Relationships Among Students' Self-perceived Competency, Knowledge- and Performance-Based Competencies in Foodservice Management

The research study focused on the issue: To what extent is the student's self-perceived competency or self-evaluation a reliable indicator of the effects of program instruction? The study investigated the proportion of variance in students' self-perceived competency associated with (a) knowledge-based competency as measured by paper-and-pencil test, (b) performance competency as measured by observation of actual performance, and (c) self-actualization as measured by Shostrom's Personal Orientation Inventory. Thirty-eight students in two meal management classes were studied. Results showed no relationship between self-actualization and selfperceived competency in foodservice management. A high correlation of .58 was shown between knowledge and self-perceived competency, and a correlation of .5O was shown between performance and self-perceived competency. Multiple regression analyses showed that a combination of knowledge and performance accounted for 52% of the total variance in self-perception. It appears that educators are justified in using students' self-perceived competencies as indicators of students' foodservice management competencies.