performing well?

Teaching/Learning Strategies
Teaching methods and learning approaches that best promote the learning of the technical content and foundation skills.

Technical Knowledge
Specific learning components that apply to technical learning outcomes.