Technology-based and Problemoriented Testing in Commercial Professions

Conception of a Training Concept for Teachers and Trainers

Abstract

Occupational requirements are currently undergoing many changes – not least due to digitalization. On the one hand, a larger proportion of (routine) professional activities are being automated, while on the other, the remaining work presents employees with more complex challenges. These changes have an impact on vocational education and training, as they increase the demands on graduates. In particular, they are expected to be able to solve commercial problems independently and competently. This demanding goal has long been reflected in commercial curricula. However, curricular requirements are not enough; there must also be sufficient learning opportunities in companies and vocational schools to systematically promote this competence. In addition, problem-solving skills should be assessed in final examinations as part of professional competence in order to determine the extent to which this goal has been achieved.
However, an analysis of tasks from commercial intermediate and final examinations for industrial clerks and office management clerks shows that it is predominantly simple (practical) knowledge that is tested. Tasks that cover professional problem-solving skills only play a subordinate role. Reasons for this could include insufficient competence in the development of problem-oriented tasks and a lack of further training opportunities to promote this competence among examiners. A training course was therefore developed, implemented and evaluated to enable teachers and trainers in commercial professions to develop problem-based technology-based tasks and to reflect critically on them with a view to measuring problem-solving skills. The technology-based implementation was chosen because it allows professional requirement situations to be modeled more authentically.