I’ve earned a lot of the certifications that Google affords, together with the L1 and L2 instructor certification.
Years in the past I grew to become a “Google Licensed Administrator,” however that program was discontinued a very long time in the past.
I used to be excited to listen to Google announce a brand new certification for IT admins who handle Chromebooks.
Sounds good for somebody like me!
So, I made a decision to check my abilities by taking the ChromeOS administrator examination. I suppose we’ll learn how a lot I truly find out about Chromebooks!
Word: Google made the next updates to the ChromeOS administrator examination in late 2023:
- Eliminated the lab portion of the examination
- Decreased the time from 3 hours to 2 hours
- Prolonged the free provide till January 2025
- Decreased the examination value from $200 to $125
Examination Guidelines & Necessities
The ChromeOS administrator examination aimed toward IT professionals with not less than 1 12 months of Chromebook administration expertise. You should be conversant in the Google admin console, machine, and consumer settings earlier than trying this examination.
My expertise with Chromebook administration is completely in Ok-12 faculty environments. There have been a number of questions / sections of the examination that have been extra business-focused and never as acquainted to me.
This examination is acceptable for each enterprise and training IT admins, simply be ready for some ideas which may not be frequent in your IT surroundings.
Listed here are the important thing particulars that it is best to know in regards to the ChromeOS directors examination
- Value: $125 (FREE by way of January 2025!)
- Format: a number of selection (lab portion was eliminated in late 2023)
- Examination Time: 2 hours (lowered from 3 hours in late 2023)
- Passing Rating: 80% (you both move or fail; you gained’t know your particular rating)
- Language Help: English and Japanese
- Restrictions: this can be a closed e-book examination. Exterior materials (digital or printed) is just not allowed. Remotely proctored by way of internet cam eye monitoring.
- Size of Certification: 3 years (should re-test to take care of your credential)
You possibly can retake the examination as much as 3 times in a single 12 months by re-registering and paying the examination price. There’s a ready interval between every try which is outlined right here. (Hopefully I gained’t have to take this check greater than as soon as!)
Registration course of
Registering for the Chromebook examination examination was a bit difficult, however that is almost definitely as a result of the truth that the examination continues to be in beta.
Registration and check administration is dealt with by Kryterion, Google’s testing companion. As a result of this examination is in beta, it’s essential to create a NEW Kryterion account to entry and register. When you’ve got taken different skilled certifications from Google / Kryterion, you’ll be able to NOT use your previous account.
Upon getting created a brand new account, you will notice the ChromeOS administrator examination and may have the chance to register without charge by way of January 2025. The examination price is generally $125.
You could schedule a time to take a seat for this examination. Similar day examinations are NOT obtainable, so be sure to register upfront.
Need to move your ChromeOS admin examination the primary time? The Chromebook Academy is a LIVE digital coaching for IT directors that may overview all the things that’s examined on this examination.
The Chromebook Academy takes place in February, June, and September annually. Be a part of the wait listing beneath to be notified when registration opens.
Examination restrictions
The ChromeOS administrator examination is a closed-book examination. Referencing exterior notes or use of a secondary machine or browser tabs is NOT allowed.
There’s a lengthy listing of prohibited exercise and habits outlined on the examination coverage web page.
I’ve taken almost all the exams that Google affords. This one had the tightest safety, with out query. A lot tighter than the L1 and L2 Google Educator exams and the previous Google Licensed Administrator examination that’s not supplied.
The examination is remotely proctored by way of your internet cam utilizing eye-tracking software program. In case you look off-camera, you’ll obtain a warning to not entry exterior notes or secondary gadgets. Repeated warnings may end up in being kicked out of the examination.
This occurred to me a number of occasions. The excellent news is that you just don’t simply get kicked off; so there’s no have to panic about trying off-camera for a second and voiding your examination outcomes.
After submitting your examination, your responses shall be reviewed by Google / Kryterion for compliance with the said examination guidelines. Your examination outcomes shall be voided whether it is decided that you just didn’t adjust to the examination insurance policies.
Examination prep
Sadly, Google doesn’t present any sources that will help you put together for the examination. There’s a (very) minimal define of matters you have to be conversant in, however you’re by yourself to observe.
When you’ve got been managing Chromebooks for a number of years, you’ll most likely do exactly advantageous. However in case you are new to the Admin Console, it could be greatest to get some coaching and expertise earlier than you try the examination.
