NEEDS ANALYSIS & COURSE DESIGN GUIDE

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

National Training Center

Instructor Development Training

Development and Delivery

VERSION: 1.0 REVISION DATE: 02/25/2013

Approval of the Project Charter indicates an understanding of the purpose and content described in this deliverable. By signing this deliverable, each individual agrees work is initiated on this project and necessary resources are committed as described herein.

Approver Name Title Signature Date

Director

Federal PM

COTR

Page 2

Table of Contents FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................ 4

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 5

PROJECT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................. 6

Description .................................................................................................................................. 6

Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 6

Performance Goals ...................................................................................................................... 6

Project Status ............................................................................................................................... 7

Project Gantt chart ....................................................................................................................... 7

Risks Factors ............................................................................................................................... 7

NEEDS ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................................... 8

Approach ..................................................................................................................................... 8

Organizational Overview ............................................................................................................ 9

Certification Process ............................................................................................................................. 9

Review Sources ................................................................................................................................... 10

Barrier and Challenges ........................................................................................................................ 11

Learner Overview ...................................................................................................................... 12

Survey .................................................................................................................................................. 12

Interview ............................................................................................................................................. 15

Materials Overview ................................................................................................................... 16

Instructor Development 2006 and Advanced Instructor Development 2007 .................................... 16

Four Day Mentoring Course Participant Workbook ........................................................................... 18

NTC Technical Curriculum ................................................................................................................... 20

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................. 22

Indirect Influences ..................................................................................................................... 22

Nomination Process ............................................................................................................................ 22

Coaching & Mentoring ........................................................................................................................ 22

Re-certification & Succession Planning ............................................................................................... 22

Direct Influences ....................................................................................................................... 23

Competency Model ............................................................................................................................. 23

Learning Path with Formal and Informal Learning ............................................................................. 24

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Training Approach ............................................................................................................................... 24

Increase the Course Duration ............................................................................................................. 26

Support Tools ...................................................................................................................................... 27

COURSE DESIGN GUIDE OUTLINE ....................................................................................... 28

One Week Course...................................................................................................................... 28

Two Week Course ..................................................................................................................... 29

DECISION POINTS AND NEXT STEPS ................................................................................... 30

Course Duration ........................................................................................................................ 30

Re-use of Materials ................................................................................................................... 30

Requests .................................................................................................................................... 30

Next Steps ................................................................................................................................. 30

CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................. 31

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 32

APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 33

NTC New Instructor Development Certification SOP .............................................................. 33

NTCE New Instructor Certification Program Flowchart .......................................................... 33

Master Evaluation Checklist ..................................................................................................... 33

Instructor Survey ....................................................................................................................... 33

Learner Analysis Summary and Addendum ............................................................................. 33

Interview Guide ......................................................................................................................... 33

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FIGURES

Figure 1 William Deterline’s Performer-Centered HPT Model. (Source: Whiteside, 1998) ......................... 8

Figure 2 New Instructor Certification Process .............................................................................................. 9

Figure 3-Review Sources ............................................................................................................................. 10

Figure 4- Instructor Demographics ............................................................................................................. 13

Figure 5- Familiarity with NTC Courses & Methodology ............................................................................. 14

Figure 6-Learner Attitudes and Beliefs ....................................................................................................... 15

Figure 7- IDP Content 2006 and 2007 ......................................................................................................... 16

Figure 8- Bloom's Revised Taxonomy ......................................................................................................... 17

Figure 9-Four Day Mentoring Instructor Development Course 2010 IDT .................................................. 19

Figure 10-Training Cycle .............................................................................................................................. 19

Figure 11-NTC Curriculum .......................................................................................................................... 20

Figure 12- Certified Instructors in NTC Subject Areas ................................................................................ 21

Figure 13- Instructor Development Competency Model ............................................................................ 23

Figure 14-Facilitator Cycle........................................................................................................................... 25

Figure 15- Continuum of Support for NTC Instructors ................................................................................ 27

Figure 16- One Week Course Guide ............................................................................................................ 28

Figure 17- Two Week Course Guide............................................................................................................ 29

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

National Training Center (NTC) of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is a relatively young federal agency, eleven years, which has experienced some growing pains resulting in rather significant changes for its Instructor Development Program (IDP). It is designed to ensure the highest quality delivery of motor carrier safety and law enforcement training to federal and state personnel and to assist in achieving FMCSA’s goal of reducing fatalities, injuries, and commercial vehicle crashes. It is also important to note, that authorized providers develop and deliver their own training aligned to the IDP.

The study team at Morgan State University was contracted for the design, development and delivery of

intense, practical, and experiential new candidate training with a solid emphasis on effective student-

centered learning. Train-the-Trainer emphasis will be addressed via instructor notes and discussion

during the pilot.

For a complete picture of the problem or gap, a comprehensive analysis of the factors that influence the

learners was completed using a variety of needs assessment techniques. The review of organizational,

learner and instructional materials found that instructors were not adequately prepared to uniformly

assess, instruct and evaluate learners using the prescriptive NTC Curriculum; this is especially true of

teaching regulations via direct or indirect instructional methods. This problem is exasperated by two

major findings or disconnects which will weigh heavily in all instructional decisions on this project.

Because training alone is rarely the answer to performance problems, IDP barriers and challenges were

also discussed.

