Candidate: David L. MacQuarrie

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Educational Studies

Title: Automotive Service Technology Intersectional Skills Proficiency Assessment

Committee: Dr.Brooks Applegate, Chair
Dr. Warren Lacefield
Dr. Charles Coleman

Date: Friday, November 4, 2005 1:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m.
3306 Sangren, Dean's Conference Room

Abstract: This dissertation focused on the creation and validation of a criterion referenced credentialing assessment of Automotive Service Technician's Intersectional Skills (ASTIS) proficiency. These intersectional skills are prerequisite and common to multiple job level tasks that an Automotive Service Technician (AST) performs on the job. An assessment of the ASTIS was created to aid automotive technician employers in the evaluation of hiring prospective technician employees and is not duplicated by current certifications (e.g. ASE) as they do not uniquely assess these skills. This dissertation focused on the ASTIS skills and the information an employer can obtain pertaining to a prospective employee's knowledge of them. There are four aims to this study. The first aim was to discover the domain of the ASTIS knowledge, concepts, and skills and to represent them in such a manner that a credentialing assessment can be created. The second aim was to construct and field test an ASTIS Proficiency Assessment. The third aim was to establish validity evidence of the ASTIS Proficiency Assessment (ASTISP Assessment) through contrasted groups and criterion related analyses. The fourth aim was to derive and set an initial cut score standard that would parallel existing AST credentialing assessments. Results of the analyses indicated that the ASTISP Assessment had a good internal reliability estimate of " = .799. The concurrent validity relationship between the predictor assessment scores and s the criterion scores were moderately low, r = .371. The relationship's weakness was attributed to the criterion measurement's general rating scales as it was designed for the evaluating supervisors' technical skill level. External relationships between the ASTISP Assessment scores and developmental indicators exhibited moderate relationships, further indicating validity. Contrasted groups analyses revealed a 100% Discriminant Function Classification between AST experts and non-AST experts. Objective based contrasted group techniques were employed to derive two cut score standards and one criterion referenced score. Discriminant Function Classifications were 100%, 95.3%, and 95.8%, for the derived cut scores and 80% for the highest level. The latter percentage was attributed to the low scores and the low cell count of five AST experts for that particular cell.

Related Topics

Main List of Archives:
Dissertation Defenses

Current Dissertation Defenses