Microsoft Quasi Open Book Certification Exams

[Steve Linthicum]

Microsoft appears to be following a new path: "On August 22, we will begin updating our exams so that you will be able to access Microsoft Learn as you complete your exam. This resource will be available in all role-based and specialty exams in all languages by mid-September."

Thoughts?

Introducing a new resource for all role-based Microsoft Certification exams | Microsoft Community Hub

Microsoft Learn’s latest enhancement was designed to improve the overall exam experience.

techcommunity.microsoft.com

 

[Rick Butler]

Microsoft appears to be following a new path: "On August 22, we will begin updating our exams so that you will be able to access Microsoft Learn as you complete your exam. This resource will be available in all role-based and specialty exams in all languages by mid-September."

Thoughts?

Introducing a new resource for all role-based Microsoft Certification exams | Microsoft Community Hub

Microsoft Learn’s latest enhancement was designed to improve the overall exam experience.

techcommunity.microsoft.com

That's interesting. Maybe because they want more people to have the certifications (seeding)? Since a professional from day to day will probably consult online resources when dealing with a problem in the field, it's less realistic for them to try to stuff all that information in their head.

Additionally, in a timed test, if done right, the test taker doesn't have all the time in the world to look up every answer. I used to do my open book tests like that - with 90 seconds per question, so if you had to look up one or two things - yeah, okay. But more than that - it may be that the test taker doesn't, know the material well enough to even do their job as an open-book exam.

Interesting move on MSFT's part though.

/r

 

[Steve Linthicum]

Comments on Reddit relating to this:

 

[Rick Butler]

Comments on Reddit relating to this:

Making me go out to reddit...

I feel dirty.

/r

 

[Steve Linthicum]

That's a useful OSINT resource. Yea gotta use what yea need to do the job.

 

[Rick Butler]

That's a useful OSINT resource. Yea gotta use what yea need to do the job.

Oh I know. Reading Reddit is much like playing Doom on "Nightmare!" mode and only being able to use your fists.

 

[Steve Linthicum]

So I'll ask a question, but first a little background. The action of Microsoft, in providing open-book access to the Microsoft Learn resources during the exam, leads me to believe a key benefit for students purchasing this learning resource is they will be better equipped to achieve exam success because it is much easier to locate content you are seeking from a resource you've been using to study for the exam. As a consequence, students are more likely to buy Microsoft Learn resources than select a third-party learning resource.

Question:
With CompTIA's focus on the production of learning resources, as evidenced by its recent acquisition of TestOut, is it possible that CompTIA may follow Microsoft's lead, and provide limited open-book access during the exams to some of their learning products?

 

[Jarrel]

access to learn.microsoft.com is free.
The "open book" exams are limited to non-fundamental type of certifications.

Hence, any -900 exams are closed book.

 

[Rick Butler]

access to learn.microsoft.com is free.
The "open book" exams are limited to non-fundamental type of certifications.

Hence, any -900 exams are closed book.

Well shucks...and I was studying for those...thought MSFT just made it easy for me. LOL!

 

[Mark Anthony Germanos]

Will "open book" mean you can carry books into the test center, or will you have access to a few websites where you can verify answers?

 

[Jarrel]

"open book" in a sense that there's a way to access Microsoft Learn while taking the exam.

 

[Mark Anthony Germanos]

Back when “Who wants to be a millionaire?”was on TV, Regis Philbin told a contestant that using phone a friend and having the friend do an Internet search, took too much precious time. That may prove true with open book tests too. You have to know your stuff before you walk in there. Too much time doing research while trying to conquer a test may lead to failure.

 

[Rick Butler]

Back when “Who wants to be a millionaire?”was on TV, Regis Philbin told a contestant that using phone a friend and having the friend do an Internet search, took too much precious time. That may prove true with open book tests too. You have to know your stuff before you walk in there. Too much time doing research while trying to conquer a test may lead to failure.

Agree with you on that. Open book tests have the propensity to make people so worried that they don't know the answer, they'd be tempted to go back and look up everything, just to pass. The one thing that they are not, is confidence builders. A person doesn't get confident in their abilities of the trade by looking up everything.

And something of which I was reminded before - if you are working in a facility where internet access is strictly controlled, such as a classified SCIF, well, unless you relish the idea of badging in and out of a controlled area 100 times a day, you better have those answers in your brain.

/r