Certified: Certiport Educator Podcast

Students need to see that business, particularly entrepreneurship, is everywhere. In a recent CERTIFIED Academy: Business webinar, we learned from entrepreneurial education experts: Christina Deibler and Marjorie Mitchell. 

In this episode, Christina and Marjorie share why it’s so important to teach entrepreneurship in schools (even if students don’t open their own businesses). We dive into the skills students learn as entrepreneurs, and projects to help teach entrepreneurial expertise. Plus, Christina and Marjorie list some of their favorite free resources they use in the classroom. 

Get some valuable entrepreneurial teaching ideas on the blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2022/February/Bringing-Entrepreneurship-into-the-Classroom. 

Learn more about the Entrepreneurship and Small Business certification: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/ESB/Certification/Overview.  

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Christina and Marjorie, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Year after year, communication consistently appears among the top skills requested by employers. In fact, LinkedIn just published its 2024 report of the most in-demand job skills. Is anyone surprised to see communication in the number one position? Clearly, teaching learners this crucial skill has never been more important.

In this week’s episode, we revisit a CERTIFIED Academy: Business webinar from earlier this year. We sat down with Wake Technical Community College educators, Chad McKenzie and Brittany Hochstaetter, and Certiport’s own Certiport Success Manager, Jennifer Stubblefield, to discuss the importance of embedding communication teaching into your curriculum. 

Chad, Brittany, and Jennifer shared how you can help empower students with valuable communication and soft skills. You’ll also learn how to build students’ digital emotional intelligence, making them effective communicators and employees in the modern workplace. Discover new and creative ways to teach this in-demand workforce skill. 

Get some valuable communication teaching ideas on the blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2024/February/Embedding-communication-teaching-in-the-classroom. 

Learn more about the Communication Skills for Business certification: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/CSB/Certification/Overview. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Chad and Brittany, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Every day we use and interact with devices that use artificial intelligence (AI). Help your students understand and get excited about the power of AI technology with the Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior competition. The Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior (ICJ) is a global student competition for students ages 5-18. Through ICJ, educators utilize lessons to teach their students about AI technologies, students form teams, and apply these lessons to dream up a concept or idea to make a difference in their local community or world around them.

In this week’s episode, we had the opportunity to chat about ICJ with Microsoft’s Jeff Johnson. Jeff Johnson is Senior Business Manager for the Skills & Employability team in the Worldwide Public Sector Education group at Microsoft. In his role, Jeff leads the company skills strategy with K-12 and higher education institutions, government workforce agencies, educators, and partners around the world surrounding adoption and engagement with technical skills solutions for students including learning pathways and Microsoft’s industry recognized certification portfolio. Jeff is instrumental in helping Microsoft form broad education alliances with schools, higher education institutions, and governments globally to assist learners in gaining future-ready skills and technical credentials for the digital economy.

We talked with Jeff about the importance of AI skills, and how educators can introduce students to the world of AI through the Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior competition. Jeff gave us all the details about ICJ, how students can compete, how educators can support them, and how to keep the AI momentum going after the competition has finished. 

Jeff mentioned several resources during this episode. Get everything you need to dive into ICJ here: 

• Imagine Cup Junior blog post: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2024/January/What-is-Microsoft-Imagine-Cup-Junior. 

• Imagine Cup Junior website: www.imaginecup.com/junior. 

• Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification information: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Microsoft/MCF/Overview. 

• Free learning materials for Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/. 

• For teachers working with students over 18, check out the Imagine Cup: www.imaginecup.com. 

• For teachers looking for additional competition opportunities for their learners, check out the MOS World Championship: https://www.moschampionship.com/. 

• Get other ideas for teaching AI in your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2022/December/Tools-for-Teaching-Artificial-Intelligence.  

• Connect with your fellow educators in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of discussion in nearly every industry. We are so excited that we were able to rally two experienced experts to help us dive into the world of AI, Jeff Felice and Joe Brutsche. 

