Assessment of Professional Competence in a Construction Management Problem-based Learning Setting

This paper discusses the congruence between problem-based learning (PBL) and competencybased assessment and describes how competency based assessment has been implementedin a professional construction management programme. The design andunderlying principles of assessment approaches used to determine students' professionalcompetence through use of professional standards to frame learning and assessment arediscussed. Through presentation of preliminary findings of a case study that explores staffand student experiences in the construction management programme, the authors describethe issues and challenges they have encountered in implementing competencybased assessment in a PBL programme within the context of higher education.