Cross-Cutting Skills Assessments in Work-Based Learning

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Credentials, Certificates and Assessment in Career and Technical Education & Workplace Learning

Abstract

Cross-cutting skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are as important as technical and academic skills in preparing youth for postsecondary success. American schools are investing in Work-Based Learning as a strategy to provide more students opportunities to develop these skills in authentic contexts. Yet, unlike technical and academic skills, no gold standard assessment exists that is useful in the education sector and labor market. This study investigates the validity of one state’s assessment practices. Preliminary findings from one school district suggest that a rubric-based approach has little evidence of construct and concurrent validity. These findings reinforce the importance of developing sound assessment practices with employer stakeholders to ensure measurement tools are useful across settings.

Authors

• Anthony M. Perry, University of North Dakota

• Kevin Read, University of North Dakota

• Adam K. Atwell, Old Dominion University