Dtg reaction test

[TDK]

I'd already decided that was all I was going to focus on next time, one second is a lot longer than most people would realise. Can't explain how much of an idiot I feel, I really wish I'd known that before I did the assessment, I'd be training up now. Grrr.

As I have mentioned before, there is a lot of duff info on this forum and elsewhere and sometimes practicing can do more harm than good in both the reaction test and the GB test as you get some folks saying you need 12 lines a page to pass, I could do 15 lines a page but not for all the pages and not without errors, you need to go at a pace with the GB test that suits you, don't worry about the amount of lines you do worry about the accuracy and consistancy, if can only do 7 lines accurately and consistantly this is what you aim for, if it is not enough it means you are not the correct material for the job.

I was fortunate enough to have had previous experience in co-ordination for the reaction test. One other thing to remember that is very important no matter what anyone says on here, there is a section of the test that is ultra fast, almost humanly immpossible to get right, when this short section comes up what they are looking for is to continue after this by gathering back the momentum and getting back on course with the accuracy. It is this section that demoralises a lot of candidates because they make an error at this stage and think they have screwed up when in fact if they just carry on where they left off all will be fine.

 

[NI 271]

As I have mentioned before, there is a lot of duff info on this forum and elsewhere and sometimes practicing can do more harm than good in both the reaction test and the GB test as you get some folks saying you need 12 lines a page to pass, I could do 15 lines a page but not for all the pages and not without errors, you need to go at a pace with the GB test that suits you, don't worry about the amount of lines you do worry about the accuracy and consistancy, if can only do 7 lines accurately and consistantly this is what you aim for, if it is not enough it means you are not the correct material for the job.

I was fortunate enough to have had previous experience in co-ordination for the reaction test. One other thing to remember that is very important no matter what anyone says on here, there is a section of the test that is ultra fast, almost humanly immpossible to get right, when this short section comes up what they are looking for is to continue after this by gathering back the momentum and getting back on course with the accuracy. It is this section that demoralises a lot of candidates because they make an error at this stage and think they have screwed up when in fact if they just carry on where they left off all will be fine.

The first part wasn't a problem, it was the second part, where you set your own pace, that I made an arse of. I'm not the sort of person who gets flustered and panics (staff where I work are forever remarking on that), I just had an incorrect idea of what was required in my head.

I just hope I get the chance to put it right in the summer.

 

[Sunday_mornin]

As I have mentioned before, there is a lot of duff info on this forum and elsewhere and sometimes practicing can do more harm than good in both the reaction test and the GB test as you get some folks saying you need 12 lines a page to pass, I could do 15 lines a page but not for all the pages and not without errors, you need to go at a pace with the GB test that suits you, don't worry about the amount of lines you do worry about the accuracy and consistancy, if can only do 7 lines accurately and consistantly this is what you aim for, if it is not enough it means you are not the correct material for the job.

I was fortunate enough to have had previous experience in co-ordination for the reaction test. One other thing to remember that is very important no matter what anyone says on here, there is a section of the test that is ultra fast, almost humanly immpossible to get right, when this short section comes up what they are looking for is to continue after this by gathering back the momentum and getting back on course with the accuracy. It is this section that demoralises a lot of candidates because they make an error at this stage and think they have screwed up when in fact if they just carry on where they left off all will be fine.

It's a fair point made regards the GB test. I was so well practiced at this that in the comfort of my own home I was hitting 17-18 lines and zero errors, in the actual test I made it to the last line on all 5 pages and I doubt I would have made any mistakes. Is this kind of pace necessary? No, 10-12 accurate lines would have been good enough and I would be working at an easier speed. Why push yourself beyond what is needed to pass the test. There is no point trying to ace the any of the tests when all any of us really want is to just pass.

It's unreal how keen I am to put this right, it will happen just a matter of when.

 

[FlamTap]

... Is this kind of pace necessary? No, 10-12 accurate lines would have been good enough and I would be working at an easier speed. Why push yourself beyond what is needed to pass the test...

