Get Certified -- Google Level 1

There was a great deal of interest from teachers across the district about becoming Google Level 1 certified educators, so I thought I'd share some highlights about what the certification is, why it's valuable, and how to do it!

• Level 1 certification means that you have passed an exam that tested your ability to understand what Google tools are available to you as an educator, that you have sufficient skills in using those tools and their features, and that you understand the practical applications of using those tools in the classroom.
• It's not easy, but it's worth it!
• You can prepare on your own using the free modules offered online from Google or you can pursue other ways of preparation for the exam. If you feel confident enough, you can even skip any formal preparation and take the exam anyway! (Eric Curts, at his Control Alt Achieve blog, has a very comprehensive skills checklist you can review to determine where you might have any deficits.)
• The exam is $10, and must be taken on a machine with a webcam. You also need to have 3 hours of uninterrupted time.
• Completing the training alone will help you become so much more familiar with all the G Suite for Education tools and will inspire you to find ways to make your teaching more engaging and your workflow more productive. Passing the exam is the cherry on top of the learning, so you can do the training and benefit greatly if you don't want to actually pursue the exam.
• Certification doesn't last forever, but it does last for 2 years!

I'm including here a slideshow that was used at the February 2018 institute day to share Google Certification information. You can also go directly to their training center to learn more or to start your training! I am hoping to offer 1 or 2 boot camps this school year, too, so be on the lookout for that information!