CERTIFIED 2019   |   June 17 - 19

So You Think You Can Test!—Administering Certification Exams Like a Pro

Tonya Long, Wake County Public School System, North Carolina

We understand the value of students earning industry-recognized credentials. We’ve worked to help students succeed on certification exams. We’ve even experienced sitting for the credential exams ourselves. But do we know how to properly administer the credential exams in our labs? What are acceptable ways to arrange testing labs? What items are restricted from testing labs? What does proctoring REALLY mean? Come listen as Senior Administrator Tonya Long shares resources that ensure you are following Certiport Authorized Testing Center policies. Ms. Long will then also facilitate a conversation about maintaining the value of our credentials by ensuring we administer exams with fidelity.

Empowering Entrepreneurship and Small Business for Every Career Path

Treasa Evans-Dunn, Newaygo County Career-Tech Center, Michigan

How many of your students dream of being their own boss and working for themselves? How many would benefit from getting a jump start on articulated college credit? Business Applied Technology Instructor Treasa Evans-Dunn knows plenty about working with students across a range of programs to leverage the Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) certification. In fact, all programs at the Newaygo County Career-Tech Center now offer ESB, whether students study cosmetology, construction trades, criminal justice, heavy equipment and health occupations, or something else. Come see how Ms. Evans-Dunn works with instructors and students both individually and collaboratively to leverage the LearnKey and GMetrix platforms. Leave ready to empower students toward earning certification and learn how to partner with colleges to offer course credit.

From Zero to 500—MOS 101 for Jump-starting and Marketing Your Certification Program

Laurene Klassen, SMU, Texas

In June 2017, Southern Methodist University (SMU) sent a representative to the CERTIFIED conference with the goal of establishing a Microsoft Office certification pilot program. SMU surpassed their initial yearly goal of 65 certifications by achieving 170 certifications during the first semester and more than 500 in their first year. In this case study session, Microsoft Certified Trainer and Manager of SMU’s IT Training and Communications Team Laurene Klassen explores the marketing strategies SMU used to promote the program and tips for getting a new MOS program off the ground. This session is a great way to familiarize yourself with Certiport resources, prepare your lab and proctors, and promote yourself by marketing with metrics as well as marketing to faculty, staff, and students using Certiport resources, blogs, events, newsletters, and videos.

It Takes a Village—Lifting Students and Their Communities Together through Certification

Josiah Parker, Penn High School, Indiana

Integrating students and their communities can have positive immediate and long-term impacts. Assistant Principal Josiah Parker works closely with his local community to build partnerships, industry pipelines, workforce skill-ups, and student-community connections by providing Certiport Autodesk Certification classes and testing not only for Penn High School but also the local community. In this session, Mr. Parker shares how his team works with local companies to train and certify employees in Autodesk software, with all earned funds going toward his goal of zero testing cost for students. Join us for a dynamic experience that includes an active session for participants to work out ideas for similar setups by sharing designs, drawbacks, problems, and successes.

Get Moving! Brain Breaks + Bouncing Balls = Focused Students

Jan Went, Lakeview High School, Nebraska

Implementing movement exercises into the classroom can provide needed “brain breaks” as well as improve student motivation and focus. Business Technology Instructor Jan Went incorporates racquetball routines before MOS testing to sharpen student focus while testing and ultimately increase their chances of certifying. Focus is boosted because the exercises enhance students’ tracking while reading, which leads to deeper concentration and understanding. Judge for yourself; the presenter will have you on your feet! Be ready to interact, bounce some balls, and take away classroom-ready resources and routines.

High-yield Success from High-risk Students—Certifying in an Urban School

Ashley Dawson, Banneker High School, Georgia

How did a Title I school in Georgia achieve 101 student certifications in their first year? Join Business Teacher and Department Chair Ashley Dawson to find out how this team elevated their program—from the lows and challenges to the highs and triumphs—to come off the state’s list of failing schools. Ms. Dawson is currently certified in Special Education General Curriculum, Middle Grades Language Arts, Business, Marketing, and Tier I Leadership. She shares specific strategies and tools that will help you prepare students to take and pass certifications. This session is sure to yield plenty of new ideas for your team’s future success.

The Power of Cs—Enhancing Critical Thinking and Connections Using Certifications

Jennifer Johnson, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas

Do you wish your students would transition from a “follow the text" mindset to solving problems together? In this session, CPA and Senior Lecturer Jennifer Johnson demonstrates how implementing a certification in a course can enhance a student's critical thinking skills. Since incorporating the QuickBooks Certified User certification in her Survey of Accounting Systems class in 2015, Ms. Johnson has helped more than 150 students obtain certification. She shares her passion for using systems and accounting to communicate the language of business, including how to build connections to employers that will improve a student's opportunity for internships and jobs. Walk away with tips to help students make connections and market their new skillset.

Growing without Busting at the Seams—What to Expect When You’re Expanding

William Wilson, Broward County District, Florida

You've already created successful CTE programs at your school. What’s next? Expansion! But how is this possible when, throughout the United States, there is a shortage of highly qualified, industry-certified teachers? This teacher shortage stems from increases in retirement, high rates of employment, high private sector wages, and even positive things like your programs growing beyond one teacher. In this session, Curriculum Facilitator Will Wilson covers techniques used by Broward County Public Schools’ Career, Technical, Adult, and Community Education (CTACE) department to help expand the number of industry-certified teachers, which resulted in more than 17,000 passed Certiport tests in the 2017–18 school year. Mr. Wilson has supported teachers in various CTE programs with a special focus on Industry Certifications and teacher training, so attendees can expect to leave with well-proven techniques for program expansion.

Certiport’s Student Competitions

Hannah Crepeau, Student Competitions, Certiport

Student competitions bring technology certifications to life for your students, provide them with a positive platform to showcase their skills, and give them a unique opportunity to earn valuable rewards and recognition. In this session, we will outline everything you need to know about the annual Certiport MOS, and ACA competitions, including how you can encourage your students to get involved, what they’ll experience, and how you can help them make the most of these fun and educational events.

Leveraging Macros, Gamification, and Machine Learning to Engage Certification Students

Joe Green, Elon University, North Carolina

Make no mistake about it: we’re seeing a shift in student behavior toward disengagement and shorter attention spans, and it doesn’t stop with secondary education. In this session, Associate Department Chair Joe Green of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at Elon University looks at ways to engage students in post-secondary classrooms. By focusing on proven macro techniques specific to the Excel Certification, instructors can make learning exciting and rewarding. Mr. Green also reviews gamification and machine learning techniques that help draw students into the Excel Certification materials by maintaining focus through entertainment.

Incorporating a Certification Program into your Classroom

Mike Maddock, Statewide Team, Certiport

Learn how to incorporate a certification program into your classroom from our highly experienced Statewide Deployment Team. We will discuss blending certification objectives into your class standards, effective pacing and course sequence, managing technology requirements, and marketing your program to increase enrollment and develop internships. The Statewide Team works with teachers, administrators, IT Staff, and DOE Staff in over 22 states to effectively incorporate certification programs into more than 3,000 K12 and Higher Education classrooms. Join them during this interactive discussion to learn best practices from their experiences and a Q&A session from educators that own and develop the most successful certification programs in the country.

[Workshop Title]

[Speaker name] – [School name]

[Short workshop description]

[Workshop Title]

[Speaker name] – [School name]

[Short workshop description]

[Workshop Title]

[Speaker name] – [School name]

[Short workshop description]