Differential Aptitude Tests Form K (DAT-K) – 2008 edition - NEW

Differential Aptitude Tests Form K (DAT-K) – 2008 edition NEW

Background

The Differential Aptitude Tests Form K (DAT-K) was developed by the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa and was first released in 2000. The DAT-K contained nine aptitude tests and can provide a profile of relative strengths and weaknesses. The reference group was the South African school-going population in Grades 10, 11 and 12.
Since 2000 the DAT-K has been applied in a variety of settings. The test was also properly standardised in another SADEC country. Feedback from test users was overwhelmingly positive. Suggestions were also made about aspects that could be improved. Consequently steps were taken to revise the DAT-K in appropriate ways and to publish the DAT-K - 2008 edition.

Time required

Many test users pointed out that too much time was allowed for some of the tests. Based on several administrations where testees were allowed as much time as they needed, new time limits were set. Considerably less time is required with the revised time limits, while testees are still afforded adequate opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.

Example items

The idea with the examples before each test is to demonstrate how questions should be answered and to convey an understanding of a few basic problem-solving strategies. Test administrators found some of the practice examples less than optimally useful for attaining these objectives. Consequently some practice examples were modified to make unambiguous and simple explanations possible. All learners should now be able to follow the explanations and benefit from them.

Editorial improvements

When large numbers of responses were analysed, it became clear that a few of the distractors were not functioning as they should. Such malfunctioning distractors were appropriately modified to improve questions.
In the previous version the line-thickness of drawings was not always consistent and in a few cases lines were not quite sharp. All the figures in the tests were redrawn to ensure a clear and neat appearance.
English and Afrikaans items were previously presented side by side, except for reading comprehension. The argument for presenting the languages side by side was that the testee should be able to select the language he/she feels most comfortable with. However, some test users need to determine the ability of the testee to solve problems when the problems are presented in English. They do not want to see how well testees can solve problems when they are presented in some other language. Consequently the revised test book was made available in English only.

Added tests

The Price Controlling test included in the DAT-L proved useful for test users and it was decided to make similar tests available in the revised DAT-K, bringing the number of tests to 10. The test user has a choice between two sets of questions. One set of questions deal with food and the other with clothing. The tester should select the one with the better face validity for a particular situation. Norms for Test 10 are not yet available at this stage.

Additional norms

Test users made data available to Mindmuzik and on the basis of this data additional norms have been developed and included in the manual for the DAT-K - 2008 edition. There are now also norm tables for sales assistants, office workers in a provincial government department who have passed at least Grade 12 and norms for rural and urban learners in another SADEC country.
Test users will find that the information available in the manual of the DAT-K – 2008 edition will contribute to the confidence with which they can use the DAT-K in counselling and selection.

Test material