ABSTRACT
This chapter provides some of the most important qualities of competences that make the concept of competence more comprehensive and up to date than, for example, qualifications, knowledge, skills, attitudes and other concepts that deal with the outcome of learning and education. In learning psychology the well-known concept of transfer of knowledge implies precisely that students and learners are often unable to activate what they have learned in relevant situations that are different from the learning situation. Workplace learning is increasingly shaped by the sort of fluid experience, but it needs to be made explicit. Competences are also concerned with learning, developing and improving, but always starting at the level and position one has already reached. As to how the competence developmental processes can be thought of and arranged as learning courses on the social and individual levels, some guidelines can be drawn from the special qualities of competences in combination with learning theoretical and educational considerations.
