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What is NOCTI?

Steve Waddell • Sep 22, 2024

We are proud to announce that CTeLearning has officially joined the NOCTI Alignment Network. Our first alignment is to NOCTI’s Web Design Certification. Our Web Design Curriculum has been developed to support both the written and performance components of NOCTI’s Web Design assessment. This alignment is part of our ongoing commitment to developing courseware to support learners to prepare for and earn industry-based certifications (IBC) as part of building strong career and technical education (CTE) programs of study.

NOCTI Overview

NOCTI is the nation's largest provider of industry-based credentials and partner industry certifications for CTE programs across the nation. Since 1966, NOCTI has been producing assessments to help institutions verify essential skills for the future workforce. NOCTI provides curricular and instructional improvement tools for secondary and postsecondary institutions. In addition to over 100 industry-based credentials, NOCTI also works with customers to create customized solutions. Services include job and task analysis, assessment construction, assessment delivery, credentialing, score reporting, score interpretation, and digital badging. Nocti Business Solutions, a subsidiary of NOCTI, addresses the needs of business/industry by offering customized solutions to enhance workplace productivity.

How Did CTeLearning Get Involved With NOCTI?

First, we updated our existing curriculum to meet the Standards and Competencies that make up the foundation for the written NOCTI exam. We then added new content modules to fill in certain areas. This ensures we are covering the necessary topics and content so that teachers using our curriculum can be confident they are preparing their students for written exam success. Next, we updated our performance assessment in which students have the opportunity to use a practicum that prepares them for each of the stages of the NOCTI assessment. This gives students the chance to practice the web design and development process to better prepare for the performance assessment.

NOCTI Web Design

We chose to tackle the Web Design Credential by NOCTI first as we are heavily invested in helping the SkillsUSA Web Design and Development National competition. We look forward to going through the alignment process for curricula we have that align with existing NOCTI credentials.

How Do You Know if Your Curriculum is Aligned to NOCTI?

As a teacher, how do you make sure that the curriculum you are using is aligned to the NOCTI Web Design written and performance assessments? One way is to review the Assessment Blueprint and another is to look for the following NOCTI Alignment Network Member logo. This logo signifies that the organization has completed an independent alignment of its product(s) to NOCTI’s publicly available standards and competencies per NOCTI’s alignment guidelines.

Note: The use of this logo does not imply endorsement by NOCTI. In accordance with its ISO 17024 accreditation, NOCTI maintains a strict firewall between its assessments and any products labeled as preparation materials.

Interested in Learning More?

Stay tuned for future articles about our work with NOCTI. And click here or call us at 913-764-4272 to schedule a free 20-minute demo of any of our courses and certifications.

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Most Recent Posts

How CTeLearning is Helping One High School Prepare for NOCTI Assessments

By Steve Waddell • 03 Oct, 2024

One of our recent blog articles discussed our work with NOCTI, the nation's largest provider of industry-based credentials and partner industry certifications for CTE programs. Today we are highlighting how we are helping one of our teachers, Ian Kilpatrick, prepare his students for the NOCTI Web Design exams as he uses our Web Design curriculum . Ian teaches at the High School of Fashion Industries in Manhattan, New York City. For more about Ian and his students, check out this article we wrote last year . Aligning to NOCTI To make sure we were aligned to NOCTI, we updated our existing curriculum to meet the Standards and Competencies that make up the foundation for the written NOCTI exam. We then added new content modules to fill in certain areas, which ensures we are covering the necessary topics and content so that teachers using our curriculum can be confident they are preparing their students for written exam success. Next, we updated our performance assessment in which students have the opportunity to use a practicum that prepares them for each stage of the NOCTI assessment. This gives students the chance to practice the web design and development process to better prepare for the performance assessment. Hear what Ian has to say about working with CTeLearning: “The web design curriculum provided by CTeLearning was instrumental in preparing my students for the NOCTI Web Design exam. The team was incredibly responsive and quick to adjust the curriculum to better align with our specific needs, ensuring that the content directly supported the exam requirements.The comprehensive approach to teaching foundational concepts, combined with hands-on projects, has deepened students' understanding of web design principles while building their confidence in applying these skills in real-world scenarios. Thanks to the clear, structured lessons and the emphasis on both creativity and technical proficiency, my students felt well-equipped and knowledgeable as they approached the NOCTI exam. This curriculum has truly laid a solid groundwork for their future careers in web design. I couldn't recommend it more highly!” So what’s next for Ian? This year his school is taking advantage of several new courses as part of their senior capstone program. In this new capstone course, the students will earn two new certificates, Bootstrap 5 and Hybrid and Remote Working Professional (HRWP). Students build websites for live clients who may be fellow entrepreneurs in the fashion and business senior programs, for local startups or for mom and pop stores in their Brooklyn neighborhood. Regardless of who each student gets as their client, they will be practicing the technical and soft skills they learned from going through our Web Design course and preparing for their NOCTI written and performance exams. Throughout the Bootstrap 5 course, students gain skills in developing mobile-friendly sites and applications. The HRWP certificate has sections on interviewing and freelancing to help students prepare for jobs that may not be 100% in-office. All of this helps students build their professional portfolios and add valuable certifications to their resumes for future educational and professional endeavors. Learn More Interested in learning more? Stay tuned for future articles about our work with NOCTI. And click here or call us at 913-764-4272 to schedule a free 20-minute demo of any of our courses and certifications.

