Saturday morning, feels funny not being in the classroom as I polish this blog post. This week is Spring Recess where all CSN campuses including classrooms, computer labs, libraries are closed. Some students are diligently using this time to catch-up or jump ahead of the IS101-3205 coursework. Spring Recess also cleanly bisects our semester together.
Of the twenty-four (24) students on the course roster, one disappeared after submitting Bonus Quiz 1 once at the beginning of the semester, another officially withdrew from the course last week. Almost all started strong. As the semester progressed, majority kept up, some jumped ahead, while a few never launched.
The most significant milestone in the past month was the MO-110 Word certification exam. The first of the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification exams in IS101-3205, Spring 2025 yielded three honorable distinctions:
+1+ 100% pass rate on the first attempt: seventeen (17) students took the exam and all seventeen (17) passed. From past experience, one or two would not pass on their first attempt.
+2+ Higher than average scores: Fifteen (15) of the seventeen (17) scored 900 or higher out of 1,000 points. Typically, the passing scores spread throughout 700 to 900s.
+3+ Two perfect scores: Once in a blue moon, a student would earn a perfect score on a MOS certification exam. This semester, on the first exam, Isabel and Connor hit that mark :-)
Other honorable distinctions in the past month are:
Angela alone earned the highest score on Bonus Quiz 5 – Social Engineering & Purchasing Rationale.
Christian alone earned the highest score on Bonus Quiz 6 – Shortcut, Recycle Bin, and File Types.
Christian and Dilanga both earned the highest score on Bonus Quiz 7 – TCP/IP & One Big Thing and Generic Top-Level Domains.
Since my previous blog post and before Spring Recess, seven students gave their A3 Slideshow Presentation while I gave my second lecture: L2 The Internet and first demonstration: D1 Key Excel Concepts and Skills.
i. Jorge – Why Alaska as a Fishing Destination
ii. Chandler Donovan – Japan: My First Trip Plan
iii. Bezhan – How Microchips Are Made
iv. Skyla – Being a Commissioned Artist
v. Katelyn – Monarch Butterfly
vi. My Second Lecture – L2 The Internet
vii. My First Demonstration – D1 Key Excel Concepts and Skills
viii. Noel – Dallas Cowboys
ix. Isabel – My Three Dogs
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%20Being%20a%20Commission%20Artist%20(Skyla%20Janhanfar).png)
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On the second day of Spring Recess, constant as the North Star, Noel, not only started Chapter 5 – Excel early but sent in A4 Fun with Functions Workbook a week ahead of schedule. I know several others will not be far behind.
Whereas Phase 1 was about bolstering one's digital literacy essentials and building good habits and momentum, Phase 2 requires more of an analytical mindset and perseverance. I am excited to see my students test their metal and triumph!
Students,
Please share your thoughts on these four topics in your comment:
Now that you are doing Chapter 5, how do your feel about Microsoft Excel? Did you have any experience using Excel before Chapter 5 of LabSim? Has doing Chapter 5 changed your perception or comfort level with using a spreadsheet?
What impact, if any, has watching 18 min 55 sec the Excel Primer video (https://youtu.be/l3RP-4thnkc?si=lOiXe8m_T6ap2OpN) from the Digital Literacy Program Director had on you before you began Chapter 5?
One signature topic I teach in IS101 is the anatomy of a Uniformed Resource Locator (URL) and how to dissect a URL properly. Using the logic I outlined in the study guide for Bonus Quiz 8, what would the six parts/components (as outlined in slide #5 of my L2 The Internet) be for this URL: ftp://aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd.eee.us/fff/ggg.htm? First student to provide the correct answer in his/her comment to this blog post will receive bonus credit ^_^
How was your experience in doing A4 Fun with Functions Workbook from Digital Literacy Program Director? Did you get stuck? How did you get unstuck?
