Content
- SMART Competence Assessment - A tool developed to help assess SMART related competences.
- If you are a Participant
- Key concepts and terms that you need to know to properly use the tool
Competencies
Staff levels
Competence Categories - The competencies used for the online SMART Competence Assessment Tool
1. SMART Competence Assessment - A tool developed to help assess SMART related competences
This Competence Assessment Tool (CAT) or Training Needs Assessment (TNA) tool is based on the SMART Competences - Register of Competences for the users of the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool, named hereafter The SMART Register.
The SMART Register was developed at the initiative of the SMART Partnership, with the goal of defining and classifying the competences needed to use SMART effectively in adaptive management of conservation sites. This online tool is designed for helping SMART trainers and users in identifying competence needs and defining capacity building curricula and approaches.
You are on this platform because:
- A. You want to set up an assessment group and invite people to perform self-assessments. In this case you are an Assessor. Please go to Assessor User Guide.
- B. You were invited via email to perform a self-assessment of your SMART related competences, hence you are a Participant in an Assessment Group. Please read section ”2. If you are a Participant” below.
2. If you are a Participant
You will perform the self-assessment either in a guided process or on your own:
- If you are invited to an online or face-to-face meeting by an Assessor, all you have to do is to wait for the meeting. All participants will perform the self-assessments during the meeting.
- If you are instructed by the Assessor to perform the self-assessment on your own, please continue to read the instructions presented below (Steps for completing your self-assessment without guidance from an Assessor).
It is strongly recommended for you to read also the next Section ”3. Key concepts and terms that you need to know to properly use the tool”.
Steps for completing your self-assessment without guidance from an Assessor:
- In the invitation e-mail click register an account or accept invite if you already have an account.
- Go to My Assessment to start the self-assessment and click Start to begin the assessment.
- Read the information on the first page of your assessment. Please read carefully the COMPETENCE ASSESSMENTS SCALE! You are going to use this scale for the self-assessment, it is important for you to understand it well.
- Enter the required personal data in the form and give your permission for the results of your assessment to be used, without using your personal data, for training needs assessments and related studies and to help design and plan capacity building materials and events.
- Click on Save and go to the next page to start the assessment.
- You will see the first page of competences from the list of competences potentially relevant to your SMART Role. There are explanatory notes and/or examples described at each of the competences to help you better understand them. Please carefully read each competence and the associated explanatory notes!
- Assess your level of competence for each competence using the options from the drop-down list (this list is based on the Competence Assessment Scale provided on the first page of your assessment.
- After selecting the competence level, another selection will appear on the right: you are asked to select the relevance of the competences for your SMART related work. If you selected NOT RELEVANT for the competence, the relevance selection does not appear.
- Once you completed the page, click ‘Save and go to the next page’ at the bottom and move to the next page. You will be reminded if you missed any assessments.
- Your assessment progress will be saved automatically after each step, hence, if you do not finish the self-assessment in one go, you can come back any time later to complete the assessment. Please make sure to complete it before deadline indicated in the invitation email. When you return to your assessment click continue.
- You will be able to edit & revise your choices at any point before submitting the self-assessment. However, once submitted, you will not be able to return to your answers.
- When you completed your self-assessment Submit it.
- You can see your own results at My Assessment -> Completed Self Assessments.
3. Key concepts and terms that you need to know to properly use the tool
In the TNA tool we refer to a conceptual framework, which is agreed internationally, and described in the Global Register of Competencies for Protected Area Practitioners.
Training Needs Assessment (TNA) or Competence Assessment (CA) – an assessment of ‘competence needs’ or ‘competencies’ (see below) related to a job or tasks. The results of the assessment should indicate which of the competences you need for your work should be improved through various learning modes.
Competencies
This tool is developed using a competence based approach. This means that it helps you assess the knowledge and skills that are needed to fulfil your present and/or future tasks and, as far as possible, some of the aspects that are related to your attitude to the work you are carrying out. Therefore, it is helping you to self-asses the competencies you need.
- Skills refer to the ability to perform tasks and solve problems .
- Knowledge is about the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices that is related to a field of study or work.
- Attitude is about a stable, long-lasting, learnt predisposition to respond to certain things in a certain way. Attitudes are formed on the basis of beliefs, feelings and intentions. Having the right attitude helps ensure that an individual completes the task positively, professionally, ethically and conscientiously.
The competence-based approach in building the capacity of SMART users refers to providing learning opportunities that enable SMART implementers to develop or acquire the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to effectively perform tasks for the the effective use of SMART.
THE SMART COMPETENCE REGISTER
The SMART Competence Register was developed at the initiative of the SMART Partnership. The goal was to define and classify the competences needed to use SMART effectively in the adaptive management process of Conservation Areas and of biodiversity conservation.
This register defines sixty-four SMART specific competences, arranged in four functional categories covering competences needed for establishing the enabling environment, for development, deployment and management of SMART, for collecting information from the field and for analysis, reporting and adaptive management.
