--- title: Competencies description: "## What are [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/)? [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) are specific sets of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that are necessary for performing tasks effectively and achieving desired outcomes in a particular job, role, or activity. They represent a combination of attributes that enable…" url: "https://www.scholarlms.com/docs/competencies/" updated: "2024-04-20" category: Learning Management System --- # Competencies ## What are [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/)? [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) are specific sets of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that are necessary for performing tasks effectively and achieving desired outcomes in a particular job, role, or activity. They represent a combination of attributes that enable an individual to perform successfully in various contexts. Key elements of [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) include: 1. **Knowledge**: Understanding and awareness of information, concepts, procedures, and facts relevant to a particular field or task. 2. **Skills**: The ability to apply knowledge effectively in practical situations. Skills can be technical (e.g., coding, using machinery) or soft (e.g., communication, teamwork). 3. **Abilities**: Innate or learned capacities that enable an individual to perform tasks. Abilities can include cognitive, physical, and social capacities. 4. **Behaviors**: Observable actions or responses of an individual when performing a task or interacting with others. These may include qualities such as leadership, adaptability, and collaboration. ## How to setup [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) in a course #### Pre-requisites - Before setting up [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) at course or activity level, you must create competency framework. See our detailed guide on how to create [competency framework](/docs/competency-framework/). - Add [Learning Plans block](/docs/learning-plans-block/) so that teachers and students can see [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) waiting for review. **Note:** The [Learning Plans](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/learning-plans/) block only displays for users who are associated with a learning plan. To add [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) in a course: 1. Navigate to the course in which competency needs to be added. 2. On course navigation, click on **More->[Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/)** to get to [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) page. ![Course competency dropdown menu](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123550/doc-course-competencies-menu.jpg) 3. Click **Add [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) to course** button to add [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/). ![Add competency to course](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123549/doc-course-competencies-add-button.jpg) 4. From the competency picker window select [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) to be added to the course. Press Control (Command) key plus click to select multiple [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/). ![Competency picker](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123548/doc-course-competencies-picker.jpg) 5. Once [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) are added to a course, they will appear on the [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) page. From there, you can choose the outcome for each competency when a student completes the course. You have four options to select from: - **Do nothing** — Select this option if competency is based on activity completion not on course completion. More details on this are provided later on this page. - **Attach evidence** — This option automatically attach evidence to the competency. Completed course details will be used as evidence. However, please note that the teacher will not be notified that evidence is available, this where [Learning Plans block](/docs/learning-plans-block/) comes handy to view all competency evidence waiting to be reviewed. ![Learning plans block teacher view](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123533/doc-learning-plans-block-teacher.jpg) - **Send for review** — Upon course completion, this option notifies the teacher on [Learning Plans block](/docs/learning-plans-block/) that a competency is left to be reviewed. - **Complete the competency** — This option automatically marks the competency as complete when the course is completed. ![Competency course completion student view](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123532/doc-competency-course-completion-student-view.jpg) **Note:** To enable marking [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) based on course completion, ensure course [Completion Tracking](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/completion-tracking/) is enabled and that completion criteria are clearly defined. For more information, explore our guide on [how to add course completion criteria](/docs/activity-completion/). ## How to setup activity [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) #### Pre-requisites - Course [Completion Tracking](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/completion-tracking/) must be enabled. - Activity [Completion Tracking](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/completion-tracking/) criteria must be added. Explore our guide on [how to add activity completion criteria](/docs/activity-completion/). To setup activity competency: 1. 1. Navigate to the course in which activity exists. 2. Ensure Course Editing is turned ON ![Course Edit Mode ON](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123656/doc-course-edit-mode-closeup.jpg) 3. Click on desired activity's settings link ![Activity Settings](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123648/doc-activity-setting.jpg) 4. Scroll down on the settings page to [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) tab, select one (or more) [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) and outcome from the dropdown. ![Competency upon activity completion](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123531/doc-competency-activity-completion.jpg) - **Attach evidence** — This option automatically attach evidence to the competency. Completed activity details will be used as evidence. However, please note that the teacher will not be notified that evidence is available, this where [Learning Plans block](/docs/learning-plans-block/) comes handy to view all competency evidence waiting to be reviewed. ![Learning plans block teacher view](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123533/doc-learning-plans-block-teacher.jpg) - **Send for review** — Upon activity completion, this option notifies the teacher on [Learning Plans block](/docs/learning-plans-block/) that a competency is left to be reviewed. - **Complete the competency** — This option automatically marks the competency as complete when the activity is completed. ![Competency course completion student view](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123532/doc-competency-course-completion-student-view.jpg) ## Competency student view An instructor or student can access [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) by visiting the [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) link in the course navigation. The page displays the following information: ![Competency view](https://s3media.scholarlms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15123530/doc-competency-view.jpg) - Total number of [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) this course is linked to. - Total number of [Competencies](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/competencies/) a user has achieved. - Each listed competency then provides the following details: - Competency name and ID - Competency description - Competency path - Competency status (Not yet competent or Competent) - Activities to which this competency is linked from this course. A linked activity will not be visible to the student if they do not meet the access criteria for the activity. - [Learning Plans](https://www.scholarlms.com/encyclopedia/learning-plans/) student is associated and to which this competency is linked.