As President of CertNexus, Jeff is responsible for advancing the company's mission of closing the emerging technology skills gap. With 25 years of experience within the training and certification industry, serving in general management and practice leadership roles, Jeff combines his passion for professional performance with technology to bring change within global organizations while improving the opportunities for individuals in emerging tech. When not working towards improving the lives of others Jeff can be found doing the same for his own as an avid reader and cycling enthusiast. 

Joe is a customer focused and data driven product management leader with a proven track record of successful product launches, fostering innovation and cross-functional collaboration.   Driven and strategic with a unique combination of Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) expertise, product management leadership and passion for analytics, Joe is responsible for determining Pearson VUE’s Security & Compliance, OnVUE and Analytics & Reporting product roadmaps. In addition, he leads Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Committe, which promotes and oversees the responsible use of AI within Pearson VUE. Before joining Pearson VUE, he was a Risk Assurance Director at PwC, and held roles of increasing responsibility in compliance, auditing, security and third-party assurance. 

During this episode, we learned all about the impact of AI in the world of IT and beyond. We discussed what information individuals should know about AI, including machine learning, generative AI, and ethical practices. If you’re looking to dip your toes into the world of artificial intelligence, this episode with Jeff and Joe will help you take the plunge. 

This episode is co-sponsored by the Microsoft Certified Fundamentals and IT Specialist certification programs. Get more information about Microsoft Certified Fundamentals at www.certiport.com/mcf and more information about IT Specialist at www.certiport.com/its. 

Looking for more? Here are some additional resources to get you started. 

Check out the full webinar recording on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_W6kV0dfvE. 

Get other ideas for teaching AI in your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2022/December/Tools-for-Teaching-Artificial-Intelligence.  

Connect with your fellow educators in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Your students inherently understand play. Engaging in hands-on learning and gamification is a natural way to discover, learn, and retain information for learning, regardless of age. CERTIFIED Ambassador, John, sees that in his classroom every day. 

John Beale began his educational career working in museums including the Spanish Colonial Quarter, the Florida Agriculture Museum, and the Florida Maritime Museum. After more than a decade in experiential education he brought his experiences to the classroom, first at middle school level teaching science and STEM marine science before finding his place at Allen D. Nease High School in St John's County, Florida, teaching Introduction to Engineering and Design, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Computer Integrated Manufacturing and sponsoring the Transportation Technology Club with a focus on Aerospace and Electrathon motorsports. He believes that industry certification creates a solid pathway to college, careers, and creativity and that collaboration and cooperation in and out of the classroom benefits all involved.

In today’s episode, John shares why it’s so important for educators to focus on play. However, it’s not just play for play’s sake. He teaches how you can make your learning objectives and assignments more playful and hands-on, helping drive student engagement and buy-in. You’ll love John’s practical advice for making your classroom more engaging and playful. 

Looking for more? Here are some additional resources to get you started. 

Bring play into the classroom with one of John’s go-to tools: https://www.blooket.com/. 

Learn more from the Harvard study John mentioned, “A Pedagogy of Play: Supporting playful learning in classrooms and schools”: https://pz.harvard.edu/resources/pedagogy-of-play-book.

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like John, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Research studies consistently demonstrate the power of active learning or learning by doing. Helping students become more engaged in the learning process means creating hands-on learning opportunities. CERTIFIED Ambassador and Autodesk educator, Brian Flores, is here to help you find a balance between theoretical concepts and hands-on activities. 

Brian Flores is a dedicated educator with a unique blend of experience and expertise, currently working as the Robotics and Engineering Teacher at JM Hanks High School. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science with a minor in Secondary Education and is currently working on his master’s in educational administration. His professional journey is equally compelling, having worked as a Professional Aerial Videographer for the City of El Paso and spent four years at Apple, where he honed his technological acumen.

