Gamified Google Certification Training
Google offers multiple certifications for educators: Level 1 Certified Educator, Level 2 Certified Educator, Certified Trainer, and Innovator.
We offered a lecture format when we first began training our staff but felt we needed to allow teachers the freedom to explore the Google Certification Training in his/her own time. In order to accomplish this, we developed a game in order to assist staff in preparing for the Level 1 Certification Exam.
The Level 1 status indicates that an educator is able to successfully implement G Suite for Education into their teaching practice in order to enhance teaching and learning.
ABOUT THE GAME
The game that we created has a secret agent theme. You are a member of C.H.R.O.M.E (Coordinated Humanitarian Resource Office for a Modern Earth) which is a 100-year-old organization focused on maintaining global progress through behind-the-scenes funding and support of those at the forefront of medical, social, and educational advancement. C.H.R.O.M.E. was created after WWI by progressive scientists, inventors and mathematicians who wanted to see the technological advancements which came about because of the Great War continue to improve life instead of destroy it.
While primarily a philanthropic organization, it does have a secret military branch. CHROME operatives have been secretly battling against another evil and mysterious organization since the beginning. The evil organization is known as OBSIDIAN whose worldview is focused on bringing the world back to the Dark Ages. It plans to accomplish this goal by ending modern communication and thus eliminating all human advancement. The organization has an unknown leadership structure and no members have ever been taken alive. Apparently they communicate through old world means and through codes hidden in today’s technology. Legend has it that there are 12 OBSIDIAN locations spread around the world.
YOUR MISSION is to complete objectives at each of the OBSIDIAN locations and work towards locating the central headquarters and bringing an end to the evil organization.
WHY IS THE GAME NEEDED?
The Certification Exam consists of two parts: multiple choice, scenarios.
Google provides an online training resource that provides excellent material but it is more theoretical in nature. This information provides a strong base for performing well on the multiple choice portion of the exam.
We feel that Google's online training resource lacks relevant material for successfully working through the scenarios portion of the exam.
That's where the game comes into play. The game creates an environment in which you must practice the skills needed to pass the scenario section of the Google exam and it's all wrapped up in our secret agent theme.
We are confident that successful completion of the game will prepare you for the scenarios portion of the exam.
THE PROCESS
- There are 13 Units on Google's online training site.
- Work through a unit on the online resources provided by Google.
- Work through a mission in our game.
- Continue that process until all units and missions have been completed.
