Criterion-Referenced Assessment According to the Competency-Based Approach: Geography in Secondary Education in Morocco – A Case Study

Abstract

This study aims to address the issue of standards-based assessment within the competency-based approach, in which both teaching and assessment are centered on solving meaningful problem situations that demonstrate learners’ ability to mobilize and apply their knowledge and acquired competencies in diverse contexts. Learners’ performance is assessed through assessment rubrics based on descriptive and progressive rating scales that indicate the extent of their mastery of learning resources and the acquisition of targeted competencies according to predefined performance levels. This type of assessment requires the formulation of objective standards that enable educators to make accurate judgments and informed decisions regarding learners’ ability to complete complex tasks, thereby reflecting their level of mastery of learning resources and the targeted competencies in accordance with those standards. The study adopts subject-specific competencies in Geography at the secondary education level as a practical model and examines standards-based assessment in this subject by highlighting its characteristics, the methodology for designing standards-based assessment tools, and the procedures for developing their corresponding scoring rubrics.