Throughout the school year, career and technical education (CTE) programs provide opportunities for learners to gain new technical knowledge and skills that will prepare them for their chosen career path. After months of hands-on and theoretical learning and time spent with the tools of the trade, learners participate in post-testing to validate their skills and receive recognition for the gains they have made.
Because post-testing is typically administered at the end of a program, learners, teachers, and program administrators have most of the school year to get ready for testing. Let’s explore a few things to consider when preparing for post-testing.
Benefits of Post-Testing
A critical feature of post-testing is measuring student knowledge and skills as they leave a program and providing a credential for students as they continue their education or enter the workforce.
It can be helpful to know the other ways post-testing can benefit your program.
For example, comparing pre-test and post-test data can help measure knowledge gains and identify areas for improvement. A pre-test is administered to determine a student’s baseline knowledge at the beginning of the course. After post-testing is complete, CTE teachers and administrators can analyze the percentage changes between the scores and pinpoint areas for further consideration.
Post-testing is also a great way to engage advisory committees and local industry. NOCTI’s skill-based credentials provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills by using the tools, materials, machines, and equipment found in the occupation. Local industry professionals are invaluable resources and can strengthen CTE programs by lending their expertise in serving as performance test evaluators.
Other benefits of post-testing include:
- Recognizing CTE student certification achievement at awards ceremonies.
- Improving local and state accountability.
- Strengthening connections between secondary and postsecondary education.
- Preparing students to enter the workforce and/or continue their education by demonstrating career readiness.
Planning Considerations for Post-Testing
Planning for post-testing can begin as soon as the school year starts. Different areas of planning include student preparation, coordinating test dates, and configuring devices for online testing.
Student Preparation
- Review pre-test data to determine areas that need remediation or review. Pre-test data helps teachers and students identify areas needing improvement, make curriculum adjustments, reduce test anxiety, and craft a more individualized instruction plan.
- Consider incorporating study guides into student preparation plans. Study guides include checklists and a breakdown of the credentialing assessment’s knowledge-based and skill-based components.
Coordinating Test Dates
- Work with instructors to determine test dates and titles to be ordered.
- Create a testing calendar to include ordering timelines, testing dates, and makeup dates.
Configuring Devices for Online Testing
- Establish if test administration will be completed in single or multiple sessions.
- Determine what accommodations are needed for students and find out if the test provider offers the accommodations you’ll need.
- Find out what specifics are needed by the site’s purchasing department. Is a quote or purchase order required?
- Determine what type of recognition is offered (e.g., credential, digital badge, college credit recommendations).
Compare Results with Program Goals
Data is a powerful tool, but determining which data is useful and how it can be used to make program improvements can be challenging for any educational professional. When students complete a credentialing assessment, CTE educators receive in-depth cumulative and individual score reports. Take note of any patterns or trends occurring in the data. For example, comparing pre-test and post-test data can be helpful in understanding if students are truly learning (and retaining) the knowledge and skills critical for their chosen career. Does the data reveal specific technical skills or learning gaps that should be addressed program wide? How much did a group of students improve compared to peers at the district, state, or national levels?
CTE educators can use this program-level data to show program impact to administrators, community, and advisory committees.
NOCTI provides support and resources for those looking to use their data to demonstrate a CTE program’s impact and make program improvements. From resources on how to put your data to work to professional development workshops, NOCTI provides CTE professionals the tools to make informed decisions with a goal of improving student success.
Here are some additional resources of interest:
- Putting Your Data to Work. Explore the various aspects of data-driven instruction with how-to examples and tips for all CTE professionals.
- Connecting Data to CTE Program Improvement. Learn more about how data connects to CTE program improvement and helps equip future workforces for success.
- Pre-Testing and Data Webinar. Gain insight into how to best utilize NOCTI pre-testing for program and student success. This webinar recording (along with many others) is available on-demand from our website.