Designing and Validating a Competency-Based Academic Achievement Evaluation Model

The present study aims to design and validate a model in assessing and evaluating competence based academic achievement of middle school students.The statistical population of the study includes principals, teachers, deputies and counselors of public-secondary schools in West Azerbaijan province. 296 people were selected as the sample using the cluster sampling method. The data collection tool was a the researcher-made questionnaire with 71 items in Likert scale, which were designed according to the research literature. Date was collected by two methods of online questionnaire and mailing of the questionnaire. In order to determine the reliability of the test, a preliminary study on 30 sample members, Through Cronbach's alpha method was used. Using the SPSS statistical software, the reliability of the questionnaire calculated at 0.96. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics including exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis using PLS software. Findings showed that the competency model includes 56 indicators in the form of 13 factors including cognitive ability, learning skills, research skills, emotional skills, attitude structure, personality traits, hard work, lifestyle, and health skills. Social and communication skills, work and technology skills, and social attitudes are also included. Results showed that these 13 factors related to the competency-based evaluation model explained a total of 79.57% of the variance. Also, the competency-based evaluation model presented had an acceptable relative fit.