Questions Regarding the ECDL?

WeeBull asks: "Next month, I will be attending a seminar on the ECDL (European Computer Driving License). All the official information I can find about the ECDL is 'platform agnostic', but every training course I can find appears to be Microsoft specific. Primarily I'm going along to satisfy my own curiosity regarding this (apparent) anomaly, but if any readers have any other insights or questions regarding the ECDL, I'd be happy to take a list of questions with me, and submit a follow-up with the answers I get. More information about the ECDL is available from the ECDL Foundation."

Too general - skills too basic

[The Clockwork Troll]

I am not sure what the situation is in Europe, but looking at the ECDL syllabus [ecdl.com], it would seem that having the license could attest to only the most basic competency in many subject areas which (in the U.S. at least) are taken for granted if you are applying for a position which requires any sort of real "computer skills."

In all honesty this ECDL seems more like a test fit for a grammar student or the elderly than for a professional (or really, anyone born in the last 40 years). Think "Microsoft Office for Dummies" but formalized into a course.

Re:Too general - skills too basic

[jalet]

The goal of this license is precisely to attest the basic competency of a person in office-like software. This is an exam. This is not a training course at all, but could serve as an evaluation before and/or after a training course.
Maybe in the U.S. this is taken for granted, but the ECDL is precisely the proof that you have this competencies.
Also the people never feels bad, because when they don't pass successfully one of the seven modules, then they can retry a few weeks later until they obtain their ECDL

Re:Too general - skills too basic

[Manic Miner]

Aye,

From my experience this is the case. Think of the ECDL as something that proves you can use microsoft office.

It is certainly not aimed at providing much understanding of how a computer works, and is definately NOT aimed at computer profesionals.

The aim of this is to provide a qualification, specifically for "entry level" office jobs, such as those given to 17/18 year olds, which proves you can use office / a computer / the web to a reasonable level. It can set you above anyone who only has something

It tries to be platform agnostic, but...

[xt]

First of all, the ECDL stands for European Computer Driving Licence, but it has found success in a large number of countries, including countries outside of Europe.

It consists of seven modules, computer basics and a bit of theory, operating system usage and file handling, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, database applications and last but not least, the Internet.

The whole idea is to teach you the basics about computers and office applications, although there are some other units you can take later, which deal with advanced topics (eg. ECDL CAD).

Since I prepare classes for the ECDL examinations and I am an examiner myself, I can also testify that most of the market (I am located in Greece) is oriented towards the MS Windows+MS Office+Outlook Express+Internet Explorer combination.

But, the way the ECDL Foundation is structuring the documents upon which the learning process is based, are platform and application agnostic. They do not assume that you are familiar with MS products only. They place general requirements, every capable product can satisfy.

The examination process itself is a different matter; you can take manual or automated (CBT style) examinations. The manual examination is application agnostic, but right now, the automated one is oriented towards MS products. As fas as I know, they (ECDL Foundation) have only implemented alternatives for two products; Linux+KDE (for OS and file management exams) and Netscape (for Internet exams). There have been requests for OpenOffice support in the examinations and they are considering it.

So, at its core the ECDL is platform and application agnostic, but those who teach and those who come to learn are oriented towards MS products.

ECDL

[jalet]

Hi,

I'm the technical person in one french accredited ECDL center (Faculty of Medicine of Nice).

It should be platform agnostic, in fact it was because it worked in all web browsers with a recent java plugin. The server was under WinNT + IBM's DB2 though.
The new system uses both client and server executables which works only under windows unfortunately.

But the content itself is more plateform agnostic, and it's really of great importance to at least the french company who leads ECDL in France (http://www.pcie.tm.fr). It's true that all screenshots are made under Windows, probably because of lack of people, but I've personnally passed (sucessfully) the StarOffice tests since I've almost never used MS Office.

Hoping this helps

While since I had anything to do with it...

[larien]

However, as others have said, it's very much aimed at the non-techie people; managers, secretaries, office juniors etc, people who might want a bit of paper saying "I know how to use a computer to write a letter & send email". Any reasonable IT person should pass it with flying colours without any revision.

From the experience of a sysadmin in a uni which ran the course, the software was apparently very clunky & difficult to get running; I avoided that task, but the admin who did get the job curse

There is an unusual amount of theory.

[chrestomanci]

There is an unusual amount of theory.

My girlfriend (who is perfectly competent with computers) took the exams at her office for internal reasons.

As other posters have said, there are various modules on office applications, the web, e-mail etc, which would be perfectly straight forward, except for the fact the pass mark is around 80%.

The theory module is different though. Firstly, it had a much lower pass mark at about 60%.

Secondly, It has a lot of hardware theory. To help her with that, I took the cover off my computer and pointed out various components explaining their function. As I expected, her course book talked about the CPU, memory, hard drive and optical drives. I was surprised though when the course book mentioned the north and south bridge chips, the AGP and PCI busses, the fans and CPU cooler and the PSU.

Reading through the Syllabus [ecdl.com] for that module (see page 11), I also see that students are expected to know about mainframes, minicomputers (has anyone used them since the late 70s?), network terminals etc.

In summary the theory module contains a surprisingly large amount of stuff, compared with the basics in the other modules, but there is less need for the student to memorise it all.

Theory != HARDWARE Theory

[Frans Faase]

From what you say it seems that theory is equivalent to knowledge about the hardware. I wonder whether the theory also says something about how information systems are structure and how security works (the difference between authorisation and authentication should be at least being explained).

Piece of Paper

[YDdraig]

Essentially it's a case of 'yep I know how to work MS Office and can switch on and use the computer, organise my files and get work done without destroying it.

Most technical types could do it blindfolded. I did the exams along with everyone else in our building but didn't do any of the training or revision.
It can be useful in getting everyone in an organisation 'up to speed' making sure everyone has at least basic competence. I hear quite a number of schools are planning on sending their teachers thr

Very important

[TheSHAD0W]

Yes, I'd say it's very important to obtain a European Computer Drivers License before working or vacationing in Europe. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to use your laptop or rent a larger PC, but will instead have to take taxis or walk to places you need to go. Training for the ECDL is especially important if you wish to drive your computer on the autobahn; without that training, you could have a very serious crash.

What a great idea.

[pete-classic]

If it sets a standard for computing competence like drivers licenses have set a standard for driving competence . . .

. . . oh, wait. What a horrible idea.

-Peter

About ECDL

[a5cii]

ECDL (European Computer Driving License) is a course which can basically be taken by anyone with even the slightest knowledge of computers.

I took ECDL last year at Aberdeen College, Scotland Information about ECDL here http://www.abcol.ac.uk/openlearning/lea flets/K2NEC .pdf PDF file

ECDL level is in between (Standard Grade and National Qualification level) Standard Grades being the bog-standard qualifications that every Academy Student has to sit before they can leave school http://www.abcol.

A warning

[skatteola]

At the school where I go we got the opportunity to do this test about about 2 years ago.
It was over a webbased interface, and we were supposed to test ourselves in
Basic IT, Windows 2000 and some Office tools. I did these (these tests are not for power users, I tell you) and
then decided to try a few of the others they had.
Well, now I'm sitting here with a ECDL for Windows 3.1, Office 2000 and Exchange 4.0 Mail.

Lucky me I'll probably never need it anyway. :)