Last month, OIT’s Microsoft Office Specialist program showcased SMU’s successes in bringing certification to campus at CERTIFIED, Certiport’s annual conference. The conference brings together educators and certification leaders from across the country. Laurene Klassen, Director of IT Training & Communications and CERTIFIED Ambassador, was able to share those wins with other educators and administrators in Grapevine, Texas, where this year’s conference was held. Continue reading SMU Showcases Microsoft Certification Model at National Conference
Tag: certification
Summer 2025 Training & Certification Opportunities Are Here!
While many of our students may be away from the Hilltop for a while, our work continues every day! That includes our summer professional development opportunities. In addition to our training sessions, we also have additional Microsoft Office Specialist certification opportunities! Continue reading Summer 2025 Training & Certification Opportunities Are Here!
Get Certified with Ease: GMetrix Clinics Coming in February!
Needing to prep for a Microsoft Office certification? If it is required for a course, all the details for GMetrix, our test prep platform, are in your course’s Canvas page. If you are needing a little more help, we have something for you. Continue reading Get Certified with Ease: GMetrix Clinics Coming in February!
Enhancing Microsoft Certification Data Management
In the fall of 2023, OIT partnered with the Cox School of Business to onboard 500 new students, aiming to help them achieve Microsoft Certification for the 2023-2024 academic year. This effort was part of the Business Leaders Institute (BLI) course for first-year students. In response, IT Training & Communications expanded its certification offerings by adding ten additional class sections, totaling 564 certifications, on top of its existing commitment of 43 class sections. These sections cover certifications in Microsoft Office programs, which are widely utilized across most schools on campus, with Excel and Excel Expert required for Cox students and PowerPoint and Word for students in Meadows’ Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.
Recognizing that managing 500 additional students presented significant resource challenges, the team reviewed strategies to meet the increased demand. They extended testing times and added proctor resources to assist with physical resource limitations. Additionally, they examined the efficiency of data handling and grade reporting processes. Continue reading Enhancing Microsoft Certification Data Management
Seven Years of Certification: Then & Now with Cox Alumnus Jacob Becker
This summer, I had the opportunity to attend the CERTIFIED Educator Conference, which is designed to help educators around the world as they introduce and enforce the need for certification to accompany traditional learning models. During one of the sessions I attended, I was challenged to find an alum or two who had gone through our certification experience and hear their story of how certification impacted them. Continue reading Seven Years of Certification: Then & Now with Cox Alumnus Jacob Becker
