Event Name

1
Validate Computer Skills Through Certification

• Event Name
• Date, Year

2
Introductions

• Presenter Names
• Presenter Names

3
Overview of Certiport
Certiport is the leading provider of global,
performance-based certification programs and
services designed to enable individual success
and lifetime advancement through certification

• Established in 1997
• Exclusive worldwide administrator of the
  Microsoft Office Specialist program
• Use concurrent and simulation technologies

4
Overview of Certiport (cont.)

• Worldwide Statistics
• 1 million validated exams delivered
• Over 700,000 certifications issued
• The Microsoft Office Specialist program is the
  fastest growing computer certification
• 35,000 exams monthly
• 18 languages
• 114 countries
• 47 Courseware publishers
• 27 distributors
• 9,000 testing centers
• Experience leads to

5
Internet and Computing Core Certification -
IC³ -

• First global certification for computer literacy

6
Topics

• Defining Computer Literacy
• Developing the Standard
• Evolution of Certification
• IC3 Overview
• IC3 Benefits
• Industry Support
• Certiport Candidate Services
• Questions and Answers

7
Defining Computer Literacy

• Computer skills are integral to all areas of
  study and work
• Ability to use a computer is on par with reading
  and writing skills
• 3 Rs to 3 Cs
• Communicating, Calculating, and Computing
• Educators pushing greater computer literacy
• Exposure does not translate to understanding

8
Need for Universal Standards

• Computer Education
• Some basic computer courses
• Often diffused into other courses
• Schools must be accountable
• No universally accepted measurement
  exists
• Many states, districts, schools, and
  organizations create own standards and
  measurement processes
• Some educators are fearful of adopting technology
  in the classroom

9
Deliver a Global Standard

• Provide students and teachers with an accepted,
  portable credential that establishes their level
  of computer competence
• Avoid confusion of having multiple measurement
  criteria state by state, school by school, or
  country by country
• Deliver verifiable results
• Maintain universal availability
• Tie to basic computing course curriculum

10
Developing the Standard

• Research and define criteria
• Established by over 270 SMEs in 19 countries
• Utilize leading exam methodology
• Accepted standards of test development
• Validate through beta
• Global data management
• Continuous standard analysis
• Regular reviews to maintain the standard

11
Evolution of Certification

• Certification proven as valid credential
• Competitive economy requires competitive skills
• No longer just for technical career opportunities
• Significant increase in end-user certifications

Technical Certifications
Desktop Certifications

• Validate system administrator skills and
  knowledge
• Credential for technical career
• MCP, Cisco, CNE, etc.

• Validate end-user skills and knowledge
• Credential for most careers and post secondary
  education
• MOUS, etc.

12
Overview of IC³

• Internet and Computing Core Certification
• Establishes a global standard for measuring
  Internet and computing literacy
• Provides the credential of being a literate, but
  not fully productive, user of computer hardware,
  software, and the Internet
• Covers basic knowledge and skills
• Sets a comfort level with computers
• Set of three exams
• Computing Fundamentals
• Key Applications
• Living Online

13
IC³ Computing Fundamentals

• Basic understanding of computer hardware
• Basic understanding of computer software
• Using a computer operating system to perform
  everyday tasks

14
IC³ Computing Fundamentals

• Sample Question How many bytes are there in a
  megabyte?

15
IC³ Key Applications

• Common features of Microsoft Windows applications
• Specific skills for operating a word processor
  program
• Specific skills for operating a spreadsheet
  program

16
IC³ Key Applications

• Sample Question Bold the text in the selected
  cells.

17
IC³ Living Online

• Basic understanding of how computers connect to
  networks and the Internet
• Specific skills for operating an electronic mail
  program
• Specific skills for operating a Web browser
  program
• Social impact of computing and the Internet

18
IC³ Living Online

• Sample Question Go to a particular website
  address

19
Value to Individuals

• Proves that you have the basic literacy
  to understand key computer concepts,
  applications, and the Internet
• Ensures you have validated what you have learned
• Gives you a beginner standard certification as
  proof of credentials
• Demonstrates you have the necessary foundation to
  advance to additional certifications such as A
  and desktop applications
• Gives you confidence and security that you can
  enter and be a part of todays digital world

20
Value to Academic Institutions

• Provides objective evaluation of student
  performance
• Ensures consistency of results from
  school to school
• Improves appropriate student course
  placement
• Provides accountability measurement
• Provides teacher development and growth
  opportunities

21
Value to Employers

• Provides objective evaluation of potential
  employees
• Demonstrates commitment to employee productivity
  and personal development
• Increases return on technology investment
• Increases return on training
  investment
• Avoids confusion of multiple
  vendor assessment criteria

