Learning Performance in Vocational Secondary Schools: Testing Academic Achievement in Electrical Engineering

Abstract

The study intends to construct a valid academic achievement test for assessing students’ learning performance in electrical engineering for vocational and general education. Reviewing of experts, textbooks, and curriculum guides helped to determine educational objectives. In order to assess learning performance, a 76-item pilot test was generated. Cronbach’s alpha, principal component analysis (CPA), varimax rotation, discrimination validity, item difficulty, and item discrimination indices were exploited to measure validity and reliability. Results showed test levels accounting for 64% of total variance. Cronbach’s alpha was high (0.96), and correlational analyses reported that the test scores are valid indicators of student learning performance. Furthermore, the test provides an acceptable difficulty value ranging from 0.30 to 0.78, while the test introduced a sufficient discrimination value that ranged from good to excellent items. Finally, the authors present the 60-item version of the academic achievement test in electrical engineering for vocational and general education.