With certifications in Technology Education 7-12 grades, Microsoft Office, Google Project Management, and Autodesk Inventor, Brian ensures his students are well-prepared for the dynamic world of engineering and technology. Currently, Brian imparts his knowledge to 10-12th-grade students, teaching Engineering Design and Problem Solving, Robotics I and II, Digital Electronics, and administering Certiport certification in Autodesk Inventor and Fusion, making him an asset to both his students and the educational community at large.

In this episode, Brian talks about how he incorporates theoretical teaching and hands-on projects. He’s built his own curriculum from scratch, and offers fabulous advice about creating personalized learning experiences, and meaningful hands-on activities. He also shares the value of learning opportunities outside the classroom. If you’re ready to create a more hands-on classroom this year, this episode is for you. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Brian, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Helping students succeed in the workplace is about more than just hard skills. It’s about helping them understand how to be successful in a corporate environment, how to interact and communicate with others. But how can you give students the interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence they need to succeed, particularly in today’s digital workplace? Chad McKenzie and Brittany Hochstaetter have collaborated on that very topic. 

Chad McKenzie is an Associate Professor in the Information Technology division at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh and has 17 years of teaching experience within the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Chad’s teaching style focuses on fostering relationships with his students and creating learning environments, both virtual and seated, that are engaging, positive, and personalized.

Brittany is an experienced Professor of Communication with over 15 years of experience in higher education. Like Chad, she’s currently sharing her gifts and efforts with students at Wake Technical Community College. She’s skilled in research, educational leadership, adult education, curriculum development, soft-skills training, administrative processes, and program development.

In this episode, we talked with Chad and Brittany about digital emotional intelligence, and why it’s a focus at Wake Technical Community College. Together they share their experience in pioneering a new communication program. We discuss what they’ve learned, and how educators can successfully teach digital emotional intelligence in their classroom. 

Interested in learning more about digital emotional intelligence? Here are some of the resources that Brittany and Chad mentioned during the episode. 

• Community College Daily Article: https://www.ccdaily.com/2024/01/between-us/ 

• Inquisitive Culture Article: https://www.strategy-business.com/blog/Six-reasons-successful-leaders-love-questions 

• Employability Framework: https://cte.ed.gov/initiatives/employability-skills-framework 

• Rich Skill Descriptors: https://www.openskillsnetwork.org/rsd. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Chad and Brittany, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Coming in with our second episode of 2024, and we’re so excited to continue our series with our CERTIFIED Ambassadors. In our last episode, we covered student engagement. But what do you do if you’re struggling to help students get started and stay motivated to succeed? Christina Davis, CERTIFIED Ambassador and educator, has some great ideas for you. 

Ms. Christina Davis is a teacher in Colorado Springs, CO. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina – Columbia. She started out by spending her first nine years in the classroom as an English teacher in South Carolina and then moved to Colorado Springs where she has spent the last seven years. Even though her heart is in teaching Shakespeare to teenagers; she stumbled upon a computer lab in 2019 and has now transitioned completely to the world of business and computer science certification courses.

Christina has implemented a very successful Microsoft certification program. Since she started teaching Microsoft in the middle of the pandemic, she has had more than 400 students earn their Microsoft certifications. In addition, she runs a certification lab program for students to earn their Entrepreneurship and Small Business certifications and Communication Skills for Business-Professional Communication certifications for college credit. More than 100 students have been able to complete those credentials in the last few years!

Last year, Christina was named Certification Coordinator for her entire Charter School Network. She is fervently excited about creating new opportunities for her students to excel as their work towards earning their associate degrees while still in high school! 

In this episode, we talk with Christina about how to increase student motivation in and outside the classroom. She also talks about helping students motivate each other, so you’re not the only one driving progress in the classroom. Covering everything from college credit to discovering your students’ love languages, this episode is sure to give you some new ideas. 

Learn more about ACE credit for your students here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Educator-resources/College-Credit. 

