BOV1 is the CIW: JavaScript Specialist certification exam. This course does not require any previous knowledge in the subject but those with a basic understanding of HTML and/or programming will likely catch on to the material a bit faster.
If you have already taken WFV1, you will already be familiar with the learning resources. For those of you who haven't, refer to my previous entry on that course for more details.
I spent about two weeks preparing for this exam. I targeted one chapter a day. I skipped most of the exercises but I suggest at least completing the ones that focus on topics you are still struggling with. I found w3schools.com to be a great secondary resource to solidify the concepts covered in the book.
Like the WFV1 course, the practice tests are very much like the actual exam. In fact, many of them were written by the same people. I did see one issue with the chapter quizzes, you will sometimes see a question that includes information you have not yet covered. This is mainly with the first few chapters. This material will eventually be covered later in the course but in the mean time, you can check w3schools for an explanation of most of these. Just don't get discouraged if you studied the material and miss these types of questions on your quiz.
After reading the material and completing the chapter quizzes (and exercises, if necessary) take the pre-assessment a couple of times. If you are still missing topics, take note of your wrong answers and make sure you understand the key concepts covered in the question. If you have no trouble passing these, you are ready to book your exam.
Friday, September 30, 2011
WFV1: IT Fundamentals I
WFV1 is the CIW: Web Foundations Associate certification exam. Never heard of it? Me neither... Unfortunately, CIW certifications are not exactly "in demand" certifications that most hiring managers look for.
The material provided by WGU makes this course pretty easy. The only issue is finding what you need. For a course on web design, they are severly lacking in how they implemented these resources.
The exam encompasses three different areas; networking, HTML and E-commerce. Depending on your prior knowledge in those areas, you might be able to sail through this in just a couple of days. I spent a week preparing, mainly because of my limited HTML experience. I focused my reading on the chapter summary PDF files. It consolidates the key chapter material into an easy to read 1 - 2 page document per chapter.
The practice tests are very similar to what you will encounter on the real exam. It just may take you a while to find them in the learning resources. The easiest method is to select the practice test link on the left side of the page and select "Overview" to display the full list of quizzes and tests available.
If you are scoring well in all three areas, you should probably go ahead and book your exam.
The material provided by WGU makes this course pretty easy. The only issue is finding what you need. For a course on web design, they are severly lacking in how they implemented these resources.
The exam encompasses three different areas; networking, HTML and E-commerce. Depending on your prior knowledge in those areas, you might be able to sail through this in just a couple of days. I spent a week preparing, mainly because of my limited HTML experience. I focused my reading on the chapter summary PDF files. It consolidates the key chapter material into an easy to read 1 - 2 page document per chapter.
The practice tests are very similar to what you will encounter on the real exam. It just may take you a while to find them in the learning resources. The easiest method is to select the practice test link on the left side of the page and select "Overview" to display the full list of quizzes and tests available.
If you are scoring well in all three areas, you should probably go ahead and book your exam.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Math: BAC1/GAC1/HHT1/QLT1
As someone who hasn't had a math class in 12 years (and did terrible at it back then), I was very intimidated by these courses. However, I felt that the learning resources that were provided were fantastic and I cruised through these ahead of schedule (except QLT1, haven't taken that yet).
BAC1: This is your basic college math course. I spent a lot of time reading each chapter and taking notes but those of you who have taken a math course more recently should have no problems here (if you even have to take it). The book explained everything pretty clearly and I was able to complete this course in about 2 weeks.
GAC1: I tried a different technique for this course. In fact, I don't think I read any of the book to do it. Here is what I did to prepare for this course:
HHT1: This is the performance portion of GAC1 and only requires one task. The only issue with this course is it is a recycled class from the Teacher's College. You have to turn in a paper from the perspective of a middle school math teacher. I would have liked to see something more geared towards the IT career field instead but it is an easy 3 CUs so I wouldn't stress too much over this.
I submitted my first entry in a day and received feedback on what needed revision the next morning. I spent another hour revising the paper and had it accepted.
QLT1: This is another performance assessment. This one focuses more on graphing. I am going to try and squeeze this class in next month. I will update this post when I do. From what I have heard, it is pretty much just a couple of graphing problems and it can be knocked out pretty quickly.
