I take the Google Certified Educator Exams frequently so that I can stay up-to-date and support other educators seeking certification.
A big update happened not to long ago, and the Level 1 and Level 2 exams just got EASIER!
Yes, I said the exams are now easier.
(I kind of wish this wasn’t the case, but it’s important to know the stakes.)
If you’ve been putting Google Certification off, now is the time to do it!
Here’s what you need to know…
Listen to this article.
I Just Took the Google Certified Educator Exam
(and here’s what you need to know)
What is Google Certification?
There are FIVE different certification options for educators: Level 1 and Level 2 Google Certified Educator, Google Certified Trainer, Google Certified Innovator, and Google Certified Coach. You can learn more in my free webinar: How to Get Google Certified.
(Note: There are many other Google certifications outside of education.)
Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2: Designed for educators and classroom teachers who wish to demonstrate proficiency in using Google for Education tools. The Level 1 status indicates that an educator is able to successfully implement Google tools into their teaching practice in order to enhance teaching and learning. The Level 2 status indicates that an educator is able to successfully integrate a wider range of Google for Education tools and other technologies in order to transform their teaching practice.
Google for Education Certified Trainer: Google for Education Certified Trainers are passionate and driven education professionals with a desire to help others transform classrooms with technology. Whether you are a school’s go-to technologist, a stellar classroom teacher or an enterprising consultant, anyone is welcome to apply for membership in the program.
Google for Education Certified Innovator: Designed for education thought-leaders who create new and innovative projects using Google for Education tools. To learn more about Innovator, check out 5 Tips to Become a Google Certified Innovator.
Google Certified Coach: The Certified Coach program empowers instructional coaches to work 1:1 with educators and drive impactful technology use in their schools. Coaches get access to research-backed strategies and tools — so that new and veteran educators alike can transform instruction across every classroom.
Why Get Google Certified?
There are many benefits to the various certifications that can help you improve as a teacher and even take your career to the next level.
Here’s a quick overview of just a few of the benefits:
- Support Remote and Blended Learning
- Gain Confidence with Digital Learning Strategies and Google Tools
- Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning & Creativity
- Create a Paperless Classroom
- Collect Data & Improve Feedback
- Learn How to Find Answers & Support
- Increase Digital Citizenship Skills in the Classroom
- Increase Efficiency & Save Time
- Engage in Professional Growth & Leadership
- Prove Your Skills
- Get the Badge & Join the Google Certified Family!
Related: The Benefits of Google Certification
Related: 10 Reasons to Become a Google Certified Educator
Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2
Let’s break this down!
Google Certified Educator Level 1
Level 1: can “successfully implement Google for Education into their teaching practice to enhance
teaching and learning.”
Preparation:
- Enroll in the Level 1 Academy for hands-on training
- On your own, using the Google Teacher Center and free resources
Level 1 Exam:
- Multiple choice
- Drag and drop
- Order the steps
& Performance-based scenarios(no longer on the exam)- 180 minutes
- $10 fee
- Pass with 80% or above
- Good for 3 years
Google Certified Educator Level 2
Level 2: can “successfully integrate a wider range of Google for Education tools and other
technologies to transform their teaching practice.”
Preparation:
- Enroll in the Level 2 Academy for hands-on training
- On your own, using the Google Teacher Center and free resources
Level 2 Exam:
- Multiple choice
- Drag and drop
- Order the steps
& Performance-based scenarios(no longer on the exam)- 180 minutes
- $25 fee
- Pass with 80% or above
- Good for 3 years
What’s Changed on the Google Certified Educator Exams?
Did you notice the strikethrough above? The biggest change to the Level 1 and Level 2 exams is that it no longer requires that you complete the performance tasks in a special Google account. THIS IS HUGE!
Honestly, I’m not happy about this change because they took away the most challenging part of the exam and have essentially made it easier to get your Google Certification.
However, this is important to know if you have ever wanted to become Google Certified and have been intimidated by the exam.
Old Exam Format v. New Exam Format
The performance tasks are not the only thing that has changed.