What is NOCTI?

By Steve Waddell • 22 Sep, 2024

We are proud to announce that CTeLearning has officially joined the NOCTI Alignment Network. Our first alignment is to NOCTI’s Web Design Certification. Our Web Design Curriculum has been developed to support both the written and performance components of NOCTI’s Web Design assessment. This alignment is part of our ongoing commitment to developing courseware to support learners to prepare for and earn industry-based certifications (IBC) as part of building strong career and technical education (CTE) programs of study. NOCTI Overview NOCTI is the nation's largest provider of industry-based credentials and partner industry certifications for CTE programs across the nation. Since 1966, NOCTI has been producing assessments to help institutions verify essential skills for the future workforce. NOCTI provides curricular and instructional improvement tools for secondary and postsecondary institutions. In addition to over 100 industry-based credentials, NOCTI also works with customers to create customized solutions. Services include job and task analysis, assessment construction, assessment delivery, credentialing, score reporting, score interpretation, and digital badging. Nocti Business Solutions, a subsidiary of NOCTI, addresses the needs of business/industry by offering customized solutions to enhance workplace productivity. How Did CTeLearning Get Involved With NOCTI? First, we updated our existing curriculum to meet the Standards and Competencies that make up the foundation for the written NOCTI exam. We then added new content modules to fill in certain areas. This ensures we are covering the necessary topics and content so that teachers using our curriculum can be confident they are preparing their students for written exam success. Next, we updated our performance assessment in which students have the opportunity to use a practicum that prepares them for each of the stages of the NOCTI assessment. This gives students the chance to practice the web design and development process to better prepare for the performance assessment. NOCTI Web Design We chose to tackle the Web Design Credential by NOCTI first as we are heavily invested in helping the SkillsUSA Web Design and Development National competition. We look forward to going through the alignment process for curricula we have that align with existing NOCTI credentials. How Do You Know if Your Curriculum is Aligned to NOCTI? As a teacher, how do you make sure that the curriculum you are using is aligned to the NOCTI Web Design written and performance assessments? One way is to review the Assessment Blueprint and another is to look for the following NOCTI Alignment Network Member logo. This logo signifies that the organization has completed an independent alignment of its product(s) to NOCTI’s publicly available standards and competencies per NOCTI’s alignment guidelines. Note: The use of this logo does not imply endorsement by NOCTI. In accordance with its ISO 17024 accreditation, NOCTI maintains a strict firewall between its assessments and any products labeled as preparation materials. Interested in Learning More? Stay tuned for future articles about our work with NOCTI. And click here or call us at 913-764-4272 to schedule a free 20-minute demo of any of our courses and certifications.

