This post from Bonnie Bracey regarding a CNN article about an ETS test for information literacy skills may be of interest to the members of this discussion group.
Sincerely, David Dillard Temple University (215) 204 - 4584 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Net-Gold <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/net-gold> <http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/ringleaders/davidd.html> Temple University Listserv Net-Gold Archives <http://listserv.temple.edu/archives/net-gold.html> <http://www.LIFEofFlorida.org> Digital Divide Network <http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/jwne> Educator-Gold <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Educator-Gold/> =========================================== Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2006 18:03:48 EST From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Net-Gold] Exam measures students' 'information literacy' Exam measures students' 'information literacy' Friday, February 3, 2006; Posted: 9:38 a.m. EST (14:38 GMT) CNN.com <http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/02/03/ tech.savvy.students.ap/index.html> A shorter URL for the above link: <http://snipurl.com/mhha> ============================================ (AP) -- When it comes to downloading music and instant messaging, today's students are plenty tech-savvy. But that doesn't mean they know how to make good use of the endless stream of information that computers put at their fingertips. Educators and employers call those skills "technology literacy," and while everyone agrees it's important to have, it also is difficult to measure. Now a test that some high school students will begin taking this year could help. The ICT Literacy Assessment touches on traditional skills, such as analytical reading and math, but with a technological twist. Test-takers, for instance, may be asked to query a database, compose an e-mail based on their research, or seek information on the Internet and decide how reliable it is. The test's initials stand for "Information and Communication Technology," and a version is already used by some colleges. On Friday, the nonprofit Educational Testing Service plans to announce details of a new version that some high school and first- and second-year college students will begin taking this spring. ETS also designs and administers the SAT, but says the ICT isn't designed as an admissions test. Rather, the goal is to show schools whether their students know how to use technology effectively and responsibly. But the exam may prove difficult to sell to schools in an era of tight budgets and concern about over-testing. And "technology literacy" skills aren't as precisely testable as, say, geometry. Still, ETS, based in Princeton, New Jersey, says educators increasingly recognize the "three 'r's" have to be mastered not just on paper but also as part of the tech-heavy 21st-century workplace. Education officials in at least two states -- Texas and West Virginia -- are monitoring early results to see if the test would be useful. "Students know how do a lot of things with their iPod, but what is the educational value of accessing a lot of information?" said Anita Givens, senior director for instructional materials and educational technology at the Texas Education Agency, which is also considering whether the test could help evaluate teachers. "Having a lot of information at your fingertips is like going to the library and not reading anything. <http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/02/03/ tech.savvy.students.ap/index.html> The complete article may be read at the URL above. Bonnie Bracey Sutton Outreach GLEF.org http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/bbracey My communities http://www.digitaldivide.net/community/summitforchildren http://www.digitaldivide.net/community/gendergap CyberEd Resources : ICT's and Education (owner) Games and Education (owner) Science without Frontiers STEM Initiatives K-12 (owner) http://www.digitaldivide.net/blog/bbracey Portal Work http://edreform.net/ Technology Applications for learning in the portal applications.edreform.net Technology Applications for Learning The Technology Applications for Learning Network is a catalog of technology applications for learning. http://www.digitaldivide.net/community/STEM _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