BAC1: This is your basic college math course. I spent a lot of time reading each chapter and taking notes but those of you who have taken a math course more recently should have no problems here (if you even have to take it). The book explained everything pretty clearly and I was able to complete this course in about 2 weeks.
GAC1: I tried a different technique for this course. In fact, I don't think I read any of the book to do it. Here is what I did to prepare for this course:
- Log into the Thinking Mathematically website (learning resource for course)
- Navigate to the 'Skills Checks' quizes. You will see 4 of them (one is a comprehensive pre-assessment)
- Drill the 3 (non-pre-assessment ones) quizes multiple times. After each attempt, review the question missed. You will see a button in the upper right side that walks you though the problem (I think it's labled "Explain"). This will guide you step by step in solving the problem. Take notes if necessary.
- Repeat this process until you are getting 100% on all three.
- Take the 4th quiz (pre-assessment) a couple of times. This will be the same material from the other 3.
- Finally, take the official pre-assessment accessed from your Degree Plan, not the learning resource.
HHT1: This is the performance portion of GAC1 and only requires one task. The only issue with this course is it is a recycled class from the Teacher's College. You have to turn in a paper from the perspective of a middle school math teacher. I would have liked to see something more geared towards the IT career field instead but it is an easy 3 CUs so I wouldn't stress too much over this.
I submitted my first entry in a day and received feedback on what needed revision the next morning. I spent another hour revising the paper and had it accepted.
QLT1: This is another performance assessment. This one focuses more on graphing. I am going to try and squeeze this class in next month. I will update this post when I do. From what I have heard, it is pretty much just a couple of graphing problems and it can be knocked out pretty quickly.
CLC1: Critical Thinking
CLC1 (Critical Thinking) does not need a long post to go over. It is considered by most to be an easy 3 CUs. However, don't underestimate it because of that.
Before doing anything, take the pre-assessment. About 75% of the material covered in this course is common sense. If you score 85+ on this, go ahead and schedule your exam. If you don't, use the coaching report from the pre-assessment to determine what chapters need your attention. When I took this exam, it felt like I studied the wrong book but I still passed this on the first try with a score in the mid-80's.
Before doing anything, take the pre-assessment. About 75% of the material covered in this course is common sense. If you score 85+ on this, go ahead and schedule your exam. If you don't, use the coaching report from the pre-assessment to determine what chapters need your attention. When I took this exam, it felt like I studied the wrong book but I still passed this on the first try with a score in the mid-80's.
Day 1: EWB2 / Student Mentor / AAV
By the early morning or your first day, you will be emailed instructions on how to access your first course, EWB2 (Education Without Boundaries). This is your orientation course that will explain how WGU works, how to navigate the student portal and what is expected from you as a student. The entire course can be completed in just a couple of hours. You will be asked to complete a couple of tasks such as posting in the community forums and developing a study schedule. It is a little dull but an easy 2 CUs.
It is likely that you will have already had your first phone call with your student mentor. This is the person that unlocks your learning resources, approves exam scheduling requests and updates your AAV (the list of courses you agree to complete that term). Each mentor is different. Some are more by-the-book than others. Regardless of the mentor, once you prove yourself to them by staying on schedule and passing your courses, they will most likely loosen up a bit. During your first term, you will be required to have weekly scheduled phone calls with them (unless they agree otherwise).
After EWB2 is completed, you and your mentor will setup your initial AAV. It is not necessary, nor recommended, to pick a lot of classes at this time. You will be able to add additional classes to your AAV throughout the term but classes on that AAV can not be removed. Courses on the AAV that are not completed by the end of the term are treated as failures. This is primarily a concern for students receiving financial aid or GI Bill benefits.
Before selecting the courses for your AAV, take time to review the Course of Study (COS). This is essentially the course syllabus. This will help you understand what to expect from the course. Your mentor may also suggest taking a pre-assessment before adding the course to your AAV so you have a clearer idea of what to expect.
After your AAV is setup and approved, you can get started on your courses!
