Beating the Final Boss - EDUT 501 Style

 

Guess what?! I took my Google Level 1 Certification exam! I have to admit, I was a little nervous. I put it off until the last possible day so I could study for it and practice using different Google tools that I was less comfortable with, like Google Sites and Google Classroom. One of my main study tools that I have dutifully read over the course of the last two months was The Google Infused Classroom. I did opt for the Kindle version because it is less than half the cost of the paperback, and also because as someone who is in the process of earning a technology related masters degree, why not, right? Anyway, it's a good read and has LOTS of useful information--I highly recommend it to anyone wondering how they can best integrate technology into their classroom and teaching practices. 

I also watched John Sowash's Google Level 1 Certification exam overview a few days before the exam and downloaded and utilized his free study guide. The study guide was more of a checklist; I personally did not find super helpful, but it did help me check off the Google tools I was comfortable with so I could focus on the ones I wasn't comfortable with. Additionally, I also did the Google Fundamentals Training Course, which--to be quite honest--felt a little tedious and superfluous after all the other studying I did. In hindsight I kind of overkilled it on the studying, but it's better to be overprepared than under, am I right? The last resource I used was actually Quizlet, although I did not use it to the extent that I used all other materials. Right before I took the exam, I found this extensive Quizlet and I quickly skimmed over all of the flashcards. I did keep it open in case I needed to quickly look for something during the exam, but with all of my over-preparing I didn't end up needing it. I actually forgot about it until I started writing this reflection--ha!

The exam itself was not bad at all. I seriously went overboard and probably could have stressed myself out less. As a middle-millennial and a pandemic era teacher, I am pretty well versed in technology. I also have never paid for a Microsoft Office subscription because it is CRIMINAL, so I've been using Docs, Slides, and Sheets for a long time. There were (are) some tools I'm not quite as versed in, but in the end, I think I did pretty well. My version of the exam was only 35 questions and in total I spent just under an hour on it, including reviewing my answers. Some of the questions were pretty straightforward with what I felt were obvious answers, while others required some solid critical thinking. Again, all in all, I am feeling pretty confident about my performance on the exam, but I won't say much more in case I jinx myself. Anyway, thank you for following along on this journey! Stay tuned for more on next term's edition of Teachit-Tania!✌