NTC has had three different IDPs in the last ten years. The review and the analysis were comprehensive

to ensure the design, development and delivery of a training experience which would effectively address

new candidate needs.

The performance requirements were defined (IDP Competency Model) and five concrete recommendations were presented to address mastery of competencies and uniformity of delivery.

1. Use a IDP Competency Model

2. Develop a Learning Path with formal and informal Learning

3. Transition from the Training Cycle to the Facilitator Cycle (Training Approach)

4. Increase the Course Duration

5. Develop Support Tools

The IDP course outline, project decision points and next steps are also detailed.

In sum, the new IDP will acknowledge candidates’ experience and expertise ensure that the candidates

understand all the competencies for which they will be responsible and provide learning opportunities

in which instructional and technical competencies can be applied in context.

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

Description According to the Instructor Certification and Maintenance Procedures Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), the NTC Instructor Development and Certification Program IDCP applies to Federal and State personnel, providing training to enhance the candidate’s instructional skill. Through verbal feedback and critiques, the NTC instructor candidates are also able to develop new ideas, perspectives, and skills applicable to their professional and personal lives. While many classes are held in Arlington, VA, some states are approved to host their own Instructor Development Courses as long as requirements are met.

The current program includes a one week course followed by a course teach for certification. The scope of this one-week course consists of planning learning objectives, as well as development of lesson topic guides, methods and techniques of instruction, and effective classroom communication with an emphasis on practical applications. Students give a minimum of two practical oral training lessons that are critiqued by the instructors and classmates for enhanced learning and attainment of course objectives. In addition, the presentations are video-recorded and given to the students for review.

Scope The Morgan Team was selected to design and deliver an NTC Instructor Development Program that is intense, practical, and experiential in design, with a solid emphasis on effective student-centered learning; the [training] development will include the design, development, verification, and validation of performance-based tests that meet the requirements of the current NTC testing policy and program. This project requires effective design, development and delivery of a state-of-the-art approach to instructor development, training in the instructional methodologies proper to NTC, as well as a mechanism for training participants in the NTC course material of which they have pre-qualified.

Performance Goals As stated in the Performance Work Statement (PWS), there are six performance objectives.

FINAL EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

ADDIE PROCESS

Performance

Objective 1 - Analysis

Performance

Objective 2 -

Design

Performance

Objective 3 - Development

Performance

Objective 4 - Implementation

Performance

Objective 5 -

Evaluation

PO 6-Formative

Evaluation

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Project Status Performance Objectives 1 and 2 are being addressed simultaneously. This document presents the needs analysis and the initial course design to be discussed with the SMEs at the Course Review Panel Meeting.

Project Gantt chart

Updated Project Plan (Timeline) This is a very dynamic and ever-evolving project, so it is no surprise that the timeline is skewed.

However, we are on target to begin development in March. Additionally, we are recommending some

minor changes which will enable us to deliver the pilot during the summer as originally discussed.

NTC Decisions and Materials Requested (2/25)

Course Panel Review Packet for Review (2/28)

Course Panel Review Packet Delivered to Participants (3/1)

Virtual Course Panel Review Meeting on Adobe Connect (3/15 or 3/18)

Final Course Design Guide and Preliminary Lesson Plan (PLP) (3/1 or 3/25)

Development (6/24)

Implementation (Pilot) (July 22-26)

Evaluation (Summary) (August 2)

Risks Factors This analysis was hampered by the staggered delivery of requested information and the lack of data detailing the current performance of the learner group, i.e. course, instructor and performance evaluations. Furthermore, the lack of access to candidate instructors is of concern. While much extrapolation can be made from the instructor and master instructor groups, this project’s primary audience is the candidate instructor and without the customary assessment information from said group the analysis is hindered.

To mitigate the lost time the project has experienced as a result of the delay in the receipt of NTC inputs

and changes to the release of the survey as well as administrative issues the Morgan Team experienced,

we have included the Course Design Guide (Performance Objective #2) with the analysis (Performance

Objective #1). We plan to host the Course Review Panel Meeting virtually to remove travel barriers. We

also recommend that the Final Course Design Guide and the Preliminary Lesson Plan be delivered at the

same time. Given the amount of data and the findings that this analysis presents we are comfortable

with this approach. This is also supported by the many hours of consultations we have had with

stakeholders and master instructors.

Milestones Nov-12 Dec-12 Jan-13 Feb-13 Mar-13 Apr-13 May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13

Project Initiation Performance Objective 1: Analysis Performance Objective 2: Design Performance Objective 3: Development Performance Objective 4: Implementation Performance Objective 5: Evaluation Performance Objective 6: Executive Summary

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NEEDS ANALYSIS

Approach This analysis attempted to understand and detail the needs of candidate instructors. Furthermore, given the use of three different Instructor Development Programs (IDP) in the last ten years, the importance of the training in protecting lives, and NTC’s interrelated, complex and unique culture, a Human Performance Technology (HPT) approach was selected; ADDIE aligned, it is a systematic approach to improving productivity and competence (Applied Performance Improvement Technology Performance Improvement, 2000). Deterline’s Performer Centered HPT model focuses on the performer (instructor) who is potentially influenced by multiple factors, both personal and organizational (Wilmoth et all, 2002). This model aligns to the complex culture at NTC and illustrates the relationship between the instructor (performer) and all the other influences at NTC. This includes, but is not limited to Curriculum Management, Academy Services, IT-Web Services, Testing and Performance Management and Instructor Development. Not all factors are well connected and communicated within an organization. Thus, the identification of missing links is a major task in applying this HPT model.