Listed here are some extra sources that may make it easier to put together for the examination:
- Free ChromeOS Admin Examination examine information – As a result of there weren’t any nice sources to assist put together for the examination, I made a decision to create my very own!
- Google Admin Bootcamp – this LIVE digital course critiques the important thing parts of managing Google Workspace for Training utilizing the admin console. That is NOT Chromebook course, however will provide you with useful background on navigating the console.
- Chromebook Academy – this LIVE digital course is particularly alligned with the ChromeOS admin examination. We’ll cowl all the things it’s good to know to handle a fleet of Chromebooks AND move the examination.
I provide each of those programs a number of occasions all year long. Head over to gEducator.com to study extra and join!
Part 1: A number of selection (not straightforward)
The ChromeOS examination is split into two sections: a number of selection and lab.
The primary part consists of fifty a number of selection questions that should be accomplished in 90 minutes or much less.
Many of the questions require the choice of a single right reply, however a number of require the choice of a number of right decisions.
I discovered this part to be essentially the most difficult. It’s important that you’re conversant in the vocabulary of the Google admin console to move this part.
There have been some questions that I discovered a bit obscure or complicated, however that’s fairly normal for this sort of check.
In case your expertise with Chromebook administration is primarily in training, there are some things which may throw you off.
For instance, the subject of deploying and configuring a VPN was included on the examination. This isn’t one thing that I’ve ever wanted to do because the Chromebook admin for a college.
You have to be ready for 5-10 questions that shall be difficult in case your Chromebook administration expertise is restricted to classroom deployments.
You do have the chance to mark questions for later overview if you want. You’ll have an opportunity to overview these questions earlier than you submit the MC portion of the check.
Upon getting submitted the a number of selection part, you’ll transfer on to the lab portion of the examination.
Part 2: Lab (a bit simpler)
Word: As of January 2024, Google eliminated the lab portion of the examination. It’s doable that they are going to add this portion again in sooner or later, so I’m leaving this part of my overview for future reference.
The second part of the check is a lab sensible which requires use of the Google Admin Console to unravel varied administrative situations.
I discovered this part to be simpler than the a number of selection part, and way more satisfying. In case you are conversant in the admin console, you’ll breeze by way of this part.
If you start the lab portion of the examination you’ll obtain login credentials to a demo admin console that you’ll use to finish the duties which are assigned to you. Most of those duties are fairly straight ahead and contain creating organizational models, making use of insurance policies to the OUs, and transferring customers/gadgets round inside the OUs.
I obtained 14 state of affairs questions. Some situations comprise a number of duties/components, in order that they take various quantities of time. You might have 90 minutes to finish the lab portion of the examination.
The duties on this portion of the examination are issues that I do frequently. I discovered the situations to be very sensible and the expectations to be moderately aligned with the duties a Chromebook admin ought to be capable of full.
The important thing to success on the lab portion of the examination is familiarity with the format of the admin console. Can you discover the setting that offers with pinning OS updates to a selected model? The place do you go to configure a kiosk app for deployment? The situations offered require accessing many alternative sections of the console.
Examination Outcomes
It took me about 2 hours to finish each sections of the Chromebook certification examination.
After submitting my examination, I used to be informed that my outcomes can be emailed in 10-14 days.
I used to be pleasantly shocked after I obtained my examination outcomes the subsequent day.
Whereas the e-mail indicated that I PASSED, my check outcomes have been being reviewed by Google to make sure “examination compliance.” I’m unsure in the event that they thought I cheated, or if that is what occurs to everybody.
It did take greater than every week to obtain ultimate affirmation of my examination outcomes. This time, I used to be formally acknowledged as a ChromeOS licensed specialist and invited to view my certificates and badge.
Your certification is held by credential.internet which can be utilized to confirm the authenticity of the credential. You possibly can hyperlink your credentials to your LinkedIn profile and add the badge to your signature.
Remaining ideas
I had a really constructive expertise with the ChromeOS administrator examination. I didn’t expertise any technical points or obtain any questions that I felt have been unfair or inaccurate.
Google does NOT present a lot in the best way of coaching for this examination. There’s a (very) minimal listing of examination matters, however no actual preparation materials. For this reason I created the Chromebook Academy, with the intention to take the examination with confidence!
Working this sort of evaluation is VERY difficult. I don’t envy the staff that’s in control of writing the questions and managing the method.
I’ve accomplished almost all of Google’s certification packages and this one was one of many smoothest by far.
With the examination price being waived till January 2025, there actually isn’t any purpose NOT to offer the examination a attempt!