And therein lies the rub! The problem is only the individual who marks the test (in the case of the paper version) or the computer know what constitutes a pass/fail. Would 10-12 lines with one error be good enough? Or would a slower 8 lines with no errors be better? Consistency across pages notwithstanding, of course.

My personal opinion is that you go at a pace to suit you. A pace where you're not likely to make errors. Keep this pace consistent across all pages. If it's good enough you will pass. If not then perhaps you're not suitable material?

I think we could all argue endlessly about what constitutes too fast or too slow. But in truth none of us know.

Consistency does seem paramount though. So it might be fair to say that developing a steady "rhythm" is key when practicing?

As mentioned, that is just my opinion.

 

[TDK]

And therein lies the rub! The problem is only the individual who marks the test (in the case of the paper version) or the computer know what constitutes a pass/fail. Would 10-12 lines with one error be good enough? Or would a slower 8 lines with no errors be better? Consistency across pages notwithstanding, of course.

My personal opinion is that you go at a pace to suit you. A pace where you're not likely to make errors. Keep this pace consistent across all pages. If it's good enough you will pass. If not then perhaps you're not suitable material?

I think we could all argue endlessly about what constitutes too fast or too slow. But in truth none of us know.

Consistency does seem paramount though. So it might be fair to say that developing a steady "rhythm" is key when practicing?

As mentioned, that is just my opinion.

When I did the test I was looking at the dots just before I started and realised that all the ones with 4 dots were either a rectangle/diamond shape or a "Y" shape, I looked for the shapes and not the amount of dots and made no errors with a good pass with no practice. However I did listen to the assessor and when he said in this next test we are testing your concentration levels and are looking for consistancy and accuracy that is exactly what I did.

 

[FlamTap]

When I did the test I was looking at the dots just before I started and realised that all the ones with 4 dots were either a rectangle/diamond shape or a "Y" shape, I looked for the shapes and not the amount of dots and made no errors with a good pass with no practice. However I did listen to the assessor and when he said in this next test we are testing your concentration levels and are looking for consistancy and accuracy that is exactly what I did.

When the assessor explained the test did s/he ask you to follow a short example row and then ask how many of you missed the "Y" shaped group of four! At first glance the brain does tend to think of the "5" on a dice on that particular shape.

I think you can master the GBT using a combination of focused and peripheral vision - as you say, simply knowing the shape of a group helps. It's then a "simple" matter of maintaining a good level of pace/consistency through concentration. Which, after all, is what it's supposed to measure.

The SCATT is a whole different animal though.

 

[Bun]

Hi folks

Got a couple of questions about the reactions test which I need clarifying if possible.

Is the printout from the practice software definately identical to the keyboard layout for the real assessment pc ? ie
white blue yellow
red green
Lo Hi
On the 2nd part where u set your own pace 1 second intervals will be acceptable?

How long is actual test 5 mins each section?

Thanks and sorry if I've missed answers somewhere else on the forum

Beardfoot

 

[TDK]

Hi folks

Got a couple of questions about the reactions test which I need clarifying if possible.

Is the printout from the practice software definately identical to the keyboard layout for the real assessment pc ? ie
white blue yellow
red green
Lo Hi
On the 2nd part where u set your own pace 1 second intervals will be acceptable?

How long is actual test 5 mins each section?

Thanks and sorry if I've missed answers somewhere else on the forum

Beardfoot

It may be a good idea to get some feedback on people who have used this method of practice and see if it actually helped them to pass the test! The test is designed to assess your reaction speeds to enable you to be the correct material for a job as a train driver surely practicing this defeats the object of the test?

Maybe it would help you if you praciced your co-ordination in general with what ever means you have rather than using a mock up of the real thing!

 

[Bun]

Thanks for your reply just trying to do my best is all sir

 

[TDK]

Thanks for your reply just trying to do my best is all sir

Of course, some people use bop it, some use guitar hero. The point I am trying to make is how accurate is this practice test? What you don't want to happen is that you practice with this mock up to find out the real test is different, if you actually practice your co-ordination and reactions the test you will do will then be a part of what you have trained yourself on in general.