Figure 1 William Deterline’s Performer-Centered HPT Model. (Source: Whiteside, 1998)

To identify missing links, and understand instructors’ influences and determine their required competencies a number of techniques were used: questionnaire, stakeholder consultations, interviews and a review of existing materials, processes and documents. It is also important to note that direct observations are also planned. The influences were categorized as organizational, learner (performer) and materials.

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Organizational Overview Rummler likened organizations to ecosystems where every component is interrelated and linked

together (Wilmoth et all, 2002). This is particularly true of NTC, so to better understand the

organizational influences, an intense review of the organization as it pertains to the IDP was undertaken.

Certification Process

The IDP for New Instructors, as detailed in the NTC New Instructor Development and Certification SOP1,

begins with Nomination, Proceeds to Selection, and Training and Evaluation before the certification

decision is made. According to the aforementioned SOP, certification is awarded to all candidates who

meet NTC’s minimum requirements.

Figure 2 New Instructor Certification Process

The Nomination and Selection Processes appear to be more administrative than evaluative. The

requirements (or prerequisites) and the pretest are the only assessment tasks. The requirements or

prerequisites are: nomination form, resume, 2 years of active/concurrent certification in the subject

area and a copy of the original certification. Though the pre-tests were not made available for needs

analysis, they are presumably similar or the same exams used for technical certification. The

aforementioned offers no information for the next step, Training.

The training and evaluation completed by the Master Instructor uses the Master Instructor Evaluation

Checklist2. The checklist may be erroneously labeled in the SOP. Though it is used by the Master

Instructor, there is no indication that it is used to evaluate Master Instructors. It is used for New

Candidate Instructor Evaluations, though it may also be used for all certifications.

The checklist is largely training focused, as two of the three sections (Classroom Management and

Preparation and Course Specific Requirements) focuses on training competencies. These competencies

1 See Appendix NTC New Instructor Development and Certification

2 See Appendix Master Instructor Evaluation Checklist

•Class Scheduling

•Call for Candidacy

•Meet Requirements

•Complete Nomination Form

Nomination

•Nomination Approval

•Pretest 90% Minimum

•Selected Candidates Notified

•Schedule Travel

Selection Process •One week course with

two taped presentations.

•Teach a course in field.

•Master Instructor assess candidate.

•Provides feedback.

Training and Evaluation

•Master Instructor's recommendation.

•Safety Program Manager review.

•Certification

Certification

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are readily acknowledged in the training industry and American Society for Training & Development

(ASTD)3 details these competencies for an adult learning environment.

However, it is not clear what behaviors the evaluator should be looking for as the competencies are not

on a scale or detailed. In addition to the training competencies, one section focuses on technical

competencies and subject matter expertise. The checklist is generic enough to be used with new

instructor candidates regardless of the certification area. This may not be serving the candidates nor

NTC as it leads to rather subjective evaluations. There is also no documentation or training for Master

Instructors detailing subject matter, specifically interpretations for all regulations. This is of further

concern because certification is largely dependent on the Master Instructor. Interestingly, candidate

instructors seeking multiple certifications are only required to teach one course with a Master

Instructor. This makes Subject Matter Expertise impossible to verify.

Review Sources

With an understanding of the certification process, a thorough documentation review, stakeholder

consultations and instructor interviews were completed. We found that while the IDP had been defunct

for close to two years, the instructors remain active and engaged. This may be due to the relationship

between instructors and course development, instructors and the Academy, as well as the relationship

among instructors.

SOPs, Policies &

Templates

Stakeholder Consultations

Instructor Interviews

FMCSA and NTC Websites John Waters, Instructional Program Specialist

Tech Trooper Rex Railback, Kansas Highway Patrol

Instructor Development Desk Reference, SOPs and Policies

Ron Crampton, Safety Programs Manager

Sr. Trooper Rick Oaks, Utah Highway Patrol

ISD Desk Reference, SOPs, Policies and Templates

Scott Johnson, Director of Learning Solutions EnDyna

Sgt. Lorie Floyd, Wisconsin State Patrol

Project Management Desk Reference, SOPs, Policies and Templates

Margie Rodriquez McQueen, NTC Academy Director

Inspector Mark Herring, North Carolina Highway Patrol

Buzzy France, Maryland State Police

MCSAP & Federal Training Coordinator John Smooth, Kentucky State Police

Richard Swedberg

Road Trooper Lori McGrath, Nevada Highway Patrol

Training Specialist Charles Bunting, NTC

Bruce Bailey, South Carolina

Rick Morrison, NTC Figure 3-Review Sources

3 For more details, see http://www.astd.org/Certification/Competency-Model

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Barrier and Challenges

The dynamic nature of the culture and leadership coupled with the structure of the IDP, presents some

barriers and challenges which directly affect instruction. These challenges are in three areas:

communication, support and other.