22
Segmentation and Positioning
Desktop Expertise
Primary Audience
Positioning
Mastery
Corporations Colleges/Universities
Advanced
Corporations Community College High Schools
(Jr./Sr.)
Intermediate
Competency
IC3
High Schools (Fr./So.) Jr. High
Literacy
Student or Teacher
23
IC³ Testing Methods

• Knowledge-based testing
• Multiple choice
• Multiple answer
• Matching
• True and False
• Performance-based testing
• Candidates must perform tasks in the computing
  environment
• Simulation of operating systems and applications
• Multiple correct response possibilities

24
Exam Delivery System

• Candidates take exam in proctored environment
• iQcenters set up computer labs for training and
  testing
• iQcenters download and install exam software
• Upon exam completion
• Candidate receives printed score results
• Results are uploaded to Certiports global
  candidate database
• Certiport delivers certificate to passing
  candidates
• Candidates can view their online Digital
  Transcripts

25
IC³ Sample Certificate
26
Digital Transcripts

• Secure, authenticated website
• Candidates can view exam and certification
  results online at any time
• Access can be granted for educators, employers,
  and staffing agencies to verify candidate results

27
Sample Digital Transcript
28
Sample Digital Transcript
29
National Skill Standards Board

• First computer certification to be recognized by
  the NSSBs Certification Recognition Program
• The NSSB is an unprecedented coalition of leaders
  from business, labor, employee, education, and
  community and civil rights organizations created
  in 1994
• The NSSB has built a voluntary national system of
  skill standards, assessment, and certification
  systems to enhance the ability of individuals to
  compete effectively in a global economy

30
CompTIA
"The digital literacy skills validated by
Certiport's IC³ are hallmarks of a well-prepared
A certification candidate," said Lutz Ziob, vice
president of certification at CompTIA. "These
certifications through Certiport give developing
IT professionals practical, real-world
productivity skills that build a solid foundation
for CompTIA A certification."
31
Tech Career Compass

• CompTIA established the TCC to provide job
  candidates a resource for career opportunities
• Maps job descriptions, skills, and criteria to
  industry certifications
• Provides direction for aspiring professionals
• Lists IC³ as the foundation for every job
  description
• http//tcc.comptia.org

32
American Council on Education

• ACE is the leading national accreditation body
  for higher education in the United States
• IC³ has obtained a credit recommendation for
  credit towards college education
• Meets general education or computer literacy
  requirements
• Students can receive college credit through
  participating colleges affiliated with ACE
• More than 1800 accredited, degree-granting
  colleges, universities, and other
  education-related organizations are members of ACE

33
Success

• Medina County Career Center
• Before IC³, there were no industry
  certifications that covered basic networking,
  program, and Internet skills. IC³ fulfills our
  need for a certification that not only measures
  these skills, but also provides students with a
  résumé-building credential recognized worldwide.
• -Brad Wright, lead instructor of the information
  technology program

34
Success

• Utah State Office of Education
• IC³ is a very effective method of validating
  computer literacy. We need to ensure that our
  students have necessary computer skills by the
  time they graduate from high school and IC³ helps
  validate those skills. It also gives them an
  industry certification that they can take with
  them after they graduate and add to their
  credentials.
• -Russell Klein, Business Education Specialist for
  Applied Technology Education

35
Success

• Brevard Community College IC³ Academy
• We chose to offer IC³ to our students to give
  them the knowledge, skills, and abilities
  required to be a broad based, productive user of
  computer hardware, software, networks, and the
  Internetand an industry certification to prove
  it.
• - Jan Chapman, education IT instructor at BCC

36
Success

• Lake Michigan College Continuing Education
• We replaced the post-exam in our popular basic
  computer course with IC³. Its a perfect fit
  because IC³ exams covers computer terminology and
  theory, basic software applications, and the
  Interneteverything thats in our course.
• - Joe Pepple, computer training coordinator for
  continuing education

37
Success

• Laurel Business Institute
• Its a wonderful certification not only for
  computer majors but for all majors.
• Offering IC³ certification gives LBI credibility
  in the school and business communities.
• - Robin Addis, IT Director

38
How to use IC³

• End of computer course validation
• Prerequisite for particular computer courses
• Teacher development opportunities
• Continuing education
• Become your own testing center

39
Points to Remember

• IC³ sets the measurement standard for global
  computer and Internet literacy
• Suited for both students and teachers
• Globally supported by leading industry and
  government organizations
• Candidate and testing services supported by
  Certiport
• Schools can implement testing on-site

40
Questions and Answers

• www.certiport.com