Chapter 10: Assessment of Aptitude

Career Ability Placement Survey (CAPS)

-A multiple-aptitude test battery designed to measure vocationally relevant abilities -The ability measure than can be used for matching students' ability with occupational requirements, educational or training program selection, curriculum evaluation, career assessment, or employee evaluation

DAT for PCA (Differential Aptitude Tests for Personnel and Career Assessment

-a series of tests designed to measure an individual's ability to learn or succeed in a number of areas -suitable for group adminstration and is used primarily for educational and career counseling as well as for employee selection -organizations from various types of industries and occupations use these tests to evaluate a job applicant's strengths and weaknesses and to improve the accuracy and efficiency of their hiring decisions

Multiple-aptitude test batteries

-consist of a series of subtests that assess several aptitudes at one time -yield a profile of subtest scores, one subtest for each aptitude -suitable for comparing an individual's scores across subtests to determine his or her high or low aptitudes -measure such abilities as numerical aptitude, mechanical reasoning, and spatial reasoning

Admissions tests

-designed to predict performance in a particular educational program (SAT, ACT, GRE, etc.) -used in combination with other relevant information (GPA, teacher recommendations), they are a general indicator of future academic success

GATB - General Aptitude Test Battery

-one of the oldest general aptitude tests still used today; has 12 separately timed subtests -Developed by the U.S. Employment Service and was orignially designed for use by employment counselors in state employment offices to match job applicants with potential employers in the private and public sectors -has become popular in both government and private organizations as a method to screen large numbers of job applicants, as well as in high schools for career counseling

ASVAB-CEP (ASVAB Career Exploration Program)

-primarily used with the civilian population -designed specifically to assiste high school and postsecondary students with career planning, whether students plan to enter the workforce, military, or other college or vocational programs

ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

-the most widely used multiple-aptitude test battery in the world -a norm-referenced test that measures aptitudes for general academic areas and career areas that encompass most civilian and military work

COPSystem Career Measurement Package

A comprehensive system that assesses an individual's interests, abilities, and values related to career choice

scores on admissions exams and high school GPA

According to a study sanctioned by the College Board, college student success in the first year can best be predicted by examining

All children develop at different paces

According to the text, a major concern in testing young children before allowing entry into school is that

SAT

According to the text, the most well-known admissions test is the

high school GPA

Although the general verbal and quantitative scales are effective predictores of academic success, the strongest predictor of succes is __________________________.

ability to perform in future tasks

Aptitude tests are assessments used to assess an individual's

readiness tests

Aptitude tests assessing whether or not children are prepared to attend school are called

(a) acquired knowledge (from instruction) and (b) innate ability

Aptitude tests measure one's ____________________________ and _________________________ in order to determine one's potential.

Multiple-test batteries Specialized aptitude tests Admissions tests Readiness tests

Categories of aptitude tests

1. Verbal reasoning 2. Numerical ability 3. Abstract reasoning 4. Clerical speed and accuracy 5. Mechanical reasoning 6. Space relations 7. Spelling 8. Language usage

Eight subtests of the DAT for PCA - Differential Aptitude Tests for Personnel and Career Assessment

1. physical 2. social and emotional 3. learning 4. language 5. cognition and general knowledge

Most readiness tests assess facets of the following five domains

high aptitude

One of the best predictors of an individual's potential to do well is whether they have a ______________________ for a certain type of activity.

predictive validity

The main psychometric component used when examining the results of an admissions test is

Acquired ability to be good at something

Which best defines aptitude? -Individuals ability to complete a given task -Acquired ability to be good at something -Incapacity to be good at something -The amount of effort focused on a given task

Aptitudes

____________________ are about one's "potential" capabilities.

Aptitude tests

aka prognostic tests; measure a person's performance on selected tasks to predict how well that person will perform sometime in the future or in a different situation

Abilities

refer to one's present day capabilities or the power to perform a specified task (either physical or cognitive)

Specialized Aptitude Tests

typically measure a single aptitude (e.g., clerical ability, mechanical ability, psychomotor ability, artistic ability, or music ability)