Microsoft IT Academy Building Your Curriculum Grace Brady, NBCT Redmond High School

What do you want to accomplish… Stand alone or incorporate into another class? Amount of time? –WORD = 9 weeks; POWER POINT = 4 weeks; EXCEL = 5 weeks –1 semester, 250 minutes/week Types & grade level of students? Other similar classes offered? # of levels offered? (Hint: just do 1 at first)

Redmond High Experience…Year 1 1 semester grade Replaced Computer Apps curriculum No textbooks 1 section Outcomes… 1.All students certified in Word and Power Point 2.Only had 3 weeks for Excel 3.7 students certified in Excel 4.Students were excited! 5.Doubled # of sections 6.Fun

RHS Year 2… 2 sections –1 section has 9 ELL & 7 IEP students –9-12 grades 11 computers out of service for testing District wide computer virus However…50% certified in Word as of Friday Power Point incorporated into Marketing 1 What I have learned: 1.MSITA support personnel are awesome! 2.Certifying all students in 1 or 2 programs trumps certifying some in 3 programs 3.Slower stduents can still certify (but may take all semester) 4.Challenge for 9 th graders 5.Combination of classes work well

Curriculum Resources CCI Microsoft eLearning Other teachers’ (OSPI Moodle!) Computer Applications class materials Textbooks*

My plan for Marketing 1… REDUCE amount of time reading assignments Use mini-Power Point lessons throughout the year Include the use of Power Point technique in grading rubrics Increase students’ opportunities to practice presenting Use MOS Certification test finals week

Sample Marketing 1 assignments… Group SWOT analysis –Each team member made a PP –Team chose the best –Team memers refined & presented Sales Training Presentation –Students teach a group how to sell a product using PP –Replaces traditional written sales training manual Trade Show Power Point in Kiosk Mode

Testing CCI reps are awesome with troubleshooting/answering questions! 50 minutes timed Results available immediately Use those that pass 1 st time as tutors Celebrate success!!! Sample Test Questions for Power Point: –Insert a hyperlink to the 7 th slide in this presentation –Convert the back of the chart on this slide to light wood texture –Set this presentation to kiosk mode

Testing

Recommendations… TAKE THE TEST! Students set up a password folder WORD makes strong 1 st unit Use students’ knowledge USE STANDARDS-BASED GRADING RUBRICS!!!!!!! Intro vocab and Certification Study Guide; refer to them oftenCertification Study Guide Demonstrate WITH the kids, give the assignment, review rubric answers, build on previously introduced skills Expect a few students will be slower but…

More recommendations…. Expect all students to pass Plan a student catch up day every now and then Set up your MS eLearning modules—kids will use them! Schedule 2-3 review days before testing Plan to use 2 days for the 1 st day of testing Schedule a 2 nd test day Use those that passed the 1 st time as tutors Make it a contest PROMOTE YOUR STUDENTS’ SUCCESS

Grace Brady Redmond High Feel free to contact me!