Nachtests

Nachtests, literally "post-tests" in German, are follow-up assessments administered after an initial test or learning unit. They are used to measure retained knowledge, verify mastery of learning objectives, and inform remediation or instructional adjustments. Nachtests occur across education levels—from secondary schools to universities and vocational training—and can also be employed in professional certification programs to assess continuing competence.

In practice, Nachtests are often designed to cover the same content as the original assessment or target the same skills, though substitutions or alternative items may be used to reduce practice effects. They are typically scheduled after a defined retention interval and can be formative or summative in nature, depending on policy and goals. Some programs require a minimum Nachtest score to demonstrate mastery, while others use the assessment as a diagnostic tool to guide further study.

Implementation considerations include ensuring comparable testing conditions, providing timely feedback, and offering remediation if gaps are found. The reliability and validity of a Nachtest depend on test design, the interval since the initial assessment, and alignment with learning objectives. Potential drawbacks include test fatigue, increased anxiety, and unequal access to preparation resources; policies should balance fairness with the aim of supporting learning.

Historically, the concept is associated with mastery learning and retention assessment, serving as a tool to verify long-term understanding rather than short-term recall. See also formative assessment, retake policy, mastery learning, and retention testing.