 

[Beveridges]

Is the printout from the practice software definately identical to the keyboard layout for the real assessment pc ? ie
white blue yellow
red green
Lo Hi
On the 2nd part where u set your own pace 1 second intervals will be acceptable?

How long is actual test 5 mins each section?

Thanks and sorry if I've missed answers somewhere else on the forum

Firstly I must start by saying that I did not use this mock-up test to pass the Reactions as it was not available when I did it back in 2008 though I did use something else that was available at the time but it wasn't as good as this.
But the keyboard layout is exactly the same.
Row 1: white blue yellow
Row 2: red green
Row 3: Low High
Plus two foot pedals on the floor.
The screen output is exactly the same. Different coloured circles appearing, one at a time obviously, a square in the bottom-left or bottom-right hand side of the VDU (where you respond with the foot pedals) and high/low tones.
On the 2nd part where you set your own pace your guess is as good as mine as to what is acceptable, I know that I went way faster than required (I have about a 700ms reaction time on the practice tool), someone next to me went too slow and failed.
Parts 1 & 2 of this test are 5 minutes in length.

 

[FlamTap]

There are 2 stages to the test, the first is timed and the second stage is down to the pace on which you hit the buttons...

Is the required "pace" for stage two set at (based on?) your response time to the first request in this stage? Or is each request permanently held until you actually respond, regardless of how fast or slow you responded to previous requests in the stage?

 

[TDK]

Is the required "pace" for stage two set at (based on?) your response time to the first request in this stage? Or is each request permanently held until you actually respond, regardless of how fast or slow you responded to previous requests in the stage?

With the 2nd stage of the test the coulour/selection will advance as soon as you react to the one you are currently selecting, I am not certain of the time it will stay up but the AWS on a train is 2.1s. As I previously mentioned there is a section that goes like wildfire and this needs you to pick up where you left off if you miss any, the same goes through out the test, if you miss one don't try to play catch up, calm yourself and continue.

 

[FlamTap]

With the 2nd stage of the test the coulour/selection will advance as soon as you react to the one you are currently selecting...

That's as I thought. I'm guessing that it would be just a little too cruel if the computer paced the remainder of the test at the speed you reacted to the first selection.

There would certainly be many more failures if that was the case!

 

[deepblue]

does anyone know if you get a boarderline pass do you still have to wait six months for a resit on the reaction tests ?

 

[graycam25]

does anyone know if you get a boarderline pass do you still have to wait six months for a resit on the reaction tests ?

yes deepblue... you will have to wait the 6 months

 

[muselnor]

Just download the practice tool it is ALL here theres even a dummy version of the modified keyboard for you to practice on:

http://www.krismason.org/files/reactiontest.zip


Yes, the dummy keyboard is exactly the same layout as the real one in the test, all you've got to do then is get hold of two footpedals or pretend you've got some under your desk.

Hello

Does anyone have this software still

 

[Equestrianlad]

Dear Beveridges, I have clicked on the link you have for the reaction test zip file and it asks for a username and password, is it possible for you to let me have those or do you know where i can get hold of them so that i can practice this reaction test please.
Regards,

xyz
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hello

Does anyone have this software still

Hi does anyone have the username and password to log in to the reaction test software?

 

[NinjaJihad]

http://www.krismason.org/public/reactiontest.zip

This is the new link you need

 

[DunfordBridge]

As the new methods of train driver assessment are coming into operation, is it likely that the DTG test will continue to be used in view of the forthcoming reaction time WAFV test and also the 2HAND co-ordination test.

It is my understanding that train operators may use additional tests. On the other hand, how dissimilar is the WAFV test to the DTG test? Looking at the following link, http://www.how2become.com/assessments/the-new-train-driver-tests/, the WAFV and DTG seem quite similar in that there is both two parts where the pace is either set by yourself or by the computer.