The competences are structured for 4 job levels: executive, senior manager, middle manager / technical specialist, skilled worker.
Staff levels
Staff levels and associated typical positions and SMART roles in the context of a CA or a National level entity acting as SMART coordinator are briefly presented below. Please go to the SMART Register for details about Staff Levels.
Competences are grouped by staff levels, as defined in The SMART Competence Register. For each staff level the SMART CAT defines SMART roles to be attributed to staff. Staff levels and SMART roles are summarized in the table below.
LEVEL |
LEVEL 4 |
LEVEL 3 |
LEVEL 2 |
LEVEL 1 |
Generic role |
- Central direction and management of large organizations. |
- Direction and management of medium-sized organization. |
- Management, organization and leadership of technical sections and teams implementing plans and projects. |
- Completing specific and sometimes complex tasks and assignments under regular supervision. |
Typical positions in the context of SMART |
Centrally based decision makers and senior managers for area-based management. |
Conservation area directors and managers. |
Conservation area section heads and technical specialists (e.g. head ranger, ecologist, IT manager) |
Conservation area field-based staff. |
Typical role in the context of SMART |
Establishing the enabling environment and operational framework for official and integrated deployment and use of SMART at the national/regional level). |
Enabling and directing deployment and use of SMART at the site level; developing the framework for setting up SMART and coordinating data collection, analysis and reporting. |
Administrator/Analyst: operating and maintaining the entire system and keep it up to date to ensure the flow of data between the field and management. Providing reports and analyses. |
Collecting data in the field according to agreed systems and methods. |
SMART Roles defined in the SMART CAT |
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For the national level |
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For CA level |
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Competence Categories
Competences are grouped in 4 categories in this SMART Register. Each category has a three-letter code and title. A brief description of the overall competence is provided below
- Category EEE - Establishing the Enabling Environment
Establishing the enabling environment and operational framework for official and integrated deployment and use of SMART at the (inter)national level. - Category DDM - Development, Deployment and Management of SMART
Deploying and setting up the SMART system and managing its use and outputs - Category FDC - Field Data Collection
Planning and implementing collection of data for SMART. - Category ARA - Analysis, Reporting and Adaptive Management
Analyse and report on SMART outputs and use the results to adapt and improve management.
The table below presents general competence statements by competence categories and personnel levels. For each category there is a description of what an individual with a certain SMART role should be able to do. See the detailed list of competences here.
|
CATEGORY |
Overall competence |
Level 4 general competences |
Level 3 general competences |
Level 2 general competences |
Level 1 general competences |
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The individual should be able to …. |
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EEE Establishing the Enabling Environment |
Establishing the enabling environment and operational framework for official and integrated deployment and use of SMART at the (inter)national level |
Enable the establishment of (inter) national policies and other measures to support effective deployment and use of SMART. |
Enable the establishment of SMART to support effective and adaptive management in a conservation area. |
Build understanding o f and engagement in SMART at the operational level. |
Not applicable |
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7 specific competences. |
7 specific competences. |
4 specific competences. |
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DDM Development, Deployment and Management of SMART |
Deploying and setting up the SMART system and managing its use and outputs |
Not applicable |
Direct conservation area-based deployment of the SMART system. |
Set up and maintain the SMART system. |
Not applicable |
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5 specific competences. |
12 specific competences. |
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FDC Field Data Collection |
Planning and implementing collection of data for SMART |
Not applicable |
Direct planning and implementation of SMART data collection. |
Plan and coordinate field data collection and support responsible personnel. |
Collect information from the field for the SMART system. |
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5 specific competences. |
4 specific competences. |
8 specific competences. |
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ARA Analysis, Reporting and Adaptive Management |
Analyse and report on SMART outputs and use the results to adapt and improve management |
Integrate SMART into high-level reporting, policy development, management and resource allocation. |
Use SMART to document, assess, adapt and improve area level management. |
Analyse and report on SMART outputs and operationalise adaptive management. |
Not applicable |
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4 specific competences. |
3 specific competences. |
5 specific competences. |
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The link between SMART Roles, Staff levels and Competence Categories: is illustrated in the figure below.
4. The competencies used for the online SMART Competence Assessment Tool
The full list of competencies used in the online tool is the one presented in The SMART Competences: A register of competences for users of the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting tool.
For each of the 64 competences in The SMART Register you will find on the platform:
- - the Competence Statement, as in in column B of the table below,
- - the associated competence code (see column A), formed by the Category code and the number of the competence in its category,
- - a brief explanation of the competence (as in column C below).
Code |
Competence Statement. |
Details, scope and variations. |
A |
B |
C |
EEE 3.1 |
Lead a feasibility assessment to determine the potential for deployment and use of SMART for a conservation area |
• Identifying the aspects of site management to which SMART could effectively contribute (e.g. protection, biodiversity monitoring, tourism and visitor management, site use and management, etc.). |