The Vice-Dean's Office of the College for Educational Affairs and Development, represented by the Alumni Affairs Unit and in cooperation with the Department of Mathematics, organized a preparatory workshop for the Professional Licensing Exam for Educational Jobs.
Dr. Jawaher Al-Zahrani presented the workshop and highlighted the standards and indicators set by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC). She explained the purpose of the professional licensing exam, which is to measure the extent to which applicants meet the minimum standards required for teaching professionals.
The exam consists of two main sections:
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The General Educational Test, which is common to all specializations and assesses three skill areas: educational, linguistic, and quantitative.
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The Specialized Test, which varies by specialization and addresses the concepts and structure of the field. The Commission currently recognizes 36 specializations.
This exam is considered one of the tools that contribute to improving the performance quality of teachers and graduates entering the teaching profession. It also helps ensure that teachers possess the necessary competencies for the profession.
Dr. Al-Zahrani further explained the targeted skills, which include comprehension, speed, mental agility, the ability to solve problems more quickly, and the capacity to maintain mental effort and focus for extended periods—skills developed through intensive training on sample exam questions.
She also highlighted the goals set by ETEC for the professional licensing exam, which include applying the theoretical professional standards practically in the classroom, enhancing the quality of teachers, and encouraging professional development. She discussed the uses and components of these professional standards and provided guidance on how to pass the exam.
In a detailed explanation with examples, she presented problem-solving strategies and key techniques for selecting correct answers: reading the question quickly, identifying key words, understanding the question’s aim, scanning the answer choices, eliminating illogical options, choosing the most suitable answer, and verifying it against the question.
The workshop concluded with a Q&A session in which students’ inquiries were addressed.