In many countries inside and outside Europe the concept of competence-based education (CBE) has become increasingly popular (Weigel, Mulder & Collins, 2007; Biemans et al., 2009). Competences are used more and more as the starting point for designing curricula and instruction methods. From August 2010, institutes for vocational education and training (VET) in The Netherlands are legally bound to adopt a competence-based curriculum. The process of implementing CBE has not gone smoothly, because the Dutch government did not provide institutes with sufficient instructions on how CBE should be implemented. Moreover both in research and educational settings there is no consensus about the concept of CBE (Klarus, 2004; Onstenk, de Bruijn & Van den Berg, 2004; Biemans et al., 2009). Therefore, Dutch researchers constructed a model for CBE (Wesselink et al. 2007a). The model outlines eight crucial characteristics of CBE and the development of these characteristics on four levels ‘from traditional VET to CBE’. The model is based on a thorough (international) desk research on the principles of CBE by Mulder (2004), a focus group discussion and a delphi study (among experts in the field of CBE). The model can be applied in The Netherlands and in many other countries given the similarities with respect to the implementation of CBE. A second study was carried out to determine the extent to which the CBE-model can be interpreted and is perceived as useful by teachers in VET in the Netherlands (Wesselink et al., in press).The researchers conclude that the model is understandable and useful. Teacher teams are able to determine their current position with respect to implementing CBE in their study programmes as well as future goals with respect to the design of competence-based education with the CBE-model (Biemans et al., 2009). Although the model can be considered understandable according to the teachers, they did have some remarks. Teachers considered the model to be too complex, the steps between some levels were too large and some parts of the model were considered ambiguous (Wesselink et. al. 2007b).

The research findings of Wesselink et al. (2007b) illustrate that the CBE-model requires further adjustments. Both at a national and local level there is an increasing sense of urgency to achieve consensus about the concept of CBE ( Biemans et al., 2009). In this respect, further adjustments of the CBE-model are necessary. Previous studies of Wesselink et al. (2007a and b) were conducted in the agricultural sector of VET among a relatively small amount of participants. This current study will be conducted among all four VET-sectors (technology, commerce/administration, services/health care and agriculture) in The Netherlands and its purpose is to validate the CBE-model from the practitioners’ point of view. The following research questions will be answered: Which adjustments of the CBE-model are necessary in order to apply the model as a valid instrument (for teachers and researchers) to describe the extent to which  CBE is realized in study programmes? What is the teachers’ opinion about the adjusted CBE-model? Two (sub)studies will be conducted.

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