|
The Observation assessment, administered via videotape, measures the examinee's skill in paying attention to instructions and demonstrations, and in noticing details. The scenarios and questions are based on the actual demands of the workplace, and selections take the form of video presentations of individuals in various workplace settings. When presented with increasingly complex situations, examinees are asked to pay careful attention to steps to be followed in a process, to safety procedures, and to quality-control standards. Factors influencing the complexity of an observation task include how many variables the task involves, how strongly the examinee is directed to pay attention to certain details, and how many distractors (e.g, extraneous details) are present and how strong these distractors are.
The assessment contains multiple-choice questions at four levels of complexity, with Level 3 being the least complex and Level 6 the most complex. Although Level 3 is the least complex, it still assesses a level of observation skill well above no skill at all. The levels build on each other, each assuming the examinee's proficiency at the skills assessed at the preceding levels. Each level is represented by three scenarios, each of which is followed by three items, for a total of 36 items. Total testing time, which is split into two sessions, is approximately one hour: session one lasts approximately 25 minutes, and session two lasts approximately 35 minutes.
Level 3
Questions at Level 3 are based on tasks that involve only a few simple components and include no extra details or distractors. In these work situations, instructions or demonstrations are clearly presented in a straightforward manner and attention is strongly directed toward particular elements or details.
At Level 3, the examinee is required to pay attention; watch and listen to a strongly cued demonstration or set of instructions; and recall a few strongly reinforced details of a process or procedure.
Level 4
Questions at Level 4 are based on tasks that involve more than one component. In these work situations, the demonstrated processes or procedures are straightforward, clearly explained or easy to follow, and contain few extra details or other distracting information. The examinee's attention is moderately directed toward important details.
At Level 4, in addition to demonstrating the skills of the previous level, the examinee is also required to · sustain focused attention on the demonstrated instructions, process, or procedure; select and attend to important details; and recall a few important, moderately reinforced details about the demonstrated process or procedure.
Level 5
Questions at Level 5 are based on tasks that include a number of attributes or details which are presented simultaneously. The scenarios may incorporate some extraneous details or distractors. In these work situations, several important details are presented which are not explicitly cued.
At Level 5, in addition to demonstrating the skills at the previous levels, the examinee is also required to focus attention on and recall several important aspects about the information presented; ignore irrelevant background information through selective attention to important details; maintain attention to detail; and recall several important details about unfamiliar material.
Level 6
Questions at Level 6 are based on tasks that include several components. The scenarios often include several strong distractors and/or extra details. In these work situations, none of the many attributes or details presented are specifically highlighted, and only some of them are directly discussed or explained.
At Level 6, in addition to demonstrating the skills at the previous levels, the examinee is required to notice and remember several details that are relevant to the process or procedure being shown; take in and store incoming sensory information so it can be used to make predictions, comparisons, or evaluations; visualize how a detail or task fits into the entire process or procedure demonstrated; and interpret "if-then" and "cause-effect" relationships.
|
|