Direction

Learning Philosophy (NTC Methodology)

Interpretation of Regulations

Relationship with Regulatory Agencies

Updating Course Materials

Balance of federal and state regulatory needs Support

Timely Feedback on Course/Instructor Evaluations

Regular Performance Reviews

Detailed Competencies

Instructional Tools Other

Classroom Management

Schedule

Planning Time with Co-instructors

Regular Group Communications

Reliance on Computers in the Classroom

While there is no explicit Instructional or Learning Philosophy, the NTC Methodology4 has been become

a part of the culture at NTC. Though no written description is found in the SOPs, through consultation,

we have learned that it is the method used to deliver the NTC Curriculum. It ensures that the courses

are uniformly presented using instructor and student toolboxes of PowerPoint Slides (PPTs) and auxiliary

course materials. The instructor PPT which guides the course is linked to all course materials, i.e. video,

references/regulations, media, etc… Students have their own toolboxes which they can use in addition

to their student guides and their Regulations Handbook.

Given the voluntary nature of the instructor role, the number of NTC instructors as well as the in state

instructors not working directly with NTC training uniformity is crucial. However, without a clear and

reinforced learning philosophy, agreed upon understanding of regulations, and timely access to new or

changing regulations this is a difficult feat. Moreover, without regular feedback to guide delivery and

instructor development, instructor deficiencies will not be addressed. While all instructors and master

instructors could conduct new candidate training in some topics, it is imperative that they are only

scheduled to lead courses with candidates in their certification area(s).

44

See the NTC Methodology discussion in the NTC Curriculum topic.

Page 12

Finally, at the conclusion of the organizational review, the purpose and roles of co-instructors is still

unclear.

1. Has NTC always delivered the courses using two instructors?

2. What SOP guides the delivery? That is, determines who teaches what topics?

3. Is there any training on co-instruction?

Learner Overview In addition to the organizational review, much time was spent analyzing the instructor and master

instructors. The primary technique used was a survey. It is important to note that while we did not have

access to candidate instructors, the provided instructors mirror the professional experiences the

candidate pool will have.

Survey

The survey addressed five areas: learners’ background or general characteristics

program information

teaching practices, beliefs and attitudes

self-assessment

course improvement

The survey5 was emailed to the entire instructor pool, one-hundred and ninety five individuals. The five-

page survey required ten to twenty minutes for completion and return via email. Sent out during the

holidays, December 18, 2012, the total return rate was 31%, though 5% of the returns were late;

approximately twenty percent of the returns were late, requiring an addendum to the survey summary.

The return rate is considerably better when we take into account the large number, of undeliverable

email addresses. Approximately 32 questionnaires were undeliverable via email. Though NTC was

notified, it is not clear if the undeliverable email addresses belong to active NTC instructors.

For a comprehensive analysis of the survey, consult the appendix6. In summary, the learner group can be

described as motivated, and their readiness for instruction considered high. They are not often degreed,

but they are professional and experienced law enforcement officers. This group is overwhelmingly male

and there is a distinct generational divide between the master and instructor roles. The master

instructors generally have twenty plus years’ experience, while the instructors generally vary from two

to fifteen years of experience. Only two respondents were federal, all others were state instructors.

Eighty-two percent of the respondents are in voluntary roles.

5 See Appendix Instructor Survey

6 See Appendix Learner Analysis Summary and Addendum

Page 13

Figure 4- Instructor Demographics

The majority of respondents felt familiar with NTC Courses and Methodology. Though familiar with NTC Courses and Methodology, they want more direction and support in effectively, and innovatively teaching regulations and using the course materials. They often do not feel prepared for their courses in terms of receiving the materials with enough time to prepare and voice frustration about not having enough time to cover all of the course content. This was voiced in the Course Improvement Section of the survey with statements like:

We are largely law enforcement personnel who are accustomed to reading regulation and

applying it. That works great in enforcement, but usually not so effective when presenting and

teaching new information to students. To be more effective, I would like additional assistance on

innovative ideas and methods that employ successful learning principles to present the course

material.

[We need] the most up to date information, interpretations and guidance concerning the regulations and the way NTC wants that information conveyed to the participants. I think the fundamentals being taught are useful and thought provoking. However, there needs to be additional group time spent developing material-specific presentation ideas to improve our courses. Maybe add on one more day, there are some topics we may need to expand on. The ID course could be improved upon by not repeating the states' ID courses and go more into the ideologies behind the NTC material creation as well as how to effectively prepare to teach NTC's canned material, of course preparing and presenting a portion of the lesson should remain an integral part of the course. Periodic re-training about every third year to return to basics.

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Page 14

Figure 5- Familiarity with NTC Courses & Methodology

The learners’ familiarity with NTC Courses and Methodology is a result of the amount of time they have

been at NTC and their law enforcement agency, but it is also a result of their instructional experience.

This learner group has significant instructor/training experience from their current and/or past home

agencies; 65% of the respondents describe themselves as facilitators.

The major disconnect the survey highlights is that while the learner group labels themselves as

facilitators and thinks of themselves as learner-centered, they are actually teacher-centered. The vast

majority of participants believe that students do not really bring something to the table, though they

acknowledge the need for teachers to master/understand adult learning principles. For most

respondents, students/learners are empty vessels that need to be filled.

