The ETS iSkillsTM Assessment: a digital age tool

Purpose: Information and communications technology (ICT) literacy skills reflect 21st Century requirements for researching and communicating information in digital environments. An interactive problem-based, scenario-based, web-based assessment tool, iSkills TM , has been developed through a broad-based effort to establish standards for performance and certification of ICT literacy proficiencies. This paper discusses the assessment's potential in determining the effectiveness of instruction programs. Since January 2001, a consortium of experts in ICT literacy served as advisors to the Educational Testing Service (ETS) test developers as they designed an Internet-delivered assessment that measures students' abilities to research, organize, and communicate information using technology. This paper reviews that R&D process, concluding with an example of its application to information literacy program planning and evaluation. Methodlogy/Findings: A mixed methods approach collected and analyzed qualitative sources and iSkills TM pretest/posttest data for first-year Purdue University students. Findings informed curricular decisions for instituting an integrated problem-based learning (PBL) information literacy program. Secondary goals included developing an understanding of how information-processing skills are acquired, identifying best practices for integrating information literacy into the curriculum, and assessing the impact of skill acquisition on overall academic achievement. Practical Implications: ICT literate students are generally better problem-solvers, more self-directed, and communicate ideas more efficiently. Therefore, universities are beginning to require ICT literacy as competencies for graduation. This paper presents a new strategy for assessing the effectiveness of instructional programs which aim to matriculate proficient students. Paper Originality/Value: This paper reports on the efficacy of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach involving three convergent principles of design: the organization and dissemination of information, the creation and communication of information, and problem solving within the context of research projects and assignments. As such, it provides important insights into pairing an innovative instructional approach and the iSkills TM ICT literacy assessment. TM ______ The first years of the new millennium have seen dramatic changes in knowledge production and global exchange, reshaping not only the flow of commerce but also the means by which information and culture are created and shared among individuals, groups, and societies. At the heart of these changes lies a fundamental transformation of knowledge production and global exchange, prompting new opportunities for social, political, and economic development. As a result of these changes, advancement of information and communication technologies (ICT) is increasingly central to national and international development strategies (e.g., Paul, 2002; Jain, 2006). The term " information and communication technology (ICT) …