PowerPoint Level 1

So I finally finished the Pre-Test for PowerPoint Level 1. I was working in getting it finished setting up by making them random, having students input their names and classperiods, and creating a page for them to print when done when one day I went to open the file and CourseLab would not open the file. Aaaaaaagh!

So, I had to start all over for the third time. Luckily the actual questions were in a separate file and coul still be opened and copied. So it took me most of this last Tuesday to get it all back together, and I think it actually is a better product.

I also created some simple web pages for navigation. The pages that actually have the tests I created with iframes and made a different color border for each test or training. I also made it so that a new window opens at full screen. I used a blue screen for the Pre-Tests, green for the trainings, and red for the Post-Tests. That way when I see screens I can tell which test a student is on an can tell if I can help them or not.

I also created trainings from the Pre-Tests so that I can go through them with my students. Then I created the Post-Tests as well. I only put ten questions on the Pre-Tests and 25 on the Post. The trainings have all of the questions so that students can learn how to complete the questions. There are about 30 questions now, but I plan on adding more as time goes by.

I also started working on the Level 2 questions, but spent most of my time with the web pages and trying to figure out a JavaScript way of preventing students from going from the test to any other program. I did find one way of doing it, however it did cause a few problems. When students went to the print page it would not populate their name and it also prevented them from using shortcut keys. Once I took off the code that I had placed it started working fine. So I am currently trying to find a key capture code so that students can't leave the test. It may be that I just need to really emphasize to them about integrity.

Yesterday I had my first day with my 8th-and 9th-graders. I showed a few of the videos from Certiport to give an introduction and then gave a brief explanation of the IC³. I then showed them how to take the Pre-Test and then let them take it. There were a few snags, though. The ones I mentioned above, plus students not bein able to get past the first screen ehwere they enter their name, the teacher's name, and their class period. The main problem was with any textbox. The code I used took the focus away from the iframe and caused all if the heartache. It took me most of the day to figure that out.

I guess I have to go with my old adage of "If you give up a little control, you usually get more back." I probably will just have to talk to them about being honest and if they can't be honest with themselves, they need to take a long, hard look into their lives. Also, I plan on purshasing the Practice Tests from Certiport and having students take the real tests. On both of those they cannot leave the tests to find answers, so now is the time to actually start learning it.

Next steps: finishing Levels 2 and 3; possibly finding some code to prevent leaving the tests. Does anyone know of a code way of doing this with JavaScript?

-- Posted From My iPhone

VirtualBox

OK, so I absolutely LOVE this piece of software. I have a Mac laptop from school and I chose it on purpose. There are some programs that only run on the Mac (i.e. Garage Band, etc.), however I am mostly a Windows user (the IC³ exams test about the Windows environment, so that is what I teach on). I knew there were other programs out there for emulations on a Mac (i.e. Fusion and parallels), however once I got my Mac, it was going to take some time to actually get the software and then install it, and I needed to use it right away. So, after some searching (again) I found VirtualBox. VirtualBox is an opensource program that allows you to run other operating systems on your computer. For instance, right now I am actually on my Mac, but am running Internet Explorer 8 on my Windows VirtualBox. I mostly use the Windows portion of my computer, however, I will switch to my Mac side to run some of the programs there. It is a pretty easy switch. You can also run VirtualBox on your Windows computer to run other operating systems like Linux or another version of Windows. However, without a hack you cannot run the Mac operating system on the Windows computer (I haven't tried it myself, but I've seen something about it online). IC³ Integration So, since I run a Mac, and my lab at school is PC running Windows XP, I knew I had to do something. What I'm talking about is that the IC³ GS3 standard tests on how to use the Vista version of Windows. My district technology people have decided not to run or support Vista on our machines (which, I don't blame them from what I've heard and read about). However, I need to prepare my students on how to run Vista. So, I used VirtualBox to create a Vista partition on my external hard drive. That way I can use it on one of my school computers, and then use it on my home computer, and even connect it to my Mac laptop and run Mac, XP, and Vista at the same time. I then use the Screen Hunter software to capture the screen of the Vista environment, save them to the Mac or XP side (depending on the computer I am working on), and then work on the simulations in CourseLab in XP. This kind of sounds confusing, but it works for me. I keep my Windows Vista pretty clean. The only thing I really have on it is Office 2007, since that is what is tested on the IC³ GS3 standards as well. Other than that, I don't install anything else (well, except for the Screen Hunter software). That was I don't have to worry about showing programs that are on my computer when I create the simulations. It is just a basic computer layout. I know that some teachers don't even want to get into Vista, but it is a good springboard into Windows 7 that is coming out soon. I think the next standard for the IC³ will probably include testing with Windows 7 and Office 2010, but we'll have to wait for them to come out. Until then I will teach Windows Vista and Office 2007 so that students will be successful in testing.

Screen Hunter

OK, so I've tried to write most of my posts on my iPod Touch, however, sometimes it's just easier to type on my laptop, so here it goes. When creating simulations in CourseLab (which I almost have some ready to show off this week), you have to use images. So, I went looking for a screen capture software. There are a ton of them out there. However, I have found that the Screen Hunter software is one of the best. I can take screen shots as I go and not have to worry about pasting them right away into something (like you have to do when you use the ALT+PRT SCR button combination). I can even change the file type, the quality, the button to use for screen capture, where the images are stored, and how to format the image name. The images are REALLY good as well, so I have been using it exclusively to create my simulations.