With substantial involvement of German researchers, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is currently designing a Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) project for assessing Vocational Education and Training (VET). In addition to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Prof. Stephan Abele, Chair of Vocational Education at TU Dresden’s Faculty of Education, is actively involved in the preparatory work for this project.

Prof. Stephan Abele heads the international expert group “Automotive Mechatronics.” This group comprises experts from seven countries, including Australia, Brazil and Portugal. Together, they are working to develop a definition of the vocation of “automotive mechatronics engineer” that is as precise and comprehensive as possible. “As a team, we are elaborating the core skills of an automotive mechatronics engineer. Building on this, we will develop an approach for measuring and comparing these skills on an international scale,” Prof. Abele explains.

The group was compiled by the OECD and augmented by Prof. Abele and three of his colleagues. Following bilateral meetings between Prof. Abele and each of the experts, virtual meetings were held every three weeks these past months to discuss a valid approach for the skills assessment of automotive mechatronics engineers. The focus lay on the following questions: What are the core skills of automotive mechatronics engineers? What content does the occupation comprise and how can skills be assessed?

“Unfortunately, practical examinations with vehicles are simply not possible. This is due to the associated costs and time required as well as a lack of reproducibility and thus comparability of results,” explains Prof. Abele. “Therefore, we have lay the focus on developing a reliable testing procedure and testing instruments on a technology-based environment. We want to assess the skills of trainees in a computer environment using simulations and videos that are true to the occupation.”

Being able to work together with international experts under the leadership of the OECD is a unique opportunity for the Chair of Vocational Education to compare its research approach with others worldwide and to use these observations to refine it. “This is an honor for the Chair. And it is a unique opportunity to expand our international network even more and set up new collaborations,” Prof. Abele says. “For me personally, taking on the leadership position means a lot. It is a sign of great appreciation of my previous work. I have been advocating for an international PISA for vocational education for over 15 years and now that it’s finally happening, I get to be involved. And of course, we hope to be involved in the 2^nd phase as well as to conduct research and continue to work in this context in the long term.”

The first draft for the framework for international vocational education and training skills assessment for automotive mechatronics is now complete. “We will have to finalize our chapter, including our assessment approach, by the end of the year,” says Prof. Abele. The results generated by the expert groups help answer the question of whether an international skills assessment in vocational education and training is feasible. They will also be influential in deciding whether or not the PISA project will advance to the pilot phase in 2024.

About PISA VET:
The Programme for International Student Assessment, PISA for short, is recognized worldwide as a survey of school performance. Taking account of pioneering German VET research and the BMBF’s ASCOT skills research initiative, the OECD is currently developing an International Vocational Education and Training assessment project (PISA VET). BMBF support helps the OECD and German skills researchers working in international OECD teams to develop reliable testing procedures and instruments that enable an adequate and scientifically valid measurement of the specific features of dual vocational education and training in consideration of the great diversity of VET systems.

More information about PISA VET can be found at:

• OECD: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/vet.htm
• BMBF: https://www.bmbf.de/bmbf/en/news/pisa-vet.html

Up-to-date information about the work of the expert groups for automotive mechatronics can be found on the Chair’s Twitter page (in German): https://twitter.com/Berufspaed_TUD

Contact:
Prof. Stephan Abele
Tel: +49 351 463-37641