To statements such as “Teachers know a lot more than students”, 85% strongly agree, while only 15%

strongly disagree. 26% strongly agree that students learn best by finding solutions to problems on their

own; 53% disagree, 5% agree and 16% disagree. 46% are neutral on the statement “how much students

learn depends on how much background knowledge they have”; 20% strongly agree, 15% agree;

while10% disagree and 9% strongly disagree. 95% of respondents also strongly agree to the following

statements: “Effective/good teachers are familiar with course design process” and to the necessity for

teachers to know adult learning principle.

As the analysis in figure 4 suggests, significant training will be needed to help the learners differentiate

between teacher and learner centered practices, attitudes and beliefs. This skill gap is difficult to further

validate quantitatively as we have received no evaluation or performance review data on the

instructors.

56%

38%

6%

46%

46%

8%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Very Familiar

Somewhat familiar

Not Familiar

NTC Courses familiarity

NTC Methodology Familarity

Page 15

Please indicate how much you disagree or agree with each of the following statements

Combined percentage of responses to Strongly disagree and disagree

Neutral Combined percentage of responses to Strongly agree and agree

9. Teachers know a lot more than students

15% 0% 85%

11.Students learn best by finding solutions to problems on their own

69% 0% 41%

12. How much students learn depends on how much background knowledge they have

19% 46% 35%

13. Effective/good teachers are familiar with course design process

95% 2% 3%

14. Teachers should know the Adult Learning Principles

84% 6% 10%

15. Adult learners are intrinsically motivated so there is no need to engage them

20% 35% 45%

Figure 6-Learner Attitudes and Beliefs

Interview

The second learner analysis technique used was focus group interviews7. These were conducted during the same time period as the primary technique, survey. The focus group was selected by NTC and included eleven master instructors already listed in the Organizational Overview section of this analysis (Figure 3- Review Sources).

The interviews also addressed five areas:

Background

Instructional Experience

Instructor Courses

Principles of Learning

Approach to Instruction

The interview was conducted via phone before, during and after the typical work day to accommodate

the learners varied schedules. Ranging from thirty to seventy-five minutes, the calls were confidential,

which encouraged open dialogue. Overall, these conversations mirrored what the survey found.

However, the interviews helped us understand the organization, learner needs and the course materials

in ways that a survey alone could not.

7 See Appendix for Interview Guide

Page 16

Materials Overview With a solid understanding of the organization and the learner, the course materials were then analyzed. Two levels of course materials were analyzed: instructor development courses 2006/7/10 and the NTC Curriculum the instructors facilitate (Audits & Investigations, Hazardous Materials and Roadside).

Instructor Development 2006 and Advanced Instructor Development 2007

Labeled, Advanced Instructor Development 2007 and Instructor Development 2006, these ‘courses’ are a collection of quotes, icebreakers, handouts (HO) and PowerPoint Slides (PPTs). The materials address the following topics: adult learning, facilitation skills, and classroom management.

Figure 7- IDP Content 2006 and 2007

Advanced Instructor Development 2007 Instructor Development 2006 Icebreaker (HO) Icebreaker (HO)

Effective Introduction (PPT) Learning Styles (PPT)

Inspirational Quotes (PPT) Effective Classroom Training Techniques (HO)

Myers Briggs Type Indicator w/Scenarios (HO) Effective Introduction (PPT)

Managing Behaviors ( handout ) Lecture and Listening Quotes (HO)

Getting the Jump on Difficult behaviors (HO) Inspirational Quotes (PPT)

Best Practices in Adult Learners (PPT) Groups ( Documents on Public Speaking)

Trainer Competencies (HO) Autograph Worksheet (HO)

Tips on Talk (HO)) Getting the Jump on Difficult Behaviors (HO)

Adult Learners vs. Youth (PPT) Best Practices in Adult Learners (PPT)

Using Humor In The Classroom (HO) Trainer Competencies (HO)

Increase Student Learning Hints (HO) Managing Difficult Participants (HO)

Hit or Myth Applications ( HO) Tips on Talk ( Public Speaking handout)

Instructional Strategies (HO) Adult Learners vs. Youth (PPT)

Factors Affecting learning (HO ) Using Humor In The Classroom (HO)

Cognitive Strategies ( handout) Increase Student Learning Hints ( handout)

Metacognitive Deficits (HO) Hit or Myth Applications ( handout)

Alternative Instructional Methods (HO) Instructional Strategies ( handout)

Job Aid SME Training Inventory Checklist (HO) Lecture Practices (HO)

Training Observation and Feedback Form (HO) Factors Affecting learning (HO )

Brain Talk Dr. Spence Kagan (HO) Cognitive Strategies ( handout)

Effective Classroom Training (HO) Metacognitive Deficits (HO)

Alternative Instructional Methods (handouts)

Job Aid SME Training Inventory Checklist (HO)

Cooperative Group Assignment (HO)

Training Observation and Feedback Form (HO)

Brain Talk Dr. Spence (HO)

Effective Classroom Training (HO)

FMCSA Student Registration form (document)

Page 17

The materials are not what one would call a designed or structured course; they do not have a

framework, model or similar construct to help the learners connect with the content or apply the

knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAO) being addressed. Moreover, the content

while for two different audiences is largely identical and there are no instructor notes to clarify or direct

instruction.

