The Development and Validation of Audiovisual Simulated Performance Tests Using 35mm Slides

Through the creation of the Enlisted Personnel Management System EPMS the U.S. Army is currently replacing Military Occupational Specialty MOS tests with Skill Qualification Tests SQTs. These tests will be used to validate the competence of enlisted personnel at five levels of skill within their MOS and will be made up of a a written component to verify a soldiers knowledge of the job, b a hands-on component that evaluates how well the soldier can perform the job, and c a performance certification component that allows the supervisor to declare how well the soldier can perform tasks not covered in the other two components. In developing SQTs for each MOS area, the Individual Training Evaluation Directorate ITED responsible for the SQT system has encountered problems of high cost, difficulty in maintaining test standardization, and the fact that many critical job tasks cannot be simply translated into job performance tests. Some tasks specify terrain, equipment, or material requirements that are unavailable, and other tasks require conditions so hazardous as to preclude such testing altogether. Also, Test Development Agencies TDA often lack experienced and technically qualified test developers.