Constructing and validating authentic assessments: the case of a new technology-based assessment of economic literacy

Background

Authentic situations are considered a source of learning due to their real world relevance. This can encourage learners to acquire new knowledge. Increasing digitisation and associated resources, such as professional development opportunities for teachers, technology tools, or digital equipment for schools enable the development and implementation of authentic assessments. The basic academic principles for acquiring economic literacy are already provided in lower secondary school. This article examines, using the example of a new authentic technology-based assessment (TBA)—Economic Literacy—Assessing the Status Quo in Grade 8 (ECON 2022) -, the processes involved in constructing a TBA. The purpose is to develop a curricular valid measurement instrument for surveying the current state of economic literacy in the 8th grade of a German federal state. This study explores which economic competencies students—typically between 14 and 15 years of age—possess in Grade 8, and what level of competence can therefore be expected of them at the beginning of a vocational training programme. The assessment is geared toward the curriculum of the subject of economics and is based on a domain model. This article presents the background and construction process for the development of ECON 2022 as a TBA.

Methods

To check the validity of test construction with a focus on the implementation of the authentic assessment and an analysis of difficulty-generating characteristics, the ECON 2022 test items were validated with an expert survey (N = 25). The two-stage data analysis comprised a descriptive quantifying analysis of the rating from the difficulty-generating characteristics specificity, cognitive demand and modelling and the design criterion authenticity. A set of experts rated the criteria. The expert survey was then compared with a previously conducted rating by the research team. The analysis of free-text comments on individual items was carried out discursively and qualitatively by the research team. Both sources of information were used to adapt the test items to measured item difficulties from the field test. For this purpose, items of great difficulty were changed to slightly easier items. In this context, the paper focuses on two central research questions: - How does the authenticity of a test environment relate to difficulty-generating criteria at item level? - Does the authenticity of a test environment have an impact on test results?

Results

Results are as follows. (1) The ECON 2022 assessment offers an example of a test design in which the use of TBAs can support innovative and interactive item development. (2) Using the ECON 2022 assessment enabled the implementation of an assessment of economic literacy using authentic situations and the mapping of different facets of economic competence. (3) The validation study showed that the actual item difficulty did not correlate significantly with the authenticity of the assessment, and authenticity thus did not contribute to item difficulty.

Conclusion

The results of the study show that we were successful in developing an authentic TBA in ECON 2022. ECON 2022 allows us to examine economic literacy in schools with a high degree of curricular validity and relevance and to analyse what level of competence and knowledge can be expected of students when they enter a vocational training occupation.