Modeling and Training a New Concept of Teachers' Diagnostic Competence

Diagnosing the abilities of students is one of the most central tasks that teachers need to perform in order to create an effective class that will meet the needs of their students. So far, accuracy in teachers’ judgments has been measured by correlating their judgments with the results of standardized tests. However, an ongoing request exists to shift the focus from diagnosing students’ achievements to diagnosing learning behavior in order to allow for didactic action afterwards. Furthermore, there is a call for further education programs in that field. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop and test a model of teachers’ diagnostic competence that accounts for students’ learning behavior. The model should close the gap between previous empirical research on diagnostic competence and recent theoretical demands. A further purpose of the study was to train teachers and teacher students in this new diagnostic competence by developing and evaluating a training program and a standardized diary based on the model. As a third purpose, the correlation between teachers’ diagnostic competence and counseling competence should be tested. These competences obviously accompany each other, but the correlation has never been proved yet. First, theoretical components of teachers’ diagnostic competence were identified by summarizing multiple demands mentioned in the literature; thus building a process consisting of three postulated dimensions. Second, potential predictors of teachers’ diagnostic competence that influence competence development were identified. Third and most importantly, the robustness of the claimed three-dimensional model was tested using confirmatory factor analysis and this model was compared with a g-factor model and a twodimensional model. To test the model and measure diagnostic competence concerning learning behavior in the sense of the model, new instruments needed to be developed. Additionally, the validity of the newly developed scenario-test to measure diagnostic competence was considered. The influence of postulated predictors of competence Modeling and training a new concept of teachers’ diagnostic competence development was also tested for (a) a group of teachers, (b) teacher students in the first phase of German teacher education, and (c) teacher students in the second phase of teacher education. Finally, differences in the levels of diagnostic competence of teachers, teacher students in their second phase, and teacher students in their first phase of teacher education were tested. Results indicate that the hypothesized three-dimensional process model indeed provides a very good and substantially better fit than the other models, and – for validation purposes - it is possible to predict an appropriate diagnosis by the model content. Knowledge and professional self-concept turn out to be substantial predictors of diagnostic competence, but reflected experience unexpectedly does not. Teachers and students in the first phase of education differ significantly in levels of competence, and students in the second phase differ from students in the first phase. However, there is no significant difference between teachers and students in the second phase. The first paper included in this dissertation is about the model, its predictors, the scenario-test and the differences in competence levels. In the second paper, a newly developed training program and standardized diary based on the tested model, are dealt with. In that study, pre- and posttest measures were combined with time-series data to evaluate the training program. Results show that the training program does enhance teachers’ diagnostic competence, especially when it comes to actions before and while diagnosing. The diary proves to be an accurate instrument to measure transfer, but it has no additional intervention effect to the training program. As the demand for diagnosing learning behavior and fostering students individually increases, the concept proves to be helpful both in teacher education and further education. The third paper deals with the correlation between teachers’ diagnostic competence and counseling competence, because diagnosing is especially relevant to counseling as it permits a teacher to provide accurate feedback and giving feedback in turn is part of the Modeling and training a new concept of teachers’ diagnostic competence postaction dimension of the tested model. Diagnostic- and counseling competence are measured within the same sample and a statistically significant correlation was found for total scores as well as for selected predictors of the competences. In latent regression analysis, counseling competence could be predicted significantly by diagnostic competence, but when the regression was computed separately for teachers, and two groups of teacher students, a prediction was only possible for teachers. Nevertheless, the data finally shows the correlation between diagnostic and counseling competence empirically. Part 1 of this dissertation consists of a synopsis. It gives a theoretical introduction to the topic leading to the research aims, followed by an overview of the three papers and a summarizing discussion. In part 2, the three original papers can be read, beginning with the one, in which the model is tested, followed by the paper about the training program and standardized diary and ending with the paper about the correlation of diagnostic and counseling competence. As a result of this dissertation, a three-dimensional model of diagnostic competence that accounts for students’ learning behavior has been established. It builds a profound basis for training programs and should be considered for correspondent modules in teacher education. With the developed scenario-test, an adequate instrument to measure the competence close to real behavior, but anyhow efficient, exists. The training program is effective in most variables and the standardized diary seems to be a promising instrument to measure the application of diagnostic strategies every day at school. Furthermore, the correlation between diagnostic and counseling competence could be shown empirically. This relation should be considered in teacher education and further training programs which could aim at fostering both competences with regard to their correlation