To help discover your students’ love languages and increase motivation in your classroom, you can visit https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/love-language. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Christina, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Welcome to 2024! A new year means a new opportunity to focus on your students. In this episode, we sat down with CERTIFIED Ambassador, Jessie Kalloo, to talk about how to engage students in your classroom and beyond. 

Jessie Kalloo is a CTE Instructor and Program Approval Coordinator for the Information Technology programs at Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School located in Jamaica, Queens, New York. Jessie is also a Cisco Networking Academy Instructor Trainer for IT Essentials, CCNA, CCNA Security, and CCNA CyberOps covering areas throughout the United States. Being a product of CTE as a graduate of Thomas Edison High has provided him the opportunity to view teaching through a different lens. Through the various partnerships he has formed with the industry he is able to inspire, motivate and provide opportunities to his students that truly help them prepare for their future. The training he has done in and out of the classroom combined with his unique approach to teaching, has allowed for creative ways to spark the curiosity in students, helping them continuously challenge themselves to do better.

Together with Jessie, we talked about creating an engaged culture in your classroom, and practical approaches for how to keep your students engaged. Jessie even shares how he flips the classroom and allows his students to become the teachers. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Jessie, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.  

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, advanced coding and tech jobs such as software development are expected to grow 22% over the next decade. Further data from Indeed shows that Python is one of the most in-demand programming languages. Preparing students with coding skills is no longer optional but necessary for careers in technology. No one knows this more than educator Ashley Faulkner. 

Ashley Faulkner is a teacher at Triton High School in North Carolina, where she is a strong certification advocate. Over the past 11 years, Ashley has earned more than 40 certifications—and helped her students earn more than 1,150 individual certifications.

She has also served as an FBLA adviser and as the North Carolina Southeast Region advisor. Outside her teaching career, Ashley is the chief financial officer for Simple Web Solutions, Inc., EM Audio, Inc., and Butler Faulkner Enterprise, and she is the mother of two active children.

In this episode, Ashley tells us about how she started teaching coding and programming. We discuss coding topics that students struggle with, and how to break them down to help students understand. Find out how certifications, like the IT Specialist program, can help prepare students for advanced computer science education. 

Watch Ashley’s full CERTIFIED 2023 presentation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYjWOPAZkyo. 

Learn more about coding certifications through the IT Specialist program: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/ITSpecialist/Certification/Overview. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Jenny, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.  

Are you teaching in a mixed classroom? Maybe you’re working with gifted students, students with an IEP, ESOL students, and more. How do you address the needs and learning styles of such a diverse group? Jenny Mohess addresses classroom diversity and mixed classroom benefits and challenges in this episode. 

Originally from Trinidad & Tobago, Jenny has lived in Osceola County (City of Kissimmee), for over 22 years. She first stepped onto Valencia’s Campus in 2000 as an international student. There she earned an A.S. in Graphic Design. While working for Apple, she earned a bachelor’s in business from USF, and master’s in art education from Boston University. These experiences led to jobs at Apple, Microsoft, and eventually, her own design studio. 

Jenny currently teaches at Valencia College and has found genuine purpose in mentoring future graphic/web designers through the Valencia Graphics Program. She is now building the program at Tohopekaliga High School and sharing real-world experiences with her students. Through all the real-world projects and certifications, her students are coming to the realization that they can become Adobe Certified Professional World Champions and professional designers.

Learn about Jenny’s definition of a mixed classroom (it covers more than you think), and her advice for succeeding in meeting your students’ needs. Discover how she looks at the “whole student” and finds partners at her school campus. 

Jenny briefly mentions here 2023 CERTIFIED presentation. You can check that out here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxhz9ycLdIg. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Jenny, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/. 

A truly diverse workforce is required to protect companies and countries from a growing variety of cyber threats. However, according to a report from (ISC)2, the current cybersecurity industry is predominantly male and white, with only 26% of cybersecurity professionals identifying as ethnic and racial minorities, and only 14% identifying as female.

In one of our latest CERTIFIED Academy: IT webinars, we sat down with two incredible cybersecurity professionals: Priya Senthilkumar and Yulini Persaud. 

