Assessing Tomorrow’s Potential: A Competence Measuring Approach in Vocational Education and Training

Abstract

Adequate measurement of action competence remains a central target of vocational education and training research; adequate measurement approaches in the vocational domain clearly are a prerequisite for accountable systems to authorize access to professional activities, as well as for future large-scale assessments. For the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, competence assessments in the area of business and commerce rely mainly on final examinations that attempt to measure not just knowledge but also action competence. To evaluate and improve a test instrument, this chapter considers two questions: (1) how valid and reliable was the original test-format, and (2) how valid and reliable are the corresponding assessment results of a recently developed prototype? The study relies on statistical procedures (e.g., IRT scaling), applied empirically to a sample of 1768 final examinations of industrial managers in the original format, and to 479 industrial managers taking a prototype new format. The advanced prototype version appears as a more valid and accurate instrument to capture action competence. We conclude that several practical steps can be undertaken to improve current assessment practices in the area of business and commerce.

Appendices

Appendix

Ceraforma Keramik AG

Since its foundation in 1982, Ceraforma Keramik AG has developed into an expanding and globally active industrial enterprise, having their head office in Aachen, Germany. The company is involved in the production of ceramic goods, such as china and porcelain for tableware and vases or sanitary ware.

In the past, the management of Ceraforma Keramik realized that the four divisions: procurement logistics, production, human resource management as well as marketing and sales, were operating too independently of each other, which caused disturbances in the performance process and led to customer complaints. In response to these problems, so-called horizontal teams were established, consisting of work members from different company divisions.

You have been employed with Ceraforma Keramik in such a horizontal team since the beginning of this year. Here, the allocated customer orders are being handled in all business processes, ranging from the receipt of orders to the settlement of accounts. Ms. Kenk, the team leader, Mr. Friebel and Ms. Hoffmann, the new trainee, are your colleagues in the horizontal team.

Business Process 1

Situation

Your team just received a new customer enquiry. Your colleague, Mr. Friebel, shows you the following e-mail, which arrived on 30 March 20… at 10:17.

• 1.1 Since there have not yet been any business relations with the Bauhannes Ltd. company, you are requested by Mr. Friebel to gather detailed information on the financial standing of the potential customer.

  Which two kinds of information would you gather to assess the risk and which two outside sources would you contact?

  

• 1.4 After repeated negotiations the company Ceraforma accepts the order from the DIY Bauhannes at the price stipulated by Mr. Schwienert. Receipt of confirmation of the order by email is on Friday, 6 April 20... You have been informed that there is no suffient quantity of quartz crystal on stock to execute the order. You are therefore required to order 25 tons of new quartz crystals. You then contact various suppliers by mail and you receive the emails below from Mineral Seifert AG from Aachen, and Tam-Quarz Ltd. from South Africa:

Please compare both offers and give reasons for which offer you would decide. When making your decision you should consider also possible risks and social and ecological issues, besides financial aspects. Also bear in mind that Ceraforma have sufficient liquid funds and that discounts granted can be fully exploited.