Implementing the MTA Programme into your Curriculum
If you’re part of a school or college’s Senior Management Team and looking for ways of adding value or for additional programmes that would be aimed at the Gifted and Talented, then the MTA may just be what you are looking for.
If you’re a university or college then the MTA can be embedded into your current courses and be used as an additional benefit for someone attending your institution.
The purpose of the MTA is not to replace your current learning programmes but supplement your existing ones and help candidates understand what would be required if they want to continue on their journey of certified IT professionals.
Step 1: Become an Authorised MTA centre
You can sign up to become an authorised MTA centre via the Certiport website:
http://www.certiport.com/portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?page=common/pagelibrary/MTA_home.html
If you are based in the UK or Ireland, it is best to approach Prodigy Learning:
Currently, you can get a 45 day evaluation which will allow you to deliver 50 exams (for free!) This sign up process means that you obtain a “Campus Licence” which allows you to deliver the MTA exam from ANY internet-enabled workstation on your site.
Step 2: Review the courseware (ERK)
Once you have signed up as an official MTA centre, you will gain access to the Exam Review Kits for each of the 7 MTA certifications!
An Exam Review Kit is the authorised Microsoft courseware that is to supplement your existing courses. They cannot completely replace the need for a comprehensive course and are supposed to be used as either a review prior to an exam or could act as a revision session after delivering the topic area.
Each Exam Review Kit consists of 20 lessons of 50 minutes in length. Each lesson typically includes a slide deck, lesson plan and a student activity. The lesson is typically used to review information; however, it is possible to introduce some new concepts that may not have been delivered previously. It is recommended that the ERKs are used as they definitely do help students to pass the exams.
Between October – December 2010, Wiley (publishers of the MOAC books) are going to be releasing courseware for the MTA exams. It is promised to be a more in-depth look at the material covered by the ERK.
Step 3: Build your MTA programme
Option 1: Create a bespoke course and run it alongside the ERK
If you wish to deliver the MTA as a new course and do not wish to wait for courseware, it is possible to use the objective domains and run the ERK alongside to supplement what you deliver. This would be particularly suited for schools who might want to create an after-school club for students who would be interesting in becoming Microsoft Certified.
Option 2: Run an existing course and then use the ERK
If you are already delivering a course – either created in house or by another vendor (such as CompTIA’s A+) then it is possible to add additional value to your programme by delivering the Exam Review Kit just prior to your students taking the exam.
Option 3: Use an existing course and use the ERK for review
You might already have a course, but your endpoint is solely the MTA exam. You could then deliver topics that are related to the MTA and use the ERK for regular review.
Need Help?
When you sign up for the MTA you can choose to be contacted by an “Unpacker” who can help you to integrate it into your organisation.
Next time…preparing for the Networking Fundamentals MTA exam
