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TOP STORIES FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2006 ETS Report Says Students Not Information Literate Employers Prefer Online Certification Programs SANS Releases List of Hacker Targets Discontent Rising Among British Web Users ETS REPORT SAYS STUDENTS NOT INFORMATION LITERATE A new study by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) suggests that although college students appear fluent with technology, many are unable to effectively use computers to solve information problems. Students are comfortable using technology for leisure and social activities, but the study indicates that they have much more trouble evaluating online material and using technology effectively to find needed information. In the study, which surveyed more than 6,300 college students and high school seniors, fewer than half correctly identified from several choices the Web site that was objective, authoritative, and timely. Irvin Katz, a researcher at ETS, said, "Its not only in academics but also in the workplace that people dont have the necessary critical skills to access information." Inside Higher Ed, 15 November 2006 http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/15/infolit EMPLOYERS PREFER ONLINE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS According to a new report from Eduventures, employers favor both hybrid and online-only programs for employees who take certification courses at colleges and universities. In the study of 731 organizations-- including companies, nonprofits, and governmental agencies--52 percent said they would be likely or very likely to participate in a traditional in-class certification program on a college campus. In contrast, 64 percent said the same about an online-only program, while 68 percent said so for a program that blended online and in-class instruction. Sean Gallagher, senior analyst at Eduventures, noted that Internet-based education has grown from being considered "substandard or nonengaging" to being preferred to traditional forms of teaching. Online programs also offer benefits in terms of flexibility and customization that traditional forms do not. Chronicle of Higher Education, 15 November 2006 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/11/2006111501t.htm SANS RELEASES LIST OF HACKER TARGETS The SANS Institute has released its annual list of leading computer security concerns. In previous years, the list was called the Top 20 Internet Security Vulnerabilities; for 2006, the list is changed to the Top 20 Attack Targets. Identified as prime targets for computer attacks are Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office, Apple Computer's Mac OS X, and "configuration weaknesses" in UNIX. The list was compiled by members of the SANS Institute and representatives from industry and government. Rohit Dhamankar, chief scientist at TippingPoint and a SANS Institute member, listed the most common types of threats, saying that the numbers of zero-day exploits and attacks that use Web applications are growing considerably. The SANS Institute also identified P2P applications, media players, voice over Internet protocol phones, and people themselves as some of the weakest spots in security. CNET, 15 November 2006 http://news.com.com/2100-7349_3-6135844.html DISCONTENT RISING AMONG BRITISH WEB USERS A study conducted by uSwitch Customer Satisfaction Report indicates growing dissatisfaction among British users with their Internet service providers. According to the organization, satisfaction levels among users of broadband services have dropped 9 percent, and satisfaction among home users has dropped 4 percent in the past six months. Low-cost deals for Internet service have become prevalent in the United Kingdom, attracting some 650,000 new customers since March. According to uSwitch, this growth in user base has not been met with necessary increases in "customer service operations" and "required investment in their technology." Although Virgin.net, Telewest, and Tiscali all scored at 80 percent or above in customer satisfaction, the companies at the bottom of the rankings had satisfaction rates of 30 percent and lower. BBC, 14 November 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6145738.stm ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your settings, or access the Edupage archive, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE RESOURCES The EDUCAUSE Resource Center is a repository for information concerning use and management of IT in higher education. 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