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Validity Evidence to Support the Development of a Licensure Assessment for Agricultural Teachers: A Job-Analytic Approach

Author(s):
Swiggett, Wanda D.
Publication Year:
2012
Report Number:
RM-12-19
Source:
ETS Research Memorandum
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
39
Subject/Key Words:
Job Analysis, Licensure, Certification, Agriculture, Validity, Praxis

Abstract

A job analysis was conducted to define knowledge important for entry-level agriculture teachers. The results will be used to guide the development of new test content specifications for The Praxis Series Agriculture assessment. A draft domain was constructed from national standards, Pennsylvania state standards and current test specifications. A national advisory committee (NAC) of agriculture teachers and college faculty reviewed and modified the draft domain to reflect the knowledge they believed was important for safe and effective practice and needed at time of entry into the profession. The revised domain consisted of 74 statements clustered within eight major categories: (a) Agribusiness Systems; (b) Animal Systems; (c) Food Science, Products, and Processing Systems; (d) Environmental and Natural Resource Systems; (e) Plant Systems; (f) Power, Structural, and Technical Systems; (g) Leadership and Career Development; (h) Biotechnology Systems. Survey responses of 198 agriculture educators provided independent evidence of the importance of the domain. Respondents judged each knowledge statement on a scale ranging from 1 (not at all important) to 5 (extremely important). A total of 46 knowledge statements had mean ratings above 3.50 in the aggregate sample and for subgroups containing more than 30 respondents. The results indicate that these 46 statements may be considered appropriate for guiding the development of new test content specifications for the Praxis Agriculture assessment.

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