I have completed the first step of my action research project which was professional development in taking Google training. Since Google promotes collaboration, the sessions pushed participants to lean on and encourage your peers, while also building each person's knowledge and confidence.
Each day we participated in two sessions, one before lunch and then one after lunch. Trainers from TCEA gave us a crash course in two different Google Apps, and then we were given an hour and a half to take an individual sixty question exam. The exam is randomized, but allows examinees to search within their Google Apps Training Modules, your own Google account, the information site that the TCEA has comprised, and to ask each other for help. Though it seems like this should be pretty tame, this test is difficult. Words, phrasing, specifics, lists, are tricky and can be interpreted in different ways depending upon a person's understanding and perspective. Examinees can spend several minutes searching or discussing a question or answer choice. Plus, an 80% is an acceptable score but anything under is considered failing.
On the first day we took the two most difficult exams, Administration and Docs. Administration gives an over view of what the Administrators who maintain an Google Educational School Domain can set up, restrict, allow, etc. To pass this exam you really needed to change your perspective from being narrow in application to general in practice. I passed this exam without much collaboration with a score of 86%; however, the TCEA trainer had given us a whole lot of information before the exam, which helped direct my searches. In the afternoon, we took the Docs exam. I will say up front that I did not pass this exam with a 78% (80% is considered passing). Because of the intensity and variety of Docs, I did not seem to know where to focus my search and did not recognize the terms in most of my questions. I did not lean on my peers for help and this was a big mistake. Because some of us knew Docs better than others, I should have gotten those who had finished their exam to help me search and collaborate on questions that they had already discussed. I became frustrated and finished the exam on my own. Later, when asking my peers questions about the terms that I did not recognize, I learned that my exam seemed to center around spread sheets,which I do not have experience with, but had I collaborated I would have been able to at least focus my research and pass the exam. On the other hand, I decided that by not passing the exam I could add to my action research plan by taking the exam again after seven days but within ninety days, per Google requirements, and reflect upon the necessary steps to achieve the certification on my own.
On the second day we took exams on Gmail and Sites. I was beating myself up a bit about not having the necessary score to have passed the Docs exam, but my colleagues helped me to find out the information about taking the exam again, and reassured me that they would help me to pass it the next time. This built my confidence and I was able to go on to the next exam, Gmail. The TCEA trainer warned us that because a lot of people use Gmail, they think that they know the exam well, and do not read the questions carefully then fail the exam. The exam had a lot of questions about how to do specific things, such as the difference between Contact Manager allowances within the school domain versus an individual account outside of the domain. I gained a lot of knowledge about how to personalize my Gmail with gadgets and labs. I passed this exam with an 88% by collaborating with peers and respecting the exam by reading carefully per TCEA's advice. I also made an 88% on the afternoon exam over Sites. Another aspect that helped me pass the exam is being familiar with Sites through the Masters in Ed Tech Leadership, I did not find this exam to be difficult. I was able to answer questions about embeding codes, and questions on defaults, such as public view, because of the first class Concepts of Educational Technology.
On the third day we took exams on Google Calendar in the morning, then Other Tools in the afternoon. Google Calendar was quite a difficult exam. This exam covered sharing your calendar in most questions, and the questions were tricky with the wording. It was on this exam that began to get the hang of searching throughout the Google Apps for Education Module. I started to read more and more of the information, which cause me to lag behind my peers. I also learned to listen to the people who were sitting around me when they read their questions under their breath. Since I had been reading a lot of information, I began to help them answer their questions, but it was at my own expense because the test was timed. Google believes in collaboration and my buddies came to my rescue when I saw that my time was running out and I still had a lot of questions to answer. As my colleagues finished, they came to help me. This truly built a team spirit and everyone accomplished their individual goals while supporting others and helping them to achieve as well. I passed the exam with 88%. After such a positive experience that morning, I breezed through the last exam. My confidence was high, I felt like a necessary part of the group, I had mastered a skill, I had learned new features, and I now knew that Google can be tricky. The last exam process was a-buzz with searching and talking and questions and learning and mouse clicking. This exam seemed to pull all of the elements together, not only the information, but also the members in the training sessions. The atmosphere changed. I finished this exam in the quickest time and scored my personal highest with 90%.
Though I did not get the ultimate prize of achieving the certification, I did gain. I learned that I like collaborating and I see value in it. Perhaps not necessarily for learning facts, but for encouragement and support, definitely. I also value the team atmosphere that was achieved during the session. I can see how by each member working on their own but helping others can improve the whole group, and vice versa. And, lastly, I did gain knowledge as well as skill from this professional development session.
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