Assessing and Developing Universal Competencies of Pedagogical College Students

Abstract

This study primarily aimed to develop and validate the Universal Competency Assessment Tool (UCAT) as an assessment instrument aligned with the Education and Training Quality Authority’s (BQA) 21st-century skills framework. Using data from 623 undergraduate teacher-education students at Bahrain Teachers College, UCAT’s measurement quality was evaluated through reliability and structural validity evidence, drawing on both self-perception indicators and performance-based scoring. Results supported the intended eight-domain structure: exploratory factor analysis using principal-axis extraction with oblimin rotation indicated strong sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.923) and a significant Bartlett’s test (χ²(780) = 5828.163, p < .001), and confirmatory factor analysis further demonstrated excellent fit for an eight-factor correlated model (χ²(712) = 711.157, CFI = 1.000, TLI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.030). Performance scoring showed strong interrater reliability across domains (ICC(2,1) = 0.714–0.880; weighted κ = 0.713–0.879). As a secondary aim, UCAT was used to estimate students’ competency levels and to quantify self-performance discrepancies, revealing consistently higher self-perceived scores than performance-based scores (dz = 0.310–0.762). Finally, the study explored whether students’ reported exposure to selected instructional practices was associated with performance outcomes; these models explained only small proportions of variance (R² = 0.005–0.023). Overall, the findings provide evidence that UCAT yields structurally valid and dependable scores for assessing universal competencies in teacher education and underscore the value of triangulating self-report with performance evidence in competency-based assessment.