Getting Started with MSITA (Microsoft IT Academy)

1. Getting Started with MSITA (Microsoft IT Academy)

2. What is MOS? • Microsoft Office Specialist • Certification for Office 2010 • After taking this course: • You will be eligible to pursue certification in Word and PowerPoint with the potential to become certified in other areas

3. Certification = Employability for Students • 55% of Hiring Managers consider employee certification as a criterion for hiring • 46% of Hiring Managers consider employee certification as a criterion for promotion • 63% of Hiring Managers feel that certified individuals are more productive than their counterparts • 40% of individuals reported that Microsoft Certification was a factor in improving their ability to find or keep a job or lead to a promotion • 43% of individuals reported salary increases as a result of Microsoft certification • 53% of individuals believe obtaining a certification makes them more marketable • 93% report becoming more skilled in Office Applications as a result of getting certified • 50% time reduction on common tasks by companies using Office certified personnel “It’s truly a global marketplace, especially in the IT world. If you don’t have a certification that validates you have the needed skills, you’re at a significant disadvantage.” Bill Doherty, @ONE Project, College System of California

4. Benefits of Certification Certifications can help you: differentiate yourself in today's competitive job market broaden your employment opportunities by displaying your advanced skills result in higher earning potential There is a global need for people highly skilled in Microsoft technologies, and Microsoft Certifications are the credentials you need to impress employers!

5. Teacher Tips Organization Promotion Show success stories Explain value associated with course Make the course important to the students Career projects Display and recognize certification • Utilize Favorites and Bookmarks • Student username and password folders • Familiarize yourself with resources that you find most beneficial • Pacing

6. Teacher Tips Cont’d E-Learning Customize Your Academy Balance of lesson plans and E-Learning More time for mastery Freedom to teach based on your style and student learning styles • Student paced but teacher controlled • Mixture of class and individual activities • Specific student objectives and activities to incorporate with E-Learning • Labs • Self Test

8. Logging into the Microsoft IT Academy Member Site at www.microsoftitacademy.com

17. Lesson Plans

19. Lesson Plan: Projects, Exercises,

21. Microsoft IT Academy Resources: Lesson Plans Learning Objectives Lecture Outline Highlighted Cautions Discussion Questions Tech Tips Alternative Methods Hot Keys Conclusion Discussion Questions Quick Quiz Lesson Exercises Lesson Projects Multimedia Resources

22. How to Use Lesson Plans Go through objectives and demonstrations with students Go through MS Exercises and Projects as guided practice independent practice Lesson Quizzes and test bank questions for assessments

23. E-Learning

24. E-Learning Best Practices • Start out as a class and work to small group and individual work • Give students a specific focus: • Watch video demonstrations as a class to generate discussion • Create listening guides and guided notes • DO NOT allow students to go through material without checking for understanding • Use self-test questions in class assessments

25. E-Learning Sample Activity

27. Certification

28. Tips for Certification Success • Take the exam yourself utilizing free voucher offers • Hands-on, hands-on, hands-on • Use the week before the certification exam to review and prep students for exam using demonstrations and performance driven tasks • Practice testing with a clock displayed on the desktop to get students accustomed to timed exams • Pair up students who pass with students who do not to mentor • If student does not pass, look at their certification report and see which competency they need to work on before retesting

29. Certification Overviews • These overviews are located on the Microsoft IT Members site with the lesson plans for each application. • Overviews outline all of the skills and competencies covered for each exam. • When planning and reviewing before the test go through Overviews to be sure that all skills have been covered. • Match up Overviews with Exam Results page to identify specific skills that need to be reviewed.

30. Certification Overviews Identify skills to review and master for retesting

31. E-Reference Library Access to search hundreds of Microsoft Press books that you can print selections and activities from to use in the classroom