CAT test system
The CAT test system (abbreviation for computer-assisted testing) is a system of computer-aided psychodiagnostics that offers a platform for carrying out a variety of psychological test procedures . It was originally developed as an initiative of the Bundeswehr, then looked after by GiKOM CSE Bonn and now by Conet Solutions GmbH
task
Depending on requirements, users can enter their own test procedures in the system or integrate commercially available test procedures. The scope of services of CAT goes well beyond the control of individual test procedures. CAT enables the data management of large numbers of tested persons ( subjects ). By linking to other data storage systems, the test data created in CAT can be enriched with any other data to increase the decision-making certainty in diagnostics.
The combination of all available data can be used to control the specification of test procedures. This functionality makes it possible, under program control, to specify precisely those test procedures that are necessary to make the desired diagnostic decision. Finally, it is also possible to prepare the data created in CAT in any form and to pass it on to other data management systems. The CAT test system thus offers all options for preparing, performing and post-processing computer-aided psychological diagnostics - especially for organizations with a large number of people to be tested.
history
The CAT test system was created in the 1980s as an initiative of the German Armed Forces Psychological Service . In the following years, the system was continuously improved and adapted to the changed requirements and findings of psychological diagnostics (e.g. through the introduction of adaptive testing). For several years now, the software adjustments have been designed and implemented centrally by GiKOM CSE AG in Bonn .
During this period, a number of additional members have been added to the community of CAT. These institutions, with their respective specific requirements for psychological diagnostics, have always given new impulses for the improvement and expansion of the system. In this way, a powerful and proven system was created, which is currently in the 5th generation and is called CAT5.
Current developments
In addition to the ongoing adjustments to current diagnostic developments such as the use of multimedia elements and the expansion of the test methodological functionalities, the ability to enable web-based testing, i.e. the integration of an e-assessment component, should be mentioned here.
This extension offers CAT users the opportunity to receive various data from test subjects outside of the previously used locally bound test rooms as well as to carry out a pre-selection in advance, which increases profitability.
CAT user group
The CAT test system is currently mainly used in Germany and other German-speaking countries. The resulting community of interests of users is called the CAT Usergroup and communicates via its own portal.
The following members currently belong to the CAT user group (as of October 15, 2015):
- Psychological service of the Bundeswehr
- Professional psychological service of the Federal Employment Agency
- German Aerospace Center
- Swiss Army
Once a year, the specialists from psychology and IT belonging to the CAT user group meet for a joint two-day symposium - the so-called CAT user meeting - and inform each other about the current status and planned developments. Synergy potentials are identified and joint projects are planned.
Construction of a CAT system
The structure of a CAT system is mostly uniform for all members as follows
- CAT test subject workstation
- At the test person's workplace, the psychological test procedures are presented to the test person and processed by them. Keyboard, mouse, touchscreen or special devices can serve as input devices. Up to 100 test subject workstations can be connected to a CAT system.
- CAT control station
- The control station is the center for the investigator. From here, the head of the investigation controls and monitors all test subject workplaces in a test room. Here the head of the investigation can intervene in the course of the investigation either actively or initiated by the test person. A single CAT system can be used to carry out examinations in several physically separate rooms. Each room needs its own steering position.
- CAT management station
- The administrative activities are carried out at the administrative workstation. These include, among other things, the recording of test subjects, the generation of evaluations and the control of interfaces to connected systems.
- CAT server
- The CAT server is primarily used to store examination results and as a communication center between the connected functional units. In addition, the so-called psychware is stored centrally and securely here . Psychware is the collective term for all information and media that are necessary for the implementation and evaluation of psychological test procedures.
- CAT ShareServer
- The CAT share server is an optional component of a CAT system. It serves as a collection point for all connected CAT servers and thus CAT systems. It offers a wide variety of services, such as B. the provision of samples, information on probation control and the determination of item parameters. A new function is currently under development that automatically identifies abnormalities in the examination results. A potential abnormality here is, for example, that an item was answered correctly more frequently in the active monitoring period than it was in the same group of people over a longer period.
advantages
The high flexibility of the system combined with the ongoing technical and psychological-methodological improvements offer users complete freedom when using test procedures. Due to the largely uniform architecture of the system within the user community, it is also possible to use it relatively inexpensively and to generate synergy effects.
In this way, further developments initiated by a member of the community can be used by other members with considerably less effort. In this way, the development and maintenance costs are spread across several shoulders.
disadvantage
Due to the extensive functionalities of the system, the use of CAT is only suitable for regular tests and higher numbers of test persons. When using z. B. in a university context for research purposes with case numbers of 200 to 300 test persons per year, the advantages of the system can hardly be exploited, so that there will probably continue to be based on proven methods of paper-and-pencil testing or self-developed computer programs.