The materials are largely from ASTD copyrighted 2005 and a North Carolina Professor. While a great deal of valuable information is available in the materials, it is not clear how the materials are to be used or what the goal or instructional philosophy of the program is. There are no stated goals or objectives. In fact, there is no agenda so the importance and weight each topic is to be given is also unclear. More importantly, there is no reference to subject area expertise, technology or the actual course materials the learner will be using.

The major gap these materials illustrate is a lack of application and assessment. There is no indication

that higher order thinking skills (HOTS) are addressed in the current IDP course design. The questions

that remain are: How is the learner applying the new knowledge and how is the application being

assessed? In the materials the learners don’t analyze or evaluate the NTC Course they will teach; they do

not create checklists or tools to support their teaching of the NTC Course they will teach; they do not

apply the skills they have been introduced to the NTC Course they will teach.

Figure 8- Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Page 18

Four Day Mentoring Course Participant Workbook

Embedded in Instructor Development Zip File of Employee Resources, SOPs, Templates, Related Docs and Policies in the Employee Resources Folder is 4.4.5 Four Day Mentoring Course Participant Workbook. The document is copyrighted 2010 by the IDT Group. This well-structured course includes a table of contents, agenda, goals and outcomes. However, it is unclear if instructor direction and notes are provided as we do not have access to the Instructor Workbook. Like the 2006/7 courses from North Carolina University, this course is also based on ASTD materials. In fact, the course outcomes/competencies are provided by ASTD.

Course Goal & Agenda

Outcomes/Competency (ASTD)

Goal Provide new and experienced instructors with the skills they need to conduct effective training courses. Day One

Introduction

Adult Learning Principles

ISD Model

Training Session #1 Day Two

Developing Training Materials

Positive Behavior Modeling

Effective Communication Skills

Overcoming Challenges

Training Styles

Assessment and Evaluation

The learning Environment

Day Two Review Day Three

Mentoring

Getting Ready for Training

Independent Prep Time

Training Session #2

Application of Adult Learning Principles

Improves participants’ performance as a result of the training.

Recognizes the conditions under which adults learn best.

Helps others learn more effectively.

Asks questions (including the same questions in more than one way).

Recognizes group dynamics.

Employs experiential learning.

Uses group activities for learning.

Manages time when working with groups.

Encourages involvement in class.

Uses evaluations effectively.

Communications Skills

Listens well.

Is open to questions.

Accepts the background of others as valid experience.

Summarizes information.

Reflects and/or responds to issues that come up in class.

Exhibits good presentations skills in terms of voice, tone, body language, eye contact, etc…

Facilitation/Trainer Skills

Demonstrates good conflict resolution skills.

Controls discussions and group dynamics.

Gives positive feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Illustrates group brainstorming or problem-solving processes.

Uses local classroom examples and applies them to the technical subject.

Meets both the business needs and the personal needs of the participants.

Uses a variety of instructional methods and media.

Positive Behavior Modeling Skills

Demonstrates empathy.

Maintains or enhances the self-esteem of the participants

Responds to participants with a non-threatening manner.

Encourages involvement in class participation.

Shares feelings, thoughts and rationale.

Provides support without removing responsibility.

Classroom Management

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Day Four

Training Session #2 Continued

Review and Wrap-up

Manages class time.

Prioritizes material and changes course direction to meet local need.

Trains during and under adverse conditions.

Uses humor effectively.

Writes and things on his or her feed.

Avoids offensive jokes, language and mannerisms.

Uses visual aids effectively (e.g. computers, transparencies, videos, satellite transmissions, flip charts, wall charts, etc…)

Helps with current, specific questions (perhaps during a break or after class)

Technical Skills (not addressed in course)

Is technically credible.

Acts as a resource.

Shares knowledge.

Helps participants set-up a network for future questions.

Demonstrates technology and subject matter expertise. Figure 9-Four Day Mentoring Instructor Development Course 2010 IDT

This course effectively addresses many of NTC instructor needs. It provides an excellent foundation in

the competencies that facilitators of adult learning environments require for success. However, there

are three areas of concern.

First, the course appears to be mostly teacher-centered relying on direct instruction. There is a lot of

information but not a lot of involvement in observing, investigating, drawing inferences from or forming

hypotheses. However, our lack of access to the instructor’s manual, makes this difficult to further detail.

The participant manual lacked information on activities and assessment, but reviewing the objectives

and information provided lead us to the aforementioned conclusion.

Second, the course adheres to the training cycle, thus a lot

of attention is given to competencies that are not germane

to the NTC Instructor. For example, there is an entire

lesson on developing learning materials. The courses are

canned and NTC encourages uniformity, so instructors are

not allowed to change the materials. While this lesson can

certainly help learners understand the course materials,

there is no mention of this and this consumes valuable

time in the course.

Similarly, the lesson on assessment and evaluation

provides valuable information, but it is not necessarily

linked to instructor tasks. Instructors will not use

Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation and they will not develop or use the assessment methods

detailed. Also, the mentoring lesson is puzzling as only master instructors provide mentoring; this course

is for new and experienced instructors, so half of the audience would not perform this task though it

may prepare them for the experience.

Figure 10-Training Cycle

Page 20

Third, the learners, referred to as participants in this course, are required to present two training

sessions on the same topic.

Session #1: 15 minute session at the beginning of the course for which they make a self-

appraisal and may receive informal feedback.

