Do Tasks in Final Vocational Examinations Measure What They Are Supposed to Measure?

• In Event: Technical Education in the Workplace

Abstract

A central goal of vocational education and training in Germany is to promote professional problem-solving competencies. However, if problem-solving competencies are the goal, it is also necessary that these are tested in final exams. Otherwise, curriculum, instruction and as-sessment are not sufficiently coordinated. Current examination practice has been criticized for an insufficient linkage to the curriculum and instruction and thus for a lack of construct validi-ty.
In order to find out if examination tasks in vocational education and training are problem-oriented, we analyzed 1,454 tasks from written examinations of selected commercial training occupations. The results show that the tasks are not well suited to measure problem solving competencies. 

Authors

• Eveline Wuttke, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University

• Susan Seeber, University of Goettingen

• Lütfiye Turhan, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University

• Hanna Meiners, University of Goettingen