IC³ Spotlight SALMEN HIGH SCHOOL Building Confidence and Computer Skills

Salmen High School of St. Tammany Parish in Slidell, Louisiana is turning heads as a technology leader by providing essential computer training and certification to both students and teachers. Since Spring 2002 the school has offered IC³ certification to complement its Computer Applications I course for students and is scheduling an 8-week IC³ training course for teachers during the 2003 term.

Equipping Students for Jobs and Higher Education Brandon Mainer, one of the first students to pass the IC3 exams, has a new job because of his IC³ certification and skills! School principal Janet Kondas hired Brandon as a one-on-one assistant for teachers who will attend the upcoming IC³ teacher-training courses. Brandon is eager to contribute to the school, saying, “I’m excited about being hired as an assistant. I'm applying as a computer science major to Louisiana Tech, and I think that having this work experience on my résumé, along with certification in IC³, A+, and Microsoft Office Specialist, will strengthen my college application.” Deborah Janssen—Teacher, Technology Liaison, and IC³ Authorized Instructor—had encouraged Brandon to take the IC³ exam, because “certification backs up what you know.” Ms. Janssen is back at her own high school, after a career as a nurse and business owner/consultant, to help students and teachers earn IC³ certification for that very reason. She also explains that although most students are familiar with some aspects of computers, “students’ knowledge of computers is often like Swiss cheese: It has holes. IC³ is basic but in-depth enough to be challenging. It grabs students’ attention and shows them how to use the computer as a productive tool.” Ms. Janssen looks forward to the confidence students acquire after achieving IC³ certification. “The thrill for me, as a teacher, is to see the student pass the exam. I just want to do it again and again and again.” Students who have earned certification exhibit more confidence in themselves and in their abilities, and other students are noticing, saying, “I want to do that too!” “We’re preparing students for today’s jobs and for those that don’t even exist yet,” adds Mrs. Kondas. “Shifts in the working world will continue to occur, and if our students understand how to use computers and technology, they will be able to adapt to change. Students who graduate with a diploma and an IC³ certificate have a much better chance of landing a job that pays higher than minimum wage.” Giving Teachers the IC³ Advantage Mrs. Kondas and Ms. Janssen are encouraged by what IC³ certification has to offer teachers as well—helping them increase their skill and comfort level with computers. Mrs. Kondas notes, “Students have more confidence in teachers who have IC³ certification and know enough to help the class and to guide students in the lab, and so do I. Because of that, we want to see teachers continue to increase their own skills and earn other certifications.”

January 2003

To introduce teachers to IC³, Ms. Janssen presented a one-day workshop, covering 25% of the IC³ objectives, to 21 teachers. When a teacher requested a longer, more in-depth course, Mrs. Kondas agreed and arranged for Ms. Janssen to train a full third of the faculty during successive 8-week training courses. The entire Salmen Family—teachers and staff—was offered the opportunity to sign up for an 8-week training course, including a veteran teacher of 25 years who said to Ms. Janssen, “I’m tired of feeling inadequate at my job at this point in my life.” Because technological advances happen fast and can be daunting to people using computers for the first time or to those who struggle to adapt, Ms. Janssen uses IC³ to lead people past these initial fears and frustrations. As she says, “When you start to understand, it’s fun!” Teachers from all subject areas and several staff members—including Mrs. Kondas and one of her two assistant principals—will train and certify on IC³ during 2003. Mrs. Kondas states, “I hope that by going through IC³ training and certification, teachers’ fears will subside and they’ll be confident to explore. Going through IC³ training and certification with them will give me a chance to understand, firsthand, what teachers’ frustrations are.” The school offers the course and certification exam to teachers free of charge, and teachers can purchase course materials if they choose. Teachers who earn certification are awarded door plaques to display their new credentials and receive “patches” for subsequent certifications that they earn. Because computer skills are essential in the classroom and certification provides evidence of an applicant’s skills, Mrs. Kondas plans to use IC³ to evaluate teachers’ computer skills and identify topics for professional development. As she says, “In the near future teachers won’t be able to function in the school environment without using computers effectively in all subject areas. Making IC³ the baseline for new teachers will help us make hiring decisions in the future.” To learn more about Certiport and IC³ certification, visit the Certiport Web site at www.certiport.com/ic3 or call Customer Service at 1-800-572-9250.