october2021 - 52

TRAINING
» ASE certification exams stress real-world
job-related skills with questions developed
through a strict validation process.
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence
technology and systems. This ensures that all
test questions focus on need-to-know topics.
ÜTrick questions and manufacturer-specific
questions are not acceptable. Each question
is reviewed by the entire workshop for clarity
and technical accuracy to ensure there is only
one right answer and three incorrect answers.
ÜQuestions that are accepted by the panel
are included as non-scored pre-test questions
and placed in live ASE tests to gauge
performance. Since test-takers do not know
which questions count, they do their best to
answer every question correctly, and accurate
statistics are collected.
Inside the ASE test
development process
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence
has 57 different tests. Here's how they are developed.
Institute for
Since 1972, the National
Automotive Service Excellence, or ASE, has
been working to improve the quality of vehicle
repair and service by testing and certifying
medium/heavy-duty truck professionals. ASE
has become known as the pre-eminent independent
non-profit organization working to
uphold and promote high standards of vehicle
service and repair.
Today, more than a quarter of a million individuals
who currently hold ASE certifications
work in every segment of the transportation
industry, from automobile and medium/
heavy-duty truck to transit and school bus,
collision repair, parts, military, and more. The
path to ASE certification begins with one or
more of 57 different tests. After passing at least
one exam and providing proof of two years
of relevant work experience, the individual
becomes ASE Certified. To remain certified, the
professional must be retested every five years.
The tests are no cinch to pass; in fact, usually
only two out of every three test takers
pass on their first attempt. The exams stress
knowledge of real-world job-related skills with
each test question developed through a strict
writing and validating process. ASE test questions
are written in workshops by experts in
the subject matter of each specific test. The
test development teams represent a national
cross-section of the motor vehicle service
industry, including current technicians, training
reps from auto and truck manufacturers
and aftermarket companies, customer service
professionals, and educators.
The following is a step-by-step look at exactly
By George Arrants
VICE PRESIDENT, ASE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
George Arrants is the vice president for ASE Education
Foundation. Arrants works with instructors and administrators
to develop partnerships with local businesses
and industries through program advisory committees.
He is the past chair of the Technology and Maintenance
Council's TMCSuperTech, the National Technician Skills
Competition, and TMCFutureTech, the National Student
Technician Competition. His entire career has been in the
automotive service and education industries.
how the ASE tests are developed.
ÜTest questions are developed at test-writing
workshops, which typically include 10-20
working service professionals. Separate
workshops are conducted for each ASE
certification test.
ÜAt each workshop, the participants review
and modify the list of tasks needed to successfully
perform each particular job category
(such as suspension and steering systems).
ÜQuestions are then written by the industry
experts to correspond to these job tasks. The
diagnostic and repair scenarios are updated
to reflect the most current and relevant
52 Fleet Maintenance | October 2021
ÜBased on how well a question performs in
pre-test, it may become a live test question or
be reconsidered in a future workshop. Only
those questions with an appropriate level
of difficulty and strong ability to identify
more-knowledgeable technicians make the
cut. At this point, every question used for
score in an ASE test has been written and
approved by a panel of industry experts
and validated by hundreds or thousands
of working technicians.
ÜEven after a question passes pre-testing,
ASE continues to monitor it. Each question
is tracked for proper performance every time
it is used in a test.
ÜWhen a question becomes technically
outdated, it is removed from the pool of live
test questions.
Questions that are
accepted by the
panel are included as
non-scored pre-test
questions and placed
in live ASE tests to
gauge performance.
Most technicians and fleet shop owners
would agree that each year, trucks are getting
more complex and that repair technology
and diagnostic tools are constantly changing.
While this presents a challenge to the truck
service and repair industry, it also presents a
challenge to fleet management searching for
competent and knowledgeable professionals to
care for their vehicle fleet. By virtue of ASE's
unique and rigorous test development process,
technicians can trust that the ASE tests fairly
assess their knowledge, and employers and
fleet owners can be assured that ASE Certified
medium/heavy-duty truck technicians are up
to the task.
october2021

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