2020 RETA Breeze Nov-Dec

RETA TESTING CORNER NO. 22

RETA’S CREDENTIALING EXAMS AND ACTIVITIES Dr. Ron Rodgers, RETA’s Psychometrician (testing expert) and ANSI Accreditation Manager

C reation of each RETA exam begins by defining what candidates must know and do to qualify for a RETA credential. RETA’s Education Committee starts this process by creating books to help candidates prepare to earn RETA credentials. Industrial Refrigeration Books 1, 2, 3 and 4 (IR-1, IR-2, IR3 and IR-4) are the baseline references. The Education Committee attempts to update the first three books every five years. After a book is finished, RETA’s Certification Committee (CertComm) completes many steps to create an exam. ANSI accreditation requires a “firewall” between RETA’s Education Committee and CertComm. While instructors are welcome on the Education Committee, anyone who prepares candidates to take a test to earn a RETA credential is prohibited from serving on CertComm. No person can serve on both committees at the same time to protect the fairness and validity of each RETA credentialing exam. The next step is for CertComm to survey qualified refrigeration operators, technicians, trainers and consultants to assess the importance of each topic in protecting the health and safety of refrigeration operators and other facility employees. These surveys follow publication of each new edition of a RETA book. Survey results determine how many questions on each topic should be on the next version of an exam. CertComm then reviews existing questions in the item bank and drafts new questions for future exams. CertComm retired over 100 CIRO questions that were no longer supported or relevant in 2019 and wrote over 250 new questions for the current 2020 CIRO exams. Each test draws from a bank of several hundred

questions; each question must be supported by a specific chapter citation in at least one RETA book. CertComm requires that each question is relevant and fair to all qualified candidates. Questions must meet all of these criteria to appear in a RETA exam. RETA study guides inform candidates about the content areas in that exam, RETA books that support answers to questions on the test, and references that candidates must use to answer some of the questions during the test. Candidates also may prepare using comparable books in industrial refrigeration. RETA recommends that each candidate become as familiar with the references in each study guide as they are with manuals that support equipment in the facilities they support on the job. These references appear onscreen next to test questions during the exam. Every question on a RETA credentialing examination has four answers. CertComm selects ONE as the BEST answer based on information in the question. Some answers can be found in the onscreen references, but candidates must decide when to consult these references during an exam. The three incorrect answers in each question reflect common errors or misunderstanding by industrial refrigeration operators, technicians, and consultants. It is essential to read the question and each of the answers carefully before selecting the BEST answer. There is no bonus for finishing the test early, but the penalty for going too fast may be a failing score.   RETA also develops practice tests for CARO, CIRO and CRST to help candidates prepare for these exams. Each practice question has been validated using the same criteria and procedures that apply to questions that appear

on the full exam. However, no practice test question can appear in a full-length exam. Candidates may take these practice tests as often as they like for $59 per attempt. A total score of 70% is required to pass each test. All RETA score reports provide content area scores to identify topics on which they scored below 70%. Candidates may use this information to help them improve their performance on a later attempt. CertComm also reviews performance data for RETA exams periodically to revalidate or replace questions on which candidates are not scoring as expected. CertComm includes representatives from many locations and types of experience in industrial refrigeration. CertComm currently includes 17 members who: • Average 20 years of industry experience, ranging from 8 years to over 50. • Five who are employed by end users, four by manufacturers, and eight in technical support or refrigeration industry consulting. • Eleven who are past or present members of the RETA Board of Directors. • Three who are current or past presidents of the RETA Board. All three have served as chair of CertComm. All RETA examinations are designed to meet the Joint Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (2014) and the ANSI 17024-2012 Standards. The U.S. Supreme Court has cited the Joint Standards to define the criteria for fair, valid and reliable tests. ANSI • Are from nine states and 14 RETA chapters.

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