Session #2: 20-minute revised version of session #1 at the end of the course, for which they will

receive structured feedback from their peers and the instructor.

Even with two instructors, according to the participant guide, this activity requires at least thirteen of

the twenty-four hours of the course time. While this activity addresses the five course outcomes, it does

not prepare the learner for the rigors of the technical curriculum at NTC which is heavily dependent on

technology. Additionally, as is noted in Figure 9, Four Day Mentoring Development Course 2010 IDT,

technical skills are not covered in the course.

The technical skills listed are:

Is technically credible.

Acts as a resource.

Shares knowledge.

Helps participants set-up a network for future questions.

Demonstrates technology and subject matter expertise.

The developers deemed them inherent of a good instructor. The survey, interviews and material review,

indicates that NTC instructors need training in this area to develop competency, ensure uniformity of

delivery and ultimately save lives.

Like the 2006/7 Instructor and Advanced Instructor courses, this course does not provide content

specific activities for assessment or application, does not address technology and does not help the

learners prepare for the delivery of the complex and dense courses in the NTC curriculum

NTC Technical Curriculum

In addition to the Instructor Development Courses, the NTC Curriculum includes technical courses in

three areas: Roadside, Hazmat, and Audits and Investigations. While this project does not include these

courses, understanding them is central to the design and delivery of effective new instructor training.

Roadside Courses Hazmat Audits and Investigations

North American Standard Part A Cargo Tank Facility review Advanced Drug and Alcohol Investigative Techniques

North American Standard Part B Cargo Tank Inspection Enforcement Procedures

Passenger Vehicle Inspection General Hazardous Materials Household Goods Compliance and Enforcement

Other Bulk Packaging Investigative Safety Analysis

New Entrant Safety Audit Course

Roadside Enforcement

Skill Performance Evaluation Figure 11-NTC Curriculum

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From the Instructor Survey, we found that the majority of instructors are certified in Roadside Courses.

Further, there are nearly 10 times as many certified HazMat instructors as certified Audit Investigation

instructors. Curiously, while survey respondents were NTC instructors or master instructors, only 12%

said they were certified in the Instructor Development Curriculum. This may be a misunderstanding of

the question, but more likely it is a result of their definition of certification as many completed the

courses years ago, had not completed the most recent courses or may have completed in-state

certification. Regardless, this is an area in which NTC should seek clarification as there may be a need for

a mass re-certification on the newly developed IDP; of course, it would be important to tailor the

materials for this audience.

Figure 12- Certified Instructors in NTC Subject Areas

The analysis of the NTC Curriculum identifies three important findings. First, it will be important to

define the commonalities among the three technical areas of the curriculum. Instructors are experts in

their areas of certifications; this most likely results in distinct groupings in the organization where

knowledge and information may not be readily shared outside of the group. It will be important to find

ways to leverage instructional best practices from each certification area and provide training which is

appropriate to the entire group as well as meet the specific needs of each certification area.

Second, while there is no stated or clear instructional philosophy stated in the NTC Technical

Curriculum, the NTC Methodology is the approach being used. This approach is specific to the

prescriptive use of the course materials. Through consultations with Scott Johnson of EnDyna, we

learned that this approach is integral to course development and instructor presentation. It relies on

direct instruction with a high level of interactivity and illustration via PPTs, visual aids (job aids, charts,

pictures, graphics, and video), discussion and knowledge checks. Additionally, learners are directed to

look-up regulations online or in the handbook. End of course exams complete the evaluation; these

exams are open-book. It is not clear how much flexibility this methodology offers in presenting and

practicing regulations in ways that mimic their eventual use; it also relies heavily on technology which is

not always appropriate for the subject matter.

Third, though course needs vary widely, activities are generally teacher centered using direct instruction

methods. For example, PPT is used to introduce regulations, job aides to review regulations, computer

or handbook to find regulations, video to see an inspection and discussion to examine regulation

interpretations. Indirect methods and learner centered instruction are not frequently employed.

54%

31%

4%

12%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Roadside Courses certification%

Haz Mat Courses certification%

Audits &Invest. Courses certication%

Instructor Development courses…

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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The analysis findings may be categorized as processes and data which are indirect and direct influences

on the IDP. The needs analysis shows that there are direct and indirect influences on the current IDP.

These influences will, in turn, effect the creation of a new IDP.

Indirect Influences The indirect influences are non-training aspects of this program which are not of primary importance to

this analysis. These include but are not limited to the nomination/selection process, testing policies,

travel policies and coaching/mentoring process and recertification practices. Recommendations are

made in three areas which will greatly affect the training portion of the IDP.

Nomination Process

The nomination process could yield more information which would ensure that the training program

better meets the needs of the candidates. Currently, the nomination process does not include

instructors, the requirements are strictly technical testing and there is no assessment of the candidate’s

aptitude for instructional leadership. It would be valuable to develop the nomination process to address

the aforementioned factors.

