Competence Diagnostics: Trainees, Students, and Teachers

Three important experiences for the COMET test procedure were made early on in the COMET project: (1) The test format of the open complex test tasks opens up the possibility of including the most diverse forms of vocational training; (2) the test task format is characterized by the fact that the solution spaces of the open test tasks make it possible to measure detailed differences in the competence levels of test takers; and (3) the set of four complex test tasks represents the central vocational fields of action of an occupation. The eight criteria of the complete task solution: functionality, clarity/presentation, sustainability/use value orientation, economy/efficiency, business and work process orientation, social compatibility, environmental compatibility, and creativity. The competence levels that build on each other: I nominal competence (risk students), II functional competence (know-that), III processual competence (know-how), and IV holistic shaping competence (know-why). Measuring teacher competence: The central task of teachers at vocational schools is to enable students to help shape the world of work and society in a socially and ecologically responsible manner. This guiding idea forms the justification framework for a competence model. It includes the dimensions commonly used in competence modeling: The requirement dimension is identical to the one in the competence model for trainees. The content dimension includes the task areas of teaching, educational programs, learning environment, and school development. The action dimension includes the fields of action planning, selection of means and methods, execution function, and process feedback as well as controlling and evaluating.