How can different aspects of diagnostic competence be promoted? Three measures in comparison

How can different aspects of diagnostic competence be promoted? Three measures in comparison Abstract. A well-developed diagnostic competence is an essential prerequisite for successful teaching and significantly contributes to students' academic and personal development. However, teachers often fail to adequately assess student characteristics such as performance, motivation, or anxiety. Diagnostic competence should already be promoted during teacher education to prepare teachers early for real diagnostic situations and to avoid negative consequences of possible pedagogical mistakes. This paper compares a teacher-centered, a problem-based, and a digital simulation-based intervention for training different aspects of diagnostic competence in a sample of N = 166 preservice teachers regarding their effectiveness. We found advantages for the simulation-based intervention regarding intrinsic motivation and interest, disadvantages for the teacher-centered intervention regarding a systematic approach in the diagnostic process and disadvantages for the problem-based intervention regarding extraneous cognitive load. Results are discussed in particular in terms of their practical implications for teacher education and increasingly digital teaching.