The number of computer based courses that I teach these days is pretty low. I am not an IT teacher and do not need to be one to provide knowledge about technology. When I started out teaching children about technology in the early 1990s, we were very limited in the resources that we had to teach kids about it. The best that we could do was to administer Microsoft Certified English As A Second Language (M CEL) exams so that they would have the knowledge to be eligible for college-level computer science classes. The idea was to get them past the “learn to write” part so that they could take computer based tests to become certified.

While this worked for a while, there was a need for more material. Teachers needed to understand why kids should learn to write with a Microsoft certification. The focus became on understanding the difference between doing something well and doing it correctly. It also became necessary to show parents that being certified with Microsoft could pay huge dividends in the workplace. All of these considerations drove me to find resources that would allow me to do my Microsoft certification online.

My quest for learning material did not take me very long. I simply needed to look around online to see what I could find. What I found was that there were plenty of good resources for learning. Some of them were free, but other paid. In most cases the paid products were worth the money that you spent to obtain them.

My search turned up several useful websites that had been developed by individuals who had gone through the processes required to get their M CEL certification. There were reviews of various products, online quizzes and practice tests. In addition there were sample worksheets that I could work on from home using Microsoft Office Online. Having my homework completed in this manner gave me the freedom to study and review all night without worry.

There are several ways to study for any examination. You can purchase books or go through long and boring hours in the library. I know how frustrating this can be, but you need to pace yourself. Doing your best at any one thing means that you can’t waste time on another thing.

Taking care of business can mean dedicating many hours to the preparation and then managing your own research until the exam is over. But taking care of schoolwork can mean time during the day devoted to reviewing and then tackling the next set of papers. By having review materials available you can spend this time wisely. Review materials can be purchased individually or can be part of an entire online course.

If you have decided to use review materials there are a few things to consider. Firstly, there are some free sites where you can download free copies. Do check these out before buying them as you may find that they aren’t quite as up to date or thorough as those you pay for. Secondly, you don’t want to end up using outdated versions of documents that are impossible to read. Thirdly, it is important to read through the course materials thoroughly to make sure you understand everything. Finally, if you find a particular topic too difficult to understand don’t be afraid to ask for help from the instructor.

After doing all of this it’s time to prepare for the exam. There are various resources to help with this such as practice tests and review guides. The most important thing to remember is to relax and do not let the stress of the exam overwhelm you. It’s also important to practice well in order to get better at answering difficult questions and answering them quickly. When students review, they should review what worked well, what didn’t work, and what needs to be added to the next test. As with any exam the best answers are those which were discovered through experience, practice, and review.