It is likely that you will have already had your first phone call with your student mentor. This is the person that unlocks your learning resources, approves exam scheduling requests and updates your AAV (the list of courses you agree to complete that term). Each mentor is different. Some are more by-the-book than others. Regardless of the mentor, once you prove yourself to them by staying on schedule and passing your courses, they will most likely loosen up a bit. During your first term, you will be required to have weekly scheduled phone calls with them (unless they agree otherwise).
After EWB2 is completed, you and your mentor will setup your initial AAV. It is not necessary, nor recommended, to pick a lot of classes at this time. You will be able to add additional classes to your AAV throughout the term but classes on that AAV can not be removed. Courses on the AAV that are not completed by the end of the term are treated as failures. This is primarily a concern for students receiving financial aid or GI Bill benefits.
Before selecting the courses for your AAV, take time to review the Course of Study (COS). This is essentially the course syllabus. This will help you understand what to expect from the course. Your mentor may also suggest taking a pre-assessment before adding the course to your AAV so you have a clearer idea of what to expect.
After your AAV is setup and approved, you can get started on your courses!
G.I. Bill (Ch 30 & Post 9/11)
WGU has been approved by the Department of Veteran's Affairs for G.I. Bill usage. For those who are using Ch. 30 benefits, you can have your tuition broken down into 6 monthly payments. However, you should plan to pay the first two months ($1,000) out of pocket because it can sometimes take a while for them to get everything setup for you, especially when starting around the busy enrollment months for brick and mortar schools (Aug/Jan)
The amount you receive is based on how many credit units (CUs) you select for your initial AAV (the courses you agree to complete by the end of that term).It is important to understand that you can always add additional courses to your AAV throughout your term but you can not remove any.
Courses on the AAV that are not completed by the end of the term are treated as failures. To meet GI Bill requirements, you must PASS the required amount of credits or you will likely have to repay the difference back at the end of the term.
Below are the credit requirements for undergrad programs:
If you have Ch. 30 MGIB and you are considering converting it over to Post 9/11 GI Bill, I suggest you wait. As of recently, the Post 9/11 GIB will now pay 1/2 the national BAH rate for online schools. However, it is possible to add an additional year of benefits if you wait...
This tip only works for veterans who have only been awarded 3 years of MGIB benefits. If you have earned a 4th year from Guard/Reserve, this does not apply.
After you have used 100% of your Ch. 30 MGIB, apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. If you qualified for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and used all of your Ch 30 MGIB benefits, the VA will award you with 1 year of Post 9/11 benefits. This only works if you use every penny of Ch 30. If you have 2 days left of Ch 30 benefits when you apply for Post 9/11, they will convert those 2 days but not award the additional year.
This information has been passed to me second hand but I have confirmed it from multiple veterans. I still have 12 months of benefits left on my Ch. 30 before I can do this myself.
The amount you receive is based on how many credit units (CUs) you select for your initial AAV (the courses you agree to complete by the end of that term).It is important to understand that you can always add additional courses to your AAV throughout your term but you can not remove any.
Courses on the AAV that are not completed by the end of the term are treated as failures. To meet GI Bill requirements, you must PASS the required amount of credits or you will likely have to repay the difference back at the end of the term.
Below are the credit requirements for undergrad programs:
- Full time: 18 or more CUs
- 3/4 time: 13 to 17 CUs
- 1/2 time: 12 CUs
If you have Ch. 30 MGIB and you are considering converting it over to Post 9/11 GI Bill, I suggest you wait. As of recently, the Post 9/11 GIB will now pay 1/2 the national BAH rate for online schools. However, it is possible to add an additional year of benefits if you wait...
This tip only works for veterans who have only been awarded 3 years of MGIB benefits. If you have earned a 4th year from Guard/Reserve, this does not apply.
After you have used 100% of your Ch. 30 MGIB, apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. If you qualified for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and used all of your Ch 30 MGIB benefits, the VA will award you with 1 year of Post 9/11 benefits. This only works if you use every penny of Ch 30. If you have 2 days left of Ch 30 benefits when you apply for Post 9/11, they will convert those 2 days but not award the additional year.
This information has been passed to me second hand but I have confirmed it from multiple veterans. I still have 12 months of benefits left on my Ch. 30 before I can do this myself.
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