Certiport News
"Academic and Work-Readiness" Certification from ETS and Certiport Better Prepares Students for Employment
New capstone credential measures digital critical thinking skills against ongoing technological change, school and labor market demands
DENVER (EDUCAUSE 2009) – November 3, 2009
Certiport announced the launch of a new certification designed to assess information and communications technology (ICT) critical thinking and problem solving skills: iCritical Thinking™ Certification powered by ETS.
Details about the certification: www.certiport.com/icriticalthinking
Video News Release: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBklmbKQyZo
The iCritical Thinking assessment features real-time, scenario-based tasks designed to measure a student's ability to navigate, critically evaluate, and analyze the wealth of information available through digital technology. The certification provides portable, verifiable credentials that prepare students for academic and career advancement.
In just under an hour, test takers demonstrate the capability to accomplish everyday tasks by effectively incorporating and integrating technology such as:
- Web Use – E-mail, Instant Messaging, Bulletin Board Postings, Browser Use and Search Engines
- Database Management – Data Searches and File Management
- Software – Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Presentations and Graphics
"Today's students and workers are part of a technology-dependent generation," said ETS Vice President Charles Cascio. "It's not enough to be technology-savvy; we must think critically and effectively to solve problems while using technology. Having the ability to employ these digital skills provides strong evidence that an individual can deliver in today's workplace environment."
This outcomes-based examination gives administrators and teachers, workforce development program managers, and human resource managers a comprehensive solution to more effectively align education institutions with industry needs.
When incorporated successfully, the exam helps with incoming student evaluation and placement, student literacy assessment and curriculum development decisions. This allows both students and administrators an insight into the necessary changes needed to narrow the skills gap.
"Credentials from even the best institutions are no guarantee that jobseekers have the skills that really count in a modern workplace," said Quinn Sutton, Certiport's Senior Vice President of Marketing. "Ultimately, organizations confident with their ability to effectively apply latest technologies stand a greater chance of contributing to the success of today's information-based businesses than their digitally unskilled counterparts."
The iCritical Thinking Certification exam measures the range of cognitive and applied ICT literacy skills aligned with the nationally recognized Association of Colleges and Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy standards and is endorsed by the Global Digital Literacy Council (GDLC).
The program will be available to Certiport testing centers in English; other language versions will become available in subsequent releases. For more information about iCritical Thinking powered by ETS, visit www.certiport.com/icriticalthinking.
iCritical Thinking Certification Resources:
Testing Centers: www.certiport.com/CenterLocator
Distributors: www.certiport.com/SolutionProviders
General Registration: www.certiport.com/portal/Pages/Registration.aspx
Center Registration: www.certiport.com/BecomeaCenter
About Certiport
Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, is the leading provider of certification exam development, delivery and program management services delivered through an expansive network of over 12,000 Certiport Authorized Testing Centers worldwide. Certiport manages a sophisticated portfolio of leading certification programs including: the official Microsoft Office Specialist certification program, the Microsoft Technology Associate certification program, the Microsoft Certified Educator program, the Adobe® Certified Associate certification program, the Adobe® Certified Expert program, the HP Accredited Technical Associate, the CompTIA Strata™ IT Fundamentals, the Autodesk Certified User certification program, the Intuit QuickBooks Certified User certification program, and the IC³ Digital Literacy certification. Certiport reliably delivers over three million tests each year throughout the secondary, post-secondary, workforce, and corporate technology markets in more than 148 countries and 27 languages worldwide. For more information, please visit www.certiport.com or follow Certiport on Twitter at www.twitter.com/certiport.
"Certiport" "IC³" and "MeasureUp" are registered trademarks of Certiport, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Press Contact:
Brenda Armstrong
1.801.602.0305
barmstrong@certiport.com