Priya is currently the Vice President of Technology at Pearson VUE. She is a thought leader who has always stepped outside her comfort zone and taken risks in her career. Her journey at Pearson started in 2008 as a Project Manager and she has grown over the last 13 years into a leadership path, where she has not only grown personally but also developed other women leaders on her team. She serves on Women Leading in Technology (WLiT) board, and volunteers time with her city’s sustainability commission.

Yulini is a Senior Information Security Analyst for The New York Times, where she’s worked for the past four and a half years. Yulini started her career in technology 10 years ago as a Cisco Networking student at Thomas A. Edison CTE High School. She then attended Monroe College, where she was the first graduate of their BS in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity program, and earned her MS in Information Security Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University.  

In this episode, we discussed how to attract a diverse student population to your classroom, plus how diversity impacts the cybersecurity workforce.

You can also find new cybersecurity resources here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2023/September/Be-Cyber-Smart-for-Cybersecurity-Awareness-Month. 

Learn more about our IT Specialist cybersecurity certification here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/ITSpecialist/Certification/Certify. 

Learn more about the Cisco Certified Support Technician cybersecurity certification here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Cisco/Certified-Support-Technician/Overview.

Empowering your students with industry-recognized credentials is just the first step toward their career success. Teaching students valuable skills so they can advance into meaningful employment is the goal. To help bridge the gap between classroom and career, Certiport has partnered with Career.io.

In this week’s episode, we were able to sit down with Career.io’s very own Amanda Augustine. Amanda is the resident career expert for Career.io and its sister brands, Resume.io, TopResume, TopCV, and TopInterview. As a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), she has spent over 15 years helping professionals of all stages improve their careers and land the right job sooner. 

We chatted with Amanda all about what resources Career.io has available for educators and learners, plus how educators can effectively prepare students for the workforce. Get valuable advice for how to help prepare students for the job hunt, including a list of activities you can complete in the classroom to help students feel prepared when they walk into their interviews. 

If you want your students to start their job search off on the right foot, this episode is for you. 

Learn more about Career.io on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2023/October/Help-students-advance-with-Career-io. 

We’ll also have more content related to job preparation on the blog coming soon.

Your students are full of potential and helping them reach that potential means they need to be challenged in a rigorous learning environment. At CERTIFIED 2023, Jenny Mohess talked about using rigor in the classroom. 

Originally from Trinidad & Tobago, Jenny has lived in Osceola County (City of Kissimmee), for over 22 years. She first stepped onto Valencia’s Campus in 2000 as an international student. There she earned an A.S. in Graphic Design. While working for Apple, she earned a bachelor’s in business from USF, and master’s in art education from Boston University. These experiences led to jobs at Apple, Microsoft, and eventually, her own design studio. 

Jenny currently teaches at Valencia College and has found genuine purpose in mentoring future graphic/web designers through the Valencia Graphics Program. She is now building the program at Tohopekaliga High School and sharing real-world experiences with her students. Through all the real-world projects and certifications, her students are coming to the realization that they can become Adobe Certified Professional World Champions and professional designers.

In today’s episode, we recapped Jenny’s CERTIFIED presentation. We talk about challenging students and helping them gain valuable soft skills. Jenny also discusses how she gets to know the “whole student”, and how understanding your students on a deeper level helps you create a more impactful learning environment. 

Learn more from Jenny’s CERTIFIED 2023 presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxhz9ycLdIg. 

Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Jenny, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

How do you bridge the gap between abstract knowledge and the real-world task- and project-based skills your students need to succeed in their careers? In this episode, science, STEM, and engineering teacher John Beale explores the answers. 

John Beale has been in the classroom for six years teaching science, STEM, and engineering at Nease High School in St. Augustine, Florida. Over the course of his teaching career, he has also created curriculum for a seventh and eighth grade marine science STEM program and an eleventh-grade level computer integrated manufacturing class. Before beginning his high school teaching career, John worked for more than a decade directing experiential learning in museums around Florida for people of all ages.

