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MANY OF OUR COURSES WERE REMOVED BY THE STATE OF FL BILL 2510. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE PURCHASES IF THE STATE DOESN'T FUND THE KIDS WHEN THEY PASS THE TESTS.
We do have new things we can explore, and will do so. This will be updated as we go. We are currently looking at the following Certifications. At the bottom of the page, I have listed out more options. We will know more in November when the state announces what tests will be funded.
Knowledge Pillars:
WordPress Certified Editor
HTML/CSS Coding Specialist
Certiport:
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) - HTML and CSS
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Cybersecurity
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Artificial Intelligence
We offer an amazing selection of technology options at Westwood Middle School. We are constantly striving to add more amazing opportunities for our students.
Click on the list below to see some of what we offer or just browse the page!
Currently Available Programs
Currently Available Programs
I have ranked the programs with my personal opinions. I am not trying to encourage or discourage you with these rankings. I'm simply trying to make sure you know what you are getting yourself into!
Sankey's Rankings
Sankey's Rankings
I ranked these programs based on two metrics:
Content: Does the unit have important information in it? Is it relevant? Does it have stuff that is good for kids to know?
Delivery: It's not just important to take the unit with the best information; you need a good teacher too. Is the unit good at teaching what it is trying to teach? Does the instruction make sense? Is it easy for the kids to complete the assignments asynchronously?
VEX Robotics
VEX Robotics
Content: 10/10 Delivery 10/10
The VEX IQ Challenge and VEX Robotics Competition give students a unique opportunity to explore engineering in a collaborative environment!
VEX IQ - A low barrier to entry. VEX IQ is a no-tools system that allows students to prototype ideas quickly - as fast as they can snap them together. Students of all interest levels quickly become wrapped up in the latest challenge. The VEX IQ system was designed with young engineers in mind. They can go from nothing to driving a robot in less than an hour.
Rapid prototyping and sharing of ideas. The best ideas are often copied and improved. The diversity of designs within the classroom and around the world continues to encourage students to revamp and rebuild their designs.
Competitions. Students can compete throughout the year with their creations. We host competitions here at Westwood, followed by state, and world championships.
Job skills for the future. The VEX IQ Challenge and VRC are team-based, and students work in groups to complete a robot for the yearly challenge. Collaboration, documentation, and time management are essential to making sure their projects are successful... And done on time!
The Starter "Claw Bot"
Students then build their own designs!
Encode / Create
Encode / Create
Content: 9/10 Delivery 9/10
A unique coding and computer science curriculum. Students learn real code through fun projects where they make games.
We cover fundamental, intermediate, and advanced concepts. All games are created using the Java programming language, one of the most popular programming languages in the world.
Our lessons and videos focus on teaching students how to learn. They start by showing students step by step, and then guide them towards independent thinking. If a student takes an enCode Create course, they don’t just learn computer programming, they also learn problem solving and how to think like a programmer.
Personalized learning with live instruction. Students learn better when they have a good teacher. That’s why we offer live online sessions with expert instructors. Each session is personalized to meet students’ needs, whether they are just starting out or quickly becoming an expert.
Learn more at encodecreate.com!
The Climber Lesson
VEX VR
VEX VR
Content: 7/10 Delivery 7/10
Learn Computer Science from Anywhere
VEXcode VR Computer Science Level 1 - Blocks is an introductory course where students use VEXcode VR to learn and practice computational thinking and coding.
Each lesson within a single Unit provides a scaffolded approach to the CS concept, leading students to complete independent challenges to apply what they have learned.
Using the VEXcode block-based coding system, students are able to get started instantly with their coding journey.
The VR - Virtual Robot!
ICT - Communications Essentials
ICT - Communications Essentials
Content: 10/10 Delivery 10/10
The ICT Communications Essentials certification measures knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of basic network functions and Internet connections, Web search strategies, online safety and privacy, Web site content and email communication.
ICT – Web Design Essentials
ICT – Web Design Essentials
Content: 8/10 Delivery 6/10
The ICT – Web Design Essentials certification measures knowledge and skills in the basics of designing and creating basic Web sites, including Web page elements, page layout, use of color, graphical user interface (GUI) tools, integration of multimedia, HTML coding, navigation and site publishing.
ICT – Programming & Logic Essentials
ICT – Programming & Logic Essentials
Content: 9/10 Delivery 8/10
The ICT – Programming & Logic Essentials certification measures knowledge and skills in the basics of programming languages, including Boolean concepts, truth tables, logic, program structure, pseudo-code, iterative statements and syntax rules.
ICT – Gaming Essentials
ICT – Gaming Essentials
Content: 9/10 Delivery 7/10
The ICT – Gaming Essentials certification measures knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of interactive computer game creation, including design process, criteria and constraint identification, content research, storyboard creation, program flow modeling, program code creation, and result evaluation and modification practices.
Unity - Create with Code
Unity - Create with Code
Content: 9/10 Delivery 6/10
In this official course from Unity, you will learn to Create with Code as you program your own exciting projects from scratch in C#. As you iterate with prototypes, tackle programming challenges, complete quizzes, and develop your own personal project, you will transform from an absolute beginner to a capable Unity developer. By the end of the course - if you are completing it through a school program - you will also be ready to put your skills to the test on the Unity Certified User Programmer Exam. Most importantly, though, when you complete this course, you will have the confidence that you can Create with Code.
Taken from: https://learn.unity.com/course/create-with-code/
The Complete List of Possibilities
The Complete List of Possibilities
This is the complete list of possible certifications I would potentially love to teach:
Knowledge Pillars:
WordPress Certified Editor
HTML/CSS Coding Specialist
JavaScript Coding Specialist
.NET Coding Specialist
PHP Coding Specialist
SQL Coding Specialist
T-SQL Coding Specialist
WordPress Elementor Specialist
WordPress WooCommerce Specialist
WordPress Certified Developer
WordPress Certified Administrator
Certiport:
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Software Development
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Network Security
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) - Networking
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) - HTML and CSS
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Cybersecurity
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Artificial Intelligence
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Computational Thinking
Information Technology Specialist (ITS) – Data Analytics
Others we may add in over the next year
Others we may add in over the next year
Robotics, Education and Competition Foundation:
RECF Pre-Engineering Certification
RECF Robotics Certification
Toon Boom:
Toon Boom Certified Associate (Harmony Premium)
Toon Boom Certified Associate (Storyboard Pro)
Toon Boom Certified Associate (Harmony Advanced)
TOSA:
TOSA® Autodesk AutoCAD (Advanced or higher level only)
TOSA® JavaScript (Advanced or higher level only)
TOSA® Python (Advanced or higher level only)
TOSA® Web Developer (Advanced or higher level only)
TOSA® WordPress (Advanced or higher level only)
TOSA® Graphics Certified User for Adobe – Graphic Design (Advanced or higher level only)
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