An interesting release from Microsoft is this free “HR tool” – designed to assist school administrators fill staff positions. Microsoft says that the Education Competency Wheel will help in the process of identifying candidates for school leadership roles, selecting principals, or hiring new teachers to staff open classrooms.

Six core “success factors,” make up the wheel’s hub. These are:

Individual Excellence. Ability to achieve results by working effectively with others in various circumstances.
Organizational Skills. Ability to communicate by various means within different organizational settings.
Courage. Ability to speak directly, honestly, and with respect in difficult situations.
Results. An emphasis on goal-oriented action.
Strategic Skills. An array of skills used to accomplish focused, longer-term goals.
Operating Skills. An array of skills used for daily management of tasks and relationships.

These six factors are expanded on the website, providing a rubric for each of the 37 specific competencies, with 4 proficiency levels identified in each.

Just yesterday I was having a conversation with two senior staff from a local secondary school about how to assess professional competence, and the range of tools, measures and processes that are available.

I’ll be interested to explore this one further to see how applicable it is to the NZ context -particularly in light of the recent release of the revised NZ Curriculum (draft for consultation) with its emphasis on competencies as measures of success for learning.

An interesting first impression is that among the full list of 37 competencies there is no mention of curriculum or subject knowledge.