Abstract

The results of the research presented in this article describe the construction of an instrument to measure and evaluate basic university level competences. It is an instrumental type of study as both psychometric theory and techniques are applied. The theoretical framework for competences is based on the content of the Delors report (1996) and the ideas commonly shared by Perrenoud (1998), Roegiers (2001), De Kelet (1996), Beckers (2002) and Scallon (2004). The focus on basic university level competences was taken from Marin (2013). For the construction and validation of the instrument, two approaches were used: The Theory of Item Response or Theory of Rasch (1980) and the Classic Theory of Tests (1950-1960). The methodology applied was an instrumental one, geared to the development of a test of psychometric properties. The participants were university students of initial, intermediate and advanced levels in the degrees of education, psychology, communication and political science from the following universities: Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua (UACH), Chihuahua and Ciudad Juarez campus and the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan (UADY) Yucatan and Tizmin campus. The statistical analysis was processed by the SPSS 17 program using the Windows/StartGraphics Plus 5.0 version.

Key words:  Basic university competences, psychometric instrument, validity and reliability.