Relevance and state of research

The Bologna declaration^[1] has terminated the long tradition of the Diplom degree in many European states, including Germany, and has introduced the BA/MA degree. The current state of research provides little empirical evidence on the effects of this structural change and the comprehensive study reform on the development of student competence. Systematic analyses have to be conducted with the help of empirical assessment models in order to assess competence as a feature depending on the main structures and processes of the university system (i.e. studying for a BA/MA or “Diplom” degree) as well as on individual factors (e.g. intelligence, motivation, epistemological beliefs). This does not only apply to Germany, but is of international relevance (Kuhn & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia 2011).

Theoretical base and research questions

The project ILLEV is funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research. It focuses on comparing the development of competence among prospective teachers who study Business Education in the old (Diplom) and new (BA/MA) degree programs. On the basis of the “Model for Professional Teacher Competence” (Weinert 2001; Shulman 1986) the project focuses on economics content knowledge and motivation including control variables like common cognitive competencies (intelligence), and attitudes. The change from the Diplom to BA/MA degree program allows for comparisons between the programs regarding the development of content knowledge and motivational orientations.

For the assessment of students’ motivation to study two scales were used. The two scales focusing on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to study are adapted from an existing questionnaire (Schiefele 2002). For the assessment of content knowledge and thinking the “Economic Education Test” (WBT, Beck et al. 1998; an adaptation of the American Test of Economic Literacy (TEL) from Soper and Walstad 1987) and the Business Administration Knowledge Test (BAKT, Bothe et al. 2005) were validated with regard to the curriculum and applied.

[1] In Bologna in 1999 the European ministers for Research and Education decided to modernize and align the university systems of all member states and associated states.

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