Report of RADTECH Student Performance on the PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised

Transcription

1 Report of RADTECH Student Performance on the PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised The PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised is an instrument designed to produce basic information about students enrolled in health occupations. Institutions have used this instrument as a screening device (along with other instruments and data) to determine whether or not a student should be admitted to a program. Examining post-test scores enables program faculty to examine if any growth occurred that is reflective of a student s overall academic growth. The PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised contains five tests:,,, Information in the Natural Sciences, and Vocational Adjustment Index. A brief explanation of each test is provided for readers: Test 1. This test section contains 3 subtests: Verbal subtest, Arithmetic subtest, and Non-Verbal subtest. Use of the TOTAL score for this section more or less refers to a student s ability to learn. The test content is specifically adapted for appraising the combination of genetic and acquired abilities that are needed for work of an academic nature. The TOTAL Test emphasizes familiar experiences and concepts while requiring careful reasoning and the capacity to comprehend and draw conclusions. Subtests. The Verbal subtest consists of 30 vocabulary-related test questions. Empirical evidence has show this type of test item to be highly related to academic success. The Arithmetic subtest has a numerical aspect that consists of 30 items drawing largely from arithmetic. To some degree, it involves skill with arithmetic concepts along with computational speed. The content of the numerical items is that to which practically all eighth grade students have been exposed. The Non-Verbal subtest consists of 30 test items calling for a comprehension of form relationships. Measurement is in terms of the ability to manipulate things mentally, to reason out differences in pictured objects, and to deal with concrete materials through visualization. Recognition of relationships and of differences has been shown by research to be basic to learning aptitude. Test II.. The test measures skill with a too essential to written expression or communication. It also reflects educational achievement in basic tools of learning. Test III.. Reading comprehension measures one s ability to comprehend direct statements, to interpret passages, to see intent of authors, to observe organization of ideas, and to extract information from paragraphs with respect to ideas and purposes to read and understand what is read. 1

2 Test IV. Information in the Natural Sciences. Measurement with this test concerns accumulation of information in the natural sciences, e.g., biology, chemistry, health, safety, hygiene, etc., at an elementary level. The relationship of knowledge in the area of the natural sciences to the course of study for a student in the allied health occupations is an obvious one. Test V. Vocational Adjustment Index. This index focuses on a person s characteristic life style as is reflected in his or her distinctive educational and occupational adjustment. Feelings, attitudes, opinions, and other personality characteristics and behavioral traits which may be quite acceptable in many situations may not be those desirable for the prospective allied health professional either as a student or as a practitioner. [Information for tests was reprinted from Understanding Your Student Test Record and Profile Chart, published by PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination, Psychological Services Bureau, Inc., nd.]. The Data. This report is organized through the use of tables and narrative. The tables, noted below, provide the data foundation for discussion regarding if and how the instrument aids program faculty in their choice of students to admit to the program, as well as whether or not the instrument yields information about student learning. The first set of tables show the PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised instrument provides two types of data: the student raw score as an instrument result, and the comparison of local scores with a national average. Raw scale Mean scores form the basis of this report. Each set of values are used in a comparative basis by examining the differences between MCC s RATE program entry scores and compared with all MCC entry scores; student entry scores compared with national data; and analysis of pairsample entry exit scores to show growth. Since 17 students entering several allied health programs were required to take the PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised (PSB-HOAE). As was mentioned, the PSB-HOAE serves as a testing device that shows a student s propensity for a career in the allied health field. Table 1 provides a comparison of entering RATE students and those for other allied health programs. The table shows mean scores and standard deviation values for each of the tests. The data show that RATE students are typical of MCC students entering the allied health programs. Although there are some score means that are higher than those for RATE students, the amount of variation, among the scores, is equivalent. 2

3 Table 1 Score Comparison between RATE Students and All RATE Students All Exam Category n Mean SD n Mean SD Vocational Adjustment Index NOTE: Comparison data was obtained for OTA, EMPT, PTA, and HITE Programs. Table 2 provides comparison information for RATE students with those from a national sample. As can be seen in Table 2, the national data is located in the far right columns. As can be seen, RATE students outperform all entry students with their knowledge of. The remaining scores, with the exception of Information in Natural Sciences, are similar for RATE entering and all entering students. A closer look at the standard deviation values supports a similarity in variation between those data sets. Table 2 Score Comparison between RATE Students and All All RATE Students (National Norm) Exam Category n Mean SD n Mean SD Vocational Adjustment Index

4 Table 3 provides a comparison for three types of entry students: RATE students, all MCC allied health entry, and those from the PSB-HOAE national sample. Table 3 is designed to show the differences from the national sample Means. The Mean difference column refers to the difference in Means between RATE and national sample entry scores. Most noticeable is the difference between RATE and MCC entry scores for reading comprehension as compared with the national sample. The RATE reading comprehension Mean is nearly one and one-half scale points higher than reported for the national sample. The national Mean scores for academic aptitude and information in natural sciences vary between four and one-half to nearly seven scale points. Table 3 Comparison of Mean Differences Between RATE, MCC and National Normed Respondents Exam Category RATE All MCC PSB-HOAE Sample Scores Mean * Difference Vocational Adjustment Index NOTE: * Mean difference refers to the difference from RATE entry students with those of the PSB-HOAE Sample Scores. The last table is a comparison of entry and exit scores for students enrolled in the RATE program. The entry and exit score refers to student that entered and successfully completed the program. Table 4 shows the data for 23 matched pairs of scores. A paired t was calculated for each of the pairs. Readers should note that, with the exception of one test (vocational adjustment index) exiting RATE students raised their PSB-HOAE scores significantly. As can be seen in the tables third data column, the score differences varied from a low of an 1.6 increase to a 9.26 scale Mean increase. The greatest increase was for the academic aptitude test at 9.26 scale Mean points. The four column contains the significance values for each item. The only score that did not increase from entry to exit was for vocational adjustment index; noting a decrease of 1.95 Mean scale points. 4

5 Exam Category Table 4 Comparison of RATE and Exit Scores n = 23 Score Exit Score Difference Sig Vocational Adjustment Index This report has been a summary of the use of the PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination-Revised with the MCC s RATE program. Use of the PSB-HOAE is based on the notion that it is important to know whether a student increases his or her aptitude for various test components as they matriculate MCC s RATE program. Table 4 shows that significant growth occurred in four of the five test subjects; faculty continue to examine the relationship of the vocational adjustment index scores. Summary Provided by the Office of Research, Evaluation and Assessment, March 29,