TestOut Courseware

What is courseware?
To meet the challenge of constantly changing world of Computer and Information Technology (IT) the Computer Support Specialist Program employs commercially produced courseware developed by Google and TestOut Corporation. Courseware is educational material usually packaged for use with a computer on the internet. Courseware can encompass any knowledge area, but Computer and Information Technology (IT) subjects are most common. Courseware is widely used in information technology industry certification study programs, such as for the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) A+ examination.

Who is TestOut Corporation?
TestOut is a middle sized family owned company that develops and provides online courses and labs, called courseware, for academia and IT professionals for computer and information technology (IT) training and certifications. LabSim provides students with a broad range of hands-on experience in a safe, simulated environment. Since 1991, TestOut has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals acquire the skills they need to start or advance in careers in computer and information technology (IT).
https://www.testout.com/company/about-us/

Who uses TestOut Courseware?
Hundreds of colleges around the world use TestOut courseware (LabSim) for their students. Some of the major academic institutions using LabSim include University of Phoenix, DeVry University, International Education Corporation, Georgetown University, Syracuse University, and Western Governors University.

How do I access TestOut Courseware?
In order to begin a TestOut course you need a subscription to the TestOut courseware.

How do I purchase a subscription to a TestOut course ?
You can purchase a subscription from TestOut course online at this page: https://www.testout.com/courses

What is the cost of TestOut Courseware ?

The TestOut courseware subscriptions are provided by the Computer Support Specialist Program. The program will be paying for it, so you do not need to buy your own subscription. The subscription (cloud based access) is good for 18 months.

Do the TestOut courses use the MJC Canvas Course Management System (CMS) ?
The TestOut courses that we use in the Computer Support Specialist Program are linked to the MJC course on the Canvas LMS that uses that particular TestOut course, but they do not run on the Canvas server. TestOut courses run on cloud servers owned by TestOut Corporation. TestOut courses send score information to the Canvas LMS over the internet via a technology called Learning Technology Integration (LTI).

Do TestOut course scores get transferred to the Canvas LMS gradebook ?
Yes, the score information from a TestOut course does get transferred periodically by LTI to the Canvas server, and then gets placed in the Canvas grades (gradebook). This is done by a program (app) run by the instructor on regular basis. It may take a day or more, depending on often the instructor runs the app. The scores are always stored on the TestOut server so they are not lost, even if they don't show up in the Canvas LMS grades (gradebook) immediately.

How do I make sure that I have completed all of the TestOut Assignments?
The TestOut courseware includes an icon for the Course Outline which is located in the upper right corner of each page of the TestOut courseware as shown in the yellow box in the picture below. When you click on the icon, it will list the chapters, sections, and individual activities of the courseware course. The chapters are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so forth. The sections are numbered 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and so forth. And the individual activities, like things to read, videos to watch, lab simulations (LabSim), and quizzes are number like 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 1.2.3, and so forth. There will be a green checkmark next to each activity that you have completed. If it does not have a green checkmark then you need to complete it, and then you will receive points for it. Do not skip anything. Be sure to read everything (you may need to scroll down). Watch the video entirely. Don't cheat yourself by skipping over things. Your future career may depend on it!