It's certainly not your grandpa's test. Here's how Educational Testing Service
and Certiport will be measuring and certifying critical thinking proficiency.
Is critical thinking a talent or a skill?
It's not innate. It's a skill that can be developed. A person's ability to think critically about a problem results from knowledge and experience. Many of the needed basics can be taught in high school, college, and in the workplace.
Why is critical thinking a 'go-to' skill?
We have a global economy driven by an expanding array of digital devices. Critical thinking is required for adept use of those devices. Critical thinkers are easily distinguishable. They are able to obtain information, then analyze and apply it to everyday problems. Employers will be going to them.
Who needs critical thinking skills?
Everyone. At ETS we have a long and deep understanding of measuring these skills. A growing number of employers and academicians want the results. Anyone entering the workforce or who wants to stay abreast of the digital movement in the workplace needs to be a critical thinker.
Describe iCriticalThinking, your joint product with Certiport.
It's a new certification in communications technology for employees and students. iCriticalThinking is not a curriculum. It is a test. The test includes 14 scenario-based tasks, and they are all to be completed in 60 minutes. A person's ability to access, analyze and apply information quickly and effectively is measured and scored from zero to 500. The minimum passing score is 260. The test-taker is scored and told his or her results immediately. He or she receives a printed credential on the spot.
How might a community college benefit from iCriticalThinking?
The certification will be a significant added value that any school can point to. And it may be a two-edged sword for community colleges in particular. Those students entering the workforce will have a credential to add to their résumés. Those students progressing to a four-year college will have an admissions edge of real distinction.
How might a four-year university benefit from it?
The certification can be effectively applied in pre-service teacher and administrator curricula. Entering today's education workplace with a communications technology certification is a real plus. It's also valuable for students majoring in finance, marketing and business administration. Skills in communications technology are a must in those occupations today. Sending a graduate into the marketplace with a reliable credential is a very worthy service. It may also be a useful tool for student assessment, student placement and curriculum development.
Is your iCriticalThinking product a curriculum, a test, a certification--or all of the above?
It is a test. It is a certification. It can be used for outcome assessment. Though it is not a curriculum today, it has the potential to stimulate curriculum development. Its seven domains are intuitive, yet very broad and deep.
Why the relationship between ETS and Certiport?
Certiport has a worldwide testing network already in place. Their credibility and reputation are established. They have a large customer base who are likely users. It's a multi-year good fit. We view it as a game-changer.
Where would you like this project to be five years from now?
I would like to see iCriticalThinking become a world standard for community colleges, four-year institutions and employers to work toward. I believe that will also mean critical thinking has achieved its deserved importance in the world of work and scholarship.