Large scale studies of holistic professional competence in vocational education and training (VET): The case of Norway

Abstract

Context: In this paper, we review and discuss the piloting in Norway of a German methodology for competence diagnostics in vocational education and training: the Competence Development and Assessment in TVET (COMET) project. Our overarching theme is determining to what extent such large-scale assessment systems are valid for international comparisons in this sector. Method: We present the theoretical underpinnings of the COMET model and position our discussion within the broader context of the concept of “professional competence” (berufliche Kompetenz) and methodological guidelines for its measurement. Terminology from psychometrics on “measurement equivalence” is described and serves as a template for identifying challenges in using the Norwegian data for comparative purposes. Our pilot included students and apprentices in health care, industrial mechanics and electricians and was designed as a three-year follow-up study from the second year of upper secondary school through two years of apprenticeship. Each year, a test on professional competence and a context survey were administered. Similar studies have been conducted in Germany, China and South Africa.Results: In line with the results from these countries, the Norwegian participants had low scores, particularly the electricians. However, the diagnostic instrument was sensitive to the development of professional competence, and progress on the assessment was influenced by the quality of the learning support in the companies, as reported by apprentices in the context survey.Conclusions: The COMET platform may be a viable prototype for the development of diagnostic tools, which may support the monitoring of quality factors at different levels and inspire local improvement projects in schools, companies and training offices. Such an objective would be in line with the latest summaries of the COMET project, in which its contribution to a model for international large-scale assessment is toned down and replaced by a stronger emphasis on its potential for measuring competence development, evaluating contextual factors and generating data for didactic innovations.

The relevance of transversal competences in vocational education and training: a bibliometric analysis

“…In addition, the development of assessment tools for VET competences cannot be based on extensive previous research and accumulated knowledge about vocational expertise (Muja et al 2019) because so far, there are few empirical studies conducted at this level. Hence, the design of such tools should be tested for feasibility and an agreement needs to be reached on the definition of concepts such as "vocational competence" or "generic competence" (Lahn and Nore 2019). Other experts consider that these competences have to be defined and assessed in an occupation-specific way.…”

“…VET system has adopted in many countries a competence-based education and training (CBET) methodology which makes it necessary to identify what forms of assessments must be undertaken to meet its demands (Ab Rahman et al 2014;Lahn and Nore 2019). In other words, the current challenge is to set a valid, reliable and practical way to assess the acquisition of those competences in VET.…”

Developing a Research Tool for Investigating Religious Knowledge as Part of Religious Literacy: The Questionnaire – First Results – Possibilities for International Comparisons

“…The rationales for carrying out such tests can also be seen as mixed, not only as focused on the improvement of learning, teaching, curricula and school, but also on the interest in global knowledge-based economies and national competitiveness (e.g. Lahn & Nore, 2019). A specific risk for RE is how testing may systematically marginalize certain central aspects of the subject, such as existential, learning-from-religion aspects since learning-about-aspects are easier to operationalize (Blaylock, 2000).…”

Fra logg til blogg: Yrkesfaglæreres digitale kompetanseutvikling gjennom designbasert praktikerforskning

“…For å kunne håndtere slike sammensatte prosesser og samhandle på tvers av ulike kontekster, etableres det ofte "grenseobjekter" (boundary objects) i form av tegnsystemer som brolegger kognitive, strukturelle og strategiske avstander mellom sosiale kontekster. Dermed skapes en operativ, men motsetningsfylt plattform, som muliggjør samhandling på tvers (Akkerman & Bakker, 2011;Leigh Star, 2010;Star & Griesemer, 1989) og i hybride laeringsarenaer (Lahn & Nore, 2019). Akkerman og Bakker (2012) omtaler ePortfolioer og lignende teknologi som "grenseobjekter".…”