How CTeLearning is Helping Texas Schools With TEKS Standards (Part III)

By Steve Waddell • 11 Sep, 2024

This is the third and final article in our series about supporting Texas Schools with TEKS standards (you can find part I here and part II here ). Today we are highlighting our Web and Mobile Game Design course and certification , which meets the 126.48 Web Game Development TEKS standard in collaboration with our certification partner, Web Professionals Global , the international association for those who work in the world of the web. Currently, the state where we have certified the most Web and Mobile Game Designers in our schools is Texas. So, needless to say, we are proud of our Texas teachers and students. Industry Trends Web and mobile game design is a growing industry that isn’t going away anytime soon. By 2025, revenue for mobile games will be more than $138 billion and over 70% of Google Play revenue will be from mobile games. The game design industry in Texas is substantial and continues to grow. Texas has the second largest concentration of game studios in the U.S. with over 100 studios in Austin alone that contribute approximately $1 billion annually to the local economy. Other major hubs include Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. Texas' vibrant game development scene is further fueled by the state’s role as a major center for mobile app development. In terms of employment, game designers in Texas earn an average annual salary of about $88,140, with job opportunities spanning from indie studios to larger developers. Course Overview Our curriculum exposes your students to this exciting career pathway and shows them the opportunities that exist in the industry. The project-based learning approach guides students to earning their first international industry-recognized certifications. They learn critical STEM skills, develop confidence, and build a college- and career-ready portfolio. Thanks to our industry partnership, students have the option of obtaining a third-party international industry-recognized certification in web game design. This certification is free to schools and students thanks to a unique sponsorship program. As students naturally progress through the course by completing lessons and projects, they also meet the certification’s industry requirements. At the end of the course, students have the option of registering and receiving their new industry-recognized credentials. This is an exciting introduction and a great first step for students to become future-ready for advanced education or a promising career path. The new Boaring Game in the course was inspired by the feral pigs in Texas. This game module is essentially a game development code a long, so that students can see the complete game design and development journey to bring a game to market. The game has quickly become a favorite in and out of Texas. For the 2024-2025 school year, we added several new features to the Web and Mobile Game Design course: Critical Thinking in the Workplace This module allows students to earn a resume-building certificate sponsored by a professional association. This lesson set was developed in collaboration with Web Professionals Global. As a development team, we hear from educators and employers about the struggles they face in the classroom and workplace. One of the most common issues is students and recent grads who struggle with critical thinking. Critical thinking impacts work ethic and decision-making in both the classroom and the workplace. It's essential for analyzing facts, situations, statements, and media reports. These lessons focus on teaching students how to think on their own and analyze what they see and hear. Thinking critically allows students to learn how the right mindset can de-escalate verbal conflicts and move the conversation to fact-based discussions rather than personal attacks. If we are to truly teach problem solving, we must first engage with critical thinking. The initial feedback we have heard from teachers is that we have hit the nail on the head of this common problem. Color Theory and Accessibility It is so easy to forget just how powerful color is in our lives, and how color can be used to help our clients with their messaging to their target audience. In this exciting module, students learn how far back color theory goes. They learn that even Sir Issac Newton had a hand in shaping what we now think of as modern color theory. As a global society, color theory becomes increasingly important as different cultures see and use specific colors to mean different things. As professional designers, how we use color can help our clients grow their businesses or do irreparable damage. This set of lessons helps students develop professional portfolios that are global-ready and demonstrate that they understand international-based design. Color theory is crucial to designs that meet and exceed accessibility standards, helping design clients reach broader markets and avoid costly legal issues. Typography with Accessibility Typography is a crucial design element that profoundly impacts user experience. Whether designing a personal blog, e-commerce site, or corporate portfolio, text appearance affects readability, brand perception, and overall aesthetics. This lesson module covers key typographic terminology, highlights the importance of typography in web design, and shows how different styles can transform your client’s website. Students learn to choose and pair fonts effectively, make text stand out without overwhelming readers, and apply typographic scales and line spacing for mobile devices. Good typography supports accessibility and aligns with WCAG standards, ensuring that content is accessible to all users. The skills gained are invaluable for creating engaging, accessible, and professional digital experiences across all design, marketing, and development fields. Take the Next Step Check out this article and this article for testimonials from schools in Plainview and Sadler on the impact our curriculum is making in the classroom. And click here or call us at 913-764-4272 to schedule a free 20-minute demo with a member of our development team. We would love to help your school join our community of Texas schools that are giving their students the opportunity to explore web and mobile game design and other in-demand STEM careers.