Badge Of Honor: Making it Better
By Bill Kersten
10/18/2007
This one is for the instructors out there. Are you interested in enhancing your training program and improving the student outcomes? If so, NATEF has something to help in our End of Program (EOP) tests, which can not only help take your program to the next level, it just might help you secure Perkins IV funding!
The NATEF End of Program Tests are designed to measure students’ knowledge of course content and learning outcomes within an automobile technician training program. The test series is made up of eight separate tests based on the ASE automobile test categories. These tests include a combination of theory and vehicle service related questions, and are developed using the NATEF task list. All students will receive a pass/ fail score for each test. Although this is not an ASE certification test, students who pass all four of the test categories that correspond to the NATEF Core Areas (Suspension & Steering, Brakes, Electrical/Electronic System, and Engine Performance) will receive an ASE Student Recognition document and insignia.
The NATEF EOP tests offer other significant benefits, which include:
• A mechanism for demonstrating student knowledge to help your school qualify for funding under the Perkins IV program;
• An accurate, meaningful way of measuring student knowledge of course content;
• The EOP questions are created by industry and education subject matter experts using the ASE test development process;
• Convenient, computer-based delivery, proctored and administered at each school, which virtually eliminates student-induced errors in scoring caused by improperly completed paper answer sheets;.
• Instant scoring of test results;
• The NATEF EOP tests are accepted in most programs nationwide; and
• Programs are not required to be NATEF certified to use the EOP testing.
One of the biggest challenges facing any automotive technology program is demonstrating its value to parents, students and school administration. Having a process in place to clearly show student knowledge of course content and learning outcomes gives you a recognized industry benchmark to measure the success and effectiveness of your program. As mentioned above, these are critical metrics when applying for funding under the Perkins IVprogram.
The cost is minimal and schools can order these tests directly from NATEF. In addition, the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format offers a significantly longer testing window than the old paper and pencil format, instant score results, lower cost to the school, and the ability to carry over unused test credits to future administrations. The EOP tests are available for automotive and collision repair and refinish programs, with the first collision EOP test in Painting and Refinishing available in Spring 2008. You can get all the information you need on the EOP tests available, along with information on how to obtain and use them, at the NATEF website at www.natef.org.
For the past 25 years, NATEF has been working to help improve automotive training programs nationwide. The EOP tests are the latest tool to continue that work. Together, your program and the NATEF EOP tests can help produce the best in tomorrow’s technicians.