John discusses the importance of group work in his classroom, how it helps his students learn critical workforce skills. He also discusses how he formulates his groups using the Archer Method, and how these groups help students emphasize their strengths. 

You’ll also learn about his hands-on projects, and how he creates projects to give practical applications to abstract skills. John walks through his process, so you can create projects like this in your own classroom.  

John has graciously offered to share his grading sheets and Microsoft Forms that he mentioned in the episode. You can find the Form here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ShareFormPage.aspx?id=V9CzsxL8P0-S9HK-boRDUfG8hYV11EpPpwLHiIyvJx5UREYxRFJDSEdVRFpPUktOUUlKMDlGTVpHUC4u&sharetoken=N5lUKI7wEu4SDQzNA1TA&wdLOR=cA28D86D9-8054-493D-85F3-0820D75DD70A. The example grading sheet is available here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NnQ-HXvttSH4cM6sPySDsTGv3wXe_jBn6rfqJntJ-dc/edit#gid=0. 

Get other fun ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like John, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

How many times do students walk into your classroom and ask, “Can we do something fun today?” Chances are you hear that often. So why not make your class more fun? Amy Waters shows us how. 

Amy Waters is a 34-year veteran classroom teacher who currently works at Hahnville High School in Boutte, Louisiana. Throughout her career, she has proven her nerd force bona-fides by teaching diverse subjects from Latin to computer programming. Amy is passionate about constantly creating, adapting, and improving lessons to reach all students. She currently teaches classes in business computer applications; Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; and HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Programming. 

In this episode, we talk with Amy about her CERTIFIED 2023 breakout presentation. She talks about why it’s important to incorporate fun in the classroom. Amy gives some of her best fun project successes and failures, plus some advice for how you can keep your students excited and engaged. 

“Sometimes you have to give up what you think is going to work and just listen to your students.” If you want your classroom to be more fun and engaging, Amy is here to help.  

Connect with Amy for additional ideas and brainstorming: awaters@stcharles.k12.la.us. 

You can catch Amy’s full presentation from CERTIFIED here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyGxwoI5kFM. 

Get other fun ideas for your classroom on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Amy, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

Today’s workplace is full of undeniable talent in technology (which is especially important), communication skills can propel students far beyond the “just getting hired” rung on the success ladder. In this episode, Jennifer Stubblefield talks all about communication. 

Jennifer Stubblefield taught Business Education in KY for 27 years where she created and managed an award-winning certification classroom in the areas of MOS, ESB, & CSB. She is currently serving as the President of the Kentucky Business Education Association and is a mentor coach for new Business teachers in KY. In 2019, Jennifer was named the Certiport Educator of the Year and was awarded as the 2018 Southern Business Education Teacher of the Year. She is a frequent speaker at conferences around the US and is known for her energetic and real-life approach to teaching. In 2021, Jennifer officially became part of the Certiport team where she now serves as the Customer Success Manager.

Join us as we talk about the importance of communication skills, specifically in the post-pandemic workplace. We discuss what communication skills learners need to excel in the workplace, and how you can teach these skills in the classroom. With Jennifer’s advice, you’ll be able to make your students unforgettable. 

Connect with Jennifer via email: jennifer.stubblefield@pearson.com.  

Get other ideas for teaching communication skills on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/Communication-Skills-For-Business. 

You can also learn more from Jennifer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mCa-7-JW6hI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdCkWISr3DQ. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Jennifer, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

Are you new to certifying your students? This episode is for you. Veteran teacher and certification expert, Scott Rolando, knows what it’s like to launch a new certification program, both the struggles and the triumphs. 

Scott Rolando has been a full-time teacher for 22 years, and he has taught CTE classes for the past five years. Scott currently teaches an impressively diverse range of courses at Lakeland High School in White Lake, Michigan, including business, management, technology 1 and 2, sports and entertainment marketing, cybersecurity, web design, and basic and advanced video production.

