Microsoft adds unscheduled breaks to most certification exams
- Reference: 1652436852
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/05/13/microsoft_unscheduled_exam_breaks/
- Source link:
It has been possible to request a break in advance in the past, but leaving the keyboard without prior agreement was a definite no-no. Even with [1]some certification exams moving online in some regions, monitoring has meant following the rules.
However, [2]from next week , it will be possible to hit the pause button (in icon alone – the caption reads 'Take a break') and leave your screen for a few minutes.
[3]
There are, however, some provisos. Microsoft has built five minutes into the exam time for use as a break, meaning that the exam duration won't change but there will be fewer questions. Breaks can be as long as needed, but that clock will keep ticking.
[4]
[5]
Once a break is started, you can't return to any questions already viewed. It also isn't possible to take a break in the middle of a lab or within a problem solution question set (where you indicate if the presented solution solves the problem.) It's fair enough, really.
Before going on a break, students will also be prompted to review any previous questions and will be reminded how much time and how many questions remain.
[6]Microsoft giveth and Microsoft taketh away: Certification renewals to be free ... but annual
[7]Microsoft posts death notices for Windows 7 sysadmin certifications
[8]Red Hat adds more Cloud Services to support OpenShift apps
[9]IBM Consulting assimilates cloud firm for Azure expertise
The Register asked Microsoft if these rules also apply to online exams, and will update when the company responds. It would be disappointing if not, particularly since Microsoft says the unscheduled breaks will be available in "most" exams.
Microsoft engineer Michael Bazarewsky, for one, seemed pleased about the news.
Most [10]#Microsoft certification exams now support unscheduled breaks - no more needing to schedule your emergencies in advance. 😜 [11]https://t.co/ko0HdbUG5P — Michael C. Bazarewsky (@ProMikeBaz) [12]May 11, 2022
The move is welcome, if a little overdue. Other examinations permit breaks, although some still do not. Cisco's online proctored exams, for example, do not allow for a break during the exam [13]"for any reason" [PDF], and the exam will be ended if the student leaves their computer.
[14]AWS permits unscheduled breaks at a test center but does not allow participants to stand or leave the view of the camera for any reason during an online proctored exam.
[15]
The reaction to Microsoft's decision ia largely positive, with users [16]describing it as "Good news" and accepting the compromise of not being permitted to go back to prior questions if a break occurs. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/online-exams
[2] https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-learn-blog/unscheduled-breaks-now-available-in-most-exams-without/ba-p/3287005
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Yn6ApVuoFvjvp27Hm2OaFwAAAAA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yn6ApVuoFvjvp27Hm2OaFwAAAAA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Yn6ApVuoFvjvp27Hm2OaFwAAAAA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/17/microsoft_certification/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2017/01/19/windows_7_sysadmin_certifications_ending/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/10/red_hat_openshift_cloud/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/16/ibm_neudesic/
[10] https://twitter.com/hashtag/Microsoft?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11] https://t.co/ko0HdbUG5P
[12] https://twitter.com/ProMikeBaz/status/1524424413696958466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13] https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/training-events/training-certification-faqs.pdf
[14] https://aws.amazon.com/certification/policies/during-testing/
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Yn6ApVuoFvjvp27Hm2OaFwAAAAA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://twitter.com/Dieter_Rauscher/status/1524486073442717696
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: As with all exams
"Relationship to the real world ? What has that got to do with anything ?"
The same can be said of schooling.
Re: As with all exams
The cynic's view of schooling: the effort to educate people to the level where they no longer need to be cared for by the public hand and can be handed over to the exploitable workforce.
Only a small fraction of the "schooled" people are actually educated .
Re: Schooling
Well, at least schooling is supposed to guarantee that whoever it is you hire isn't going to be pissing in the corner and drooling over everyone's workspace.
Hopefully.
Re: As with all exams
> Relationship to the real world ? What has that got to do with anything ?
I work as a solution architect for one of the big consultancies and there is constant nagging to pass one of these exams - for the sole reason that they can say we have X certified staff.
I work with a large Government client mostly so there is no way on earth that I will get actual access to their cloud infra: any exam that tests me on the buttons to press to deploy code or to add more storage to a server is a complete waste of time.
Re: As with all exams
" any exam that tests me on the buttons to press to deploy code or to add more storage to a server is a complete waste of time "
Exams of this kind actually serve several purposes, for example:
[1] they keep the CPD industry in revenue
[2] they absolve HR departments from the perceived need to asess the actual competence of candiates
[3] they help to promote vendor products and services
[4] as AC points out, they raise the PR image of consultancies and "membership bodies"
Whether or not they reflect actual capacity to deliver appears to be very low down the scale of priorities. But even non-vendor quals of this "button push" kind do no better.
Re: As with all exams
[2] they absolve HR departments from the perceived need to asess the actual competence of candiates
Letting HR departments anywhere near the process of assessing the competence of candidates is a bad move.
Letting HR departments anywhere near candidates is also a bad move.
In fact, HR departments are just a bad move.
Cool
Or it would be, if Microsoft offered certification in something which interests me. But they don't.
Not worth the e-paper they are written on
We had a contractor start with us a while ago.
They had all sorts of certificates and certifications from both Red Hat and Microsoft, and interviewed really well (apparently, I wasn't involved in that one).
Day 3 of their contract with us, they were looking up simple Bash scripts on Google (I mean a 'Hello World' equivalent that I would expect a junior sysadmin to know how to do).
Suffice to say, when they requested out of the contract after a month we let them go.
Exams prove a lot less than experience.
Exam technique ruined?
So, if you read all the questions at the start (as you do if you want to plan your exam time) and you need a break, the exam is effectively over?
Sheesh!
As with all exams
all passing this exam means is that you are able to pass this exam.
Relationship to the real world ? What has that got to do with anything ?