Google Certification - Level 1

It all started on a cold, cold, day back in December of '14...

      I caught the Google bug back in 2014 when I attended my first Google Summit. The best word I can use to describe the benefits of Google is intuitive. As my school board adopted Google Apps for Education (GAfE), and as I integrated Google into many aspects of my personal life, I realized how I intuitively knew how to use so many of their tools. They make it user-friendly, clean, and clear to navigate.
       Shortly after that first summit, I spent a big part of my winter vacation studying for, and taking, the 5 or 6 exams then required to become Google Certified.

Google Certified Educator - Level 1

        Since then, Google has streamlined the process to becoming a Google Certified Educator. There are two certification available (Level 1 is $10, and Level 2 is $25), but you only need to pay if you want to do the final test and get the certification. The online courses and tutorials are available for free, to all, right here. Level 1 represents a basic understanding of Google Apps, and Level 2 is for a more advanced grasp of the subject matter. 
​         Yesterday I completed the Level 1 exam. While I obviously can't share any of the questions, here are some things you may want to know before getting started:

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• ​Patience: Once you register for the exam, you have to wait a while before actually getting access to the exam. I was all jazzed to start, but only gained access to the test a few hours later.
• Take a shower first. You need to have your webcam open the whole time. If you're as vain as I am, you'll want to have your face on... ! They snap photos sporadically during the test to make sure you are taking your own exam.
• Mechanics of it all: You will receive an email with an GAfE-enabled email and password. From there, you'll have access to all the necessary test materials on the Drive. 
• Format: You will be given 3 hours to complete the exam, but it only took me about an hour and a half to get it done a review. The first part was 20 or so multiple choice questions (some of them requiring 2 or 3 answers). The second part was task-based assignments. I had 11 tasks, but each task had a few steps involved. I enjoyed this part of the test, because I also learned some things I hadn't yet practiced! 
• Results: Came quickly enough, with my certificate and badge! The qualification is valid for 2 years (and nice improvement from the last certification, which expired after a year). 

          I'm planning on taking the Level 2 next weekend...wish me luck!