New Perspectives in Science Education

This article analyzes the issue of ʺcompetencesʺ from different perspectives: conceptual clarifications, situational and structural approaches, methodological and action. Emphasis establish the connections between different categories and types of competencies, but also on identifying mechanisms for designing competences specific to school subjects. The innovative approach of the proposed approaches is related to the three-dimensional conceptualization of competence (action logic, curricular logic, learning logic on the one hand, and two-dimensional logic of the priorities of the types of activities in relation to the personality development directions and/ personality development with types of activities within a domain of knowledge). Situations are the "source and criterion" of skills. A competence is the result of interaction between person-action-situation. The approaching of competence from the situational perspective also includes curricular logic (competence as the finality and form of manifestation) and is a curricular tool designed to provide the learning process (learning logic). At the same time, for all fields of activity a competence is the condition and indicator of performance and efficiency.
Competences are therefore a transferable and multifunctional package of knowledge, skills, abilities, values and attitudes that allow the person to achieve his / her fulfillment and professional development, social inclusion and professional involving in the field.

Keywords: competence, teleological, key skills, transversal skills, specific skills, unit skills, activities, prepro­cure­ment, knowledge, skills, attitudes, taxonomy of skills;