Rethinking STEM Mastery: Assessment  Inflation and Transfer Readiness in Early Circuitry Education

Rethinking STEM Mastery: Assessment  Inflation and Transfer Readiness in Early Circuitry Education  Author: Janix K. Asare Abstract  Traditional educational evaluation frequently equates immediate post-instruction exam performance with stable, actionable competency. This study challenges that assumption by examining the learning trajectories of 31 primary school students (n=31, ages 8–13) in urban Ghana undergoing an introductory robotics and circuitry curriculum (Asare, 2026). While traditional metrics indicate highly significant short-term gains—with mean scores rising from a baseline of 81.7% to an immediate post-test mastery of 96.0% (p = 0.002, d approximately 0.60)—an unannounced, hint-free practical transfer challenge administered 21 days later revealed a near-total collapse in initial execution capacity. Only 3% of students successfully completed the circuit on their first attempt, requiring a sample mean of 3.06 diagnostic iterations to reach performance compliance.  To explain this stark divergence, this paper introduces and contrasts two distinct frameworks: Assessment Inflation Theory and Transfer Readiness Theory. We argue that immediate post-testing does not merely measure learning; it systematically inflates our estimate of independent student competence by capturing a temporary cognitive state heavily subsidized by immediate instructional proximity.