The relation between information processing strategies and the development of the body of knowledge of students in competence-based pre-vocational secondary education

In the Netherlands many schools for pre-vocational secondary education (PVSE) are implementing forms of competence-based education. It is assumed that these types of learning environments evoke deeper learning processes and lead to the development and integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes, which is visible in a more elaborate and better organized body of knowledge and in increased opportunities to apply knowledge and skills in relevant contexts. Little is known about the actual learning activities of students and the development of competence in PVSE (Van der Sanden, 2003). This research project aims to generate information about learning in competence-based PVSE, especially with respect to information processing strategies. As the psychometrical quality of different instruments to measure information processing strategies and the development of competence was doubted, a pilot was carried out. The results of the pilot were used to design a large-scale measurement procedure in order to measure the same variables with a larger number of students. In the paper the attention will go to the information processing strategies students use and to the development of the body of knowledge of PVSE students.