No special Google account login: You no longer need to wait for special login credentials to login to the exam. Now, you only need the unique link to the exam. (You will receive this after registering for the exam via email.)
No need for going “Incognito” in Chrome: You no longer need to use a special “Incognito” window in Chrome to take the exam.
Question format: The questions on the exam are all multiple choice, drag and drop, or order the steps. I saw more “order the steps” style questions this round which seem to be the replacement for more of the performance tasks.
Receive your results immediately: Due to the more simplistic exam, it can be assessed much more quickly which means you should receive your results within just a few seconds of submission. With the complex performance task questions, you sometimes had to wait a while to get your score.
The exam is still timed. You have 3 hours to complete, which is PLENTY of time!
The cost of the exams has remained the same. $10 for the Level 1 exam and $25 for the Level 2 exam.
The topics and applications that are covered in the exam should remain the same. However, it’s just not possible to go into depth with these question types like it was with performance tasks. Again, this is now an easier exam.
Why Did the Exam Change?
Here’s the word from Google for Education:
“Last month, you heard about new features that Google for Education launched to build safer digital learning environments. These included changes to age-based domain settings, as well as new defaults for tools like Incognito mode, which impacted our ability to offer scenario-based questions in the Level 1 and Level 2 exams. We’ve also heard from our global communities about the technical and accessibility challenges around the scenario-based questions. All of this, alongside a rapidly changing landscape for education, led to necessary adjustments to the Certified Educator exams.
Here’s what you can expect in the latest versions of the Certified Educator Level 1 / Level 2 exams:
- 35 exam questions
- Testers can expect to see 35 multiple choice style questions (multiple choice / multiple answer and drag and drop).
- Three hours to test
- Testers will have up to 3 hours (180 minutes) to complete the exam.
- Unique test link
- Testers will receive an exam email with a unique link to launch the exam.
- Incognito mode and a testing account is no longer required.
- Note – If testers registered for the exam before the switch, they will get the previous instructions and exam questions.”
What to Expect on the New Exam
Below are resources from Google to help you understand what to expect on the new exam.
- NEW – What to expect + Sample Test Questions
- Step-by-Step Guide to Registering for Level 1 / 2 Exams
- Google Certified Educator L1 and L2 Exam FAQs
- Fundamentals and Advanced Course Outlines
- Google Workspace Skills Checklist
- Google Educator Level 1 Basic Tasks
- Google Educator Level 2 Basic Tasks
Prepare for the Exam!
Preparation for the exam will depend on your experience level with Google tools. Some will only need a quick refresher, and others may need a full course to learn all of the skills
Check out the Google Teacher Center for some quick skill checks:
Or, if you need more help and prefer video learning, come learn with me in the Google Certified Educator Academies!
FREE Webinar: How to Get Google Certified
Do you want to learn more about the certifications and what it takes to achieve each one?
Getting Google Certified can be daunting and confusing, so I put together this free webinar on How to Get Google Certified!
In this webinar, I will give you an overview of Google Certification, Google Certified Educator Level 1, Google Certified Educator Level 2, and Google Certified Trainer.
REGISTER for the Webinar
Google Certification Academies
I also teach online boot camps to walk you through all the skills and help you prepare for the exams. I have helped thousands of educators through these online, self-paced courses!
Learn more about each course using the links below:
Google Training for Schools
We have many programs to help your teachers learn how to meaningfully integrate Google tools and the entire suite in the classroom. From online courses to books, to face-to-face training, we got you covered!
COVID-19 forced many teachers and schools to scramble to find tools to deliver online assignments, design digital learning experiences, and Google for Education was the number one suite of tools to help make this a reality.
Just in time resources and learning will help teachers, students, and parents survive the crisis. When we return to the new normal, Google skills will help set the foundation for more dynamic and meaningful learning in the classroom.
Get your entire campus or district on board with Google! Help your teachers learn more about Google tools, Google Classroom, and meaningful technology integration strategies. You can even help all your teachers become Google Certified Educators!
GoogleTrainingforSchools.com
Check out all of the FREE Google Certification Resources from Shake Up Learning!
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