(LOS ANGELES) – Many college students are finding out that they are not as tech savvy as they once thought, according to test results released Monday by the Educational Testing Service.

The Information and Communication Technology Literacy Assessment indicated only 13 percent of students are technologically literate, which could spark confusion in some students as to why they were not ranked higher.

The test, comprised of seven scenario-based questions, asks students to perform various problem-solving tasks using modern technological components, such as the Internet and software for producing various documents such as spreadsheets.

All students who attend universities that are part of a consortium affiliated with ETS are eligible to take the test.

ETS hopes the test will help identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, as well as in which areas they need further education.

USC is not part of the consortium, but some students are recognizing the significance of being technologically literate at the college level.

“It’s important to be able to meet employers’ standards when you graduate,” said Candice Wong, a senior majoring in business administration.

There are programs already in place or new to USC that try to address the issue of today’s rapidly evolving technologies and their related skills by attempting to inform students how significant a role these tools will play in their everyday lives.

But some faculty members believe technological literacy is an expression students take for granted.

“Students think they know technology,” said Ashish Soni, director of the Information Technology Program. “But what they think they know and what they really know are two different things.”

Soni said the ICT tests students on two different levels: The evaluation of information and an analysis of the sources of information.

He said these skills are critical for students to learn because he said he strongly believes the ITP program will aid students during their academic experience, as well as make their transition into the working world a much smoother one.

“ITP courses give students the basic knowledge of how to use these classroom technologies,” he said.

The program, which began under the Viterbi School of Engineering more than a decade ago, offers a variety of courses that cater to students’ various technological needs.

The introductory ITP course, ITP-101 (“Introduction to Information Technology”), requires students to complete such projects as designing simple Web sites, creating databases and making their own spreadsheets.

“These are programs you’re going to need to know when you get a job, and this class is useful for that,” said Leo Lee, a senior majoring in computer science.

“Most classes teach theory, but this class teaches you what you will need to know,” she said.

But Soni said the training doesn’t end with introductory-level courses.

“We try to give students a broad foundation,” he said. “If they want to move up, they can take specialized courses more related to their majors.”

Business administration majors, for example, could enroll in courses associated with the technological aspects of their respective fields.

Business-related ITP courses, in conjunction with SAP, provides aspiring entrepreneurs with a chance to learn many of the big-business tech trades that are used today.

The program stresses its importance by encouraging any student, regardless of major or year, to enroll.

In fact, enrollment is so highly recommended that D-clearance does not need to be granted through the School of Engineering, but can be easily requested through ITP’s Web site.

The site also allows students to share personalized ratings of each class.

The Web site provides a list of what technology literacy major companies look for in their future employees — a feature Soni said he hopes demonstrates how specific the program can be with its curriculum and exercises.

“Technology is increasingly becoming integrated into the fabric of our work and personal lives,” he said. “It’s important for students to be knowledgeable as they go into the industry to become leaders and executives. ITP teaches students these skills.”