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North Carolina Test of Computer Skills
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT
This test is a graduation
requirement in North Carolina. Students are given their first opportunity
to complete the requirement during grade 8. Students who do not pass the
test in grade 8 can retake the test in high school and may take course work
to aid them in accomplishing the computer/technology goals.
CURRICULUM
The curriculum
supporting the computer skills test
spans all grade
levels. Specifics of the curriculum, by grade level, can be viewed at the
Department of Public Instruction's website: Computer/Technology
Skills Standard Course of Study (http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/computerskills/scos/)
STUDENT STUDY AIDS
- Student Study Guide ....WORD.........PDF
- Vocabulary ..................WORD........PDF...... HTML
- Test Review Brochure.......................PDF
SOFTWARE
The mechanism used for
testing is called NCDESK. The software is available to the public as
a free download. Additionally, there is a demo movie and a test simulation
for
the
students
to use at home or at school.
The instructions for downloading the software can be obtained from the NCDESK website (http://cuacs8.mck.ncsu.edu/ncdesk/current.asp) or from the Blackboard COURSE link shown below.
- The NCDESK software has to be downloaded and installed on a computer.
- Additionally, a specific version of Java must be downloaded and installed.
- And, the properties of the NCDESK shortcut may have to be altered to connect NCDESK with the right version of Java. The page provides a "script" that can be copied and pasted into the shortcut. (A computer can safely have multiple versions of Java)
WAKE COUNTY PRACTICE FILES
The county uses BLACKBOARD as a delivery system for teacher created materials.
A course in Blackboard has been started to provide review and practice materials
for the computer test. Click on COURSE to
access the materials. Or you can search for NCDESK courses on Blackboard
Course Sites, no passwords required. Use: http://blackboard.wcpss.net.
- There are instructions for downloading and installing NCDESK
- There are practice
files that can be downloaded and opened through NCDESK,
- Unlike Microsoft products or other major software applications like Adobde, an NCDESK file cannot be opened by clicking on the file icon,
- NCDESK must first be opened and then using FILE-OPEN command from the menu bar, browse for the file you want to open.
- You must be in the spreadsheet section of the software to open a spreadsheet file, or in the database section of the software to open a database file, etc.
- There are links to online review exercises and to printable exercises.
- Answer keys are available for all materials or there is on-line scoring.
- All the major topics are covered: word processing, database, spreadsheet, windows, email, telecommunications, and ethics.
OTHER NC COUNTY WEBSITES WITH REVIEW MATERIALS
- Catawba County: http://www.catawba.k12.nc.us/pages/sites/edwebsites/computerskills/onlineactivities.htm
- Burke County and Cleveland County Schools: http://www.quia.com/pages/comppracticetests.html
- Guilford County:
http://schoolcenter.gcsnc.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=139404&sc_id=1165345577&PHPSESSID=81c97c1ff92c4515a3eac3af0a1047ef - ATMS NC State Computer Applications Textbook: http://www.randolph.k12.nc.us/schools/atmiddle/teachers_websites/Witkowski/textbook/textbook_table_of_contents.htm
- Gaston County: http://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/departments/techinstr/cst/index.htm This site has video tutorials on NCDESK!