Abstract of a design study about an innovated competence based exam for prospective driving instructors in the Netherlands. Educational psychology now combined with traffic pyschology applied in a down-to-earth practice.

1. Development and evaluation of a competence based exam for prospective driving instructors
Erik Roelofs, Marieke van Onna, Jan Vissers
Introduction
A growing consensus among driver training and road safety researchers is that driver training should
place greater emphasis on higher-order, cognitive and motivational functions underlying driving
behavior (Mayhew and Simpson, 2002; Hatakka et al., 2002). This changed conception of driver
training has been laid down in the Goals for Driver Education matrix (Hatakka et al., 2002). Recent
research seems to support this consensus (Isner, Starkey, & Shepard, 2011; Beanland et al., 2013).
Innovative training initiatives appear to counteract overconfidence and address motivational factors
such as driving anger, sensation seeking, and boredom (e.g. Isner et al., 2009).
Parallel to the doubts raised about the quality of driver training, the quality of driver instructor
preparation programs is criticized. The MERIT review study (Bartl et al., 2005) showed that huge
variations existed in quality of driver instructor education throughout Europe. The contents did not
cover higher order skills. Most programs relied on teacher-focused approaches, which seem to fall
short in developing higher order skills.
In many European countries the quality of the education of driving instructors is regulated by means
of the instructor exam. One may view this as a problem, but on the other side, this also offers
opportunities for improvement. A valid and reliable exam that only allows proficient prospective
instructors to enter the profession, may have a positive backwash effect on driver instructor
education programs, as in other fields of education: teachers teach and students learn what will be
tested (Madaus, 1988).
In the Netherlands, as part of a new law on driving education in 2003, outcome standards for
prospective driving instructors have been formulated. A new two stage competence-based
examination (CBE) was put into practice in 2009. This paper focuses on the reliability and validity of
this new exam.
Material & Methods
The various parts of the CBE were designed using Mislevy’s framework for Evidence Based
assessment (Mislevy, & Haertel, 2006). Stage 1 of the CBE consists of three theoretical tests which
address cognitive decision making skills during driving, lesson preparation, and instruction and
coaching. Stage 2 comprises a half a year internship in a certified driving school. This internship is
concluded with an in-car performance assessment for instructional proficiency.
Assessment data from 4741 prospective learner drivers were used, collected between January 1st
2010 and October 1st 2012. IRT models are used for the scaling of all assessment elements and for
equating test versions across the data collection period. Correlational studies are employed to
estimate relations among the cognitive decision making skills. The predictive validity of these skills
for in-car instructional performance is evaluated.
Results and conclusions
Results on reliability and validity will be reported during the Driver Behaviour and Training
conference. Theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.
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