In this episode, Scott shares practical tips and step-by-step suggestions for launching a successful certification program at your school. This includes insights and ideas for getting your program going, aligning specific certifications with your current classes, getting funding, scheduling certifications into your existing programs, and more. 

Connect with Scott via email: scott.rolando@hvs.org. 

Get other ideas for launching and maintaining your certification program on our blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Scott, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

Efficient and effective work is all about finding the right tools for the right job. And no one shares that message more clearly than Erica Blum. 

Erica Blum is the program coordinator and an associate professor for the art and design degree at Lindenwood University. She is an Adobe Education leader and an Adobe Creative Educator Level 1. She has obtained many certifications, including the Adobe Certified Associate in Graphic Design and Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator, the ACA in Visual Communication Using Adobe Photoshop, the Adobe Certified Professional in Print and Digital Publication Using Adobe InDesign, and the Adobe Visual Design Specialist CC 2018. Professor Blum was honored to speak during the Adobe Certified Professional launch party in 2021. In addition, she is a member of the Adobe Education Exchange and has over 13 years of teaching and training in graphics, web and design concepts, printing techniques, and software applications. She has designed websites, newsletters, logos, T-shirts, brochures, cards, and more. Her artwork has been displayed in numerous arts shows and has been presented at several summits and workshops. Professor Blum spent a year studying at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art (now known as the Kubert School) working on her comic book skills. Before becoming a designer, she was an Equity stage manager in and around New York City, a database administrator, an IT worker, and a camera/teleprompter/stage manager for tv and movies.

In this episode with Erica, we talk all about her CERTIFIED Educator Conference session, and why she’s so passionate about helping educators and students find the right tool for the right job. Erica shares the importance of knowing your software, and what other skills creatives should be building before entering the workforce. We also talk through free and exciting resources available for all educators and Creative Cloud users. If you’re looking to add tools to your design toolbox, this episode is for you. 

Don’t miss out on the amazing resources that Erica mentioned.  

1. Adobe Launch Party: https://youtube.com/live/8OvvmNsbDaM. 

2. Adobe Character Animator: https://www.adobe.com/products/character-animator.html. 

3. Adobe Capture: https://www.adobe.com/products/capture.html. 

4. Adobe Color: https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel. 

5. Adobe Fonts: https://fonts.adobe.com/. 

Connect with Erica via email at EBlum@lindenwood.edu. 

You can also learn more about Erica’s program at Lindenwood University here: https://www.lindenwood.edu/arts-and-humanities/art-production-and-design/. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Erica, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

Certification programs have the power to change lives and create new opportunities for deserving people who need them most. In this week’s episode, we hear about the impact of certification from long-time educator, Brian Foutty. 

Brian Foutty brings 28 years of classroom teaching experience to his current job as a secondary math, app development and coding, and special education teacher at Trumbull Career and Technical Center in Warren, Ohio. He has also worked for the past seven years as a Mac and iPad systems administrator and a classroom technology integrator for the students and staff at Turnbull. Brian has been an active iOS app developer since 2011, and he worked for three years as an Apple Professional Learning Specialist. Brian firmly believes that all students can benefit and become better thinkers through formal coding learning experiences. 

Learn how Brian has used Swift App Development certifications to transform student outcomes in an economically challenged area. Brian talks about the value of app development skills, and how he helps students successfully transition to their next step after high school. Brian also discusses the curriculum he uses in his classroom (it’s available at no charge!), and how this program has transformed the lives of his students. 

Check out Brian’s blog for app and project ideas for your students: www.swiftteacher.org. 

Connect with Brian on social: https://bio.site/swiftteacher. 

Learn about Brian’s program here: https://www.tctchome.com/. 

Access free App Development in Swift curriculum here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Apple/App-Dev-With-Swift/Learn. 

Connect with your fellow educators, like Brian, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.