Coaching & Mentoring

Coaching and mentoring is often used interchangeably in NTC documentation. It would be helpful to

define these terms for clarity. The learning industry generally sees coaching as an individual

development or intervention strategy to meet established objectives. Whereas structured or traditional

mentoring is a relationship in which a mentor helps a protégé learn a specific task or provides advice

and support over a long period of time (The ASTD Learning System, 2006). Neither is a substitute for

learning through classrooms, e-learning, etc. While coaching and mentoring are not training topics for

the candidate instructor, if the IDP will continue to use them as primary methods for new candidate

certification, some consideration should be given to defining and developing a SOP. Neither is

recommended as significant factors in the revised IDP; the approach would best be used as

supplemental, not fundamental or integral to the program because there is no training or support for

the coaches/mentors which will result in inconsistent success rates.

Re-certification & Succession Planning

With the implementation of a revised instructor development course, it will be important to roll-out a

re-certification instructor development course for the existing instructor group. It may even serve NTC

to actually implement this –re-certification before enrolling new candidates as the existing instructors

will be the support mechanism and co-instructors of the new candidates. Change is difficult, especially

so for veterans of legacy systems. This will also be an excellent opportunity to proactively address the

fears change arise: failure, inadequacy, the unknown, loss of control, etc…

As the current group of instructors and master instructors near retirement, it is important that the new

training program cull information from them to initiate the transition or what one may call succession

planning.

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Direct Influences The current New Instructor Development Program does not prepare candidate instructors for the rigors

of assessment, technical instruction, evaluation and the use of technology and prescriptive or dogmatic

course materials required at NTC. Five concrete and substantive recommendations for the IDP will be

discussed in full. Do note these are specific to the training portion of the IDP.

Competency Model

NTC Directive: 2012-4.2.4, Instructor Certification and Maintenance Procedures, states that all instructors and instructor candidates must develop skills based on ASTD instructor competencies. These include:

Application of Adult Learning Theory

Communication Skills

Facilitation Trainer Skills

Positive Behavior Modeling Skills

Classroom Management

Subject Matter Expertise (Not Addressed)

These are competencies that all instructors of adult learners should possess, however NTC is a unique

organization with life-saving responsibility and complex and technical subject matter. As such, the

competencies should be reflective of all the behaviors instructors need to be effective instructional

leaders. In, “Doing Competencies Well: Best Practices in Competency Modeling” Champion defines

competency models as collections of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) that

are needed for effective performance” (226-9).

The proposed competency model will address the very segregated approach to instructional and

technical content that currently exist. Each discipline (technical, leadership, facilitation, communication

and coaching/mentoring) would have behavior specific competencies. This may be the most meaningful

and profound change to the IDP. We recommend the development and implementation of a

comprehensive competency model with a graphic organizer to guide induction, instruction, evaluation,

certification and performance review. With several levels of input and validations this tool will be

valuable.

Figure 13- Instructor Development Competency Model

Instructor Development Program Competency Model Technical

•Core (Regulations)

•Subject Area

Leadership

•Self-Assessment

•Instructional

•Technical

•NTC Methodology

•Learning Plan

Facilitation

•Learning Process

•Learning Fundamentals

•Adult Learning Principles

•Facilitation for Law Enforcement Officers

•Group Dynamics

•Facilitator Cycle

•Presentation Style

Communication

•Interpersonal Skills

•Speaking

•Writing

•Listening

•Influencing and Negotiating

•Teaching & Learning Technology

•Co-Instruction

Coaching/Mentoring

•Behavioral Principles

•5 Step Process

•Change Fears

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Learning Path with Formal and Informal Learning

Much of the learning experience new instructors currently receive is via informal learning or

unstructured learning. While there is much value in this approach, it does offer greater risk and lacks the

checks and balances of a formal learning experience. It also makes uniformity of approach and message

nearly impossible. Given NTC’s mission, this is problematic and could be troubling legally. However, a

structured formal program supplemented by informal learning will avert the aforementioned risks and

leverage the extraordinary experience of the instructor pool.

The IDP should be grounded in an intensive formal learning experience with ample opportunity for

assessment, induction and competency practice and mastery. Once certification is gained, on-going

learning opportunities should be present; these should be a mixture of formal and informal learning

opportunities. For example, upon certification each new instructor can complete a learning plan with

their master instructor/mentor. Activities should be listed for each competency and if there are

deficiencies. The learning plan would give the new instructor a guide for success for the year; some

informal learning activities may include visiting specific websites, having iConnect calls with colleagues,

videotaping a topic for discussion or viewing a videotape for clarification. Another example of informal

learning would be sharing information or responding to peer questions on a message board which can

be hosted on the new LMS.

With a clearly defined program of formal and informal learning opportunities, it is important to create a

learning path for all roles. Beyond the face-to-face learning for the candidate instructor there are no

opportunities for review, growth and development. Though the instructor pool is largely voluntary and

only facilitates courses a few times a year, it is important that on-going learning opportunities are

available to maintain their competencies, reach mastery and be informed about the industry. This path

would be modular with asynchronous and synchronous task based topics. With the roll-out of the LMS it

will be easy to develop webinars, modules and other learning experiences. However, it may be a slow

transition to online learning as the instructor pool’s online access at their home agencies as well as their

ability and interest in learning online is limited and may require additional considerations.

The learning path would not be a duplication of already existing topics. These may be advanced

offerings of topics presented in the new candidate course, but the topics will be competency specific

and offer clear, specific tools and opportunities for discussion and practice. Moreover, these would not

be courses; these would be modules for study either asynchronously or synchronously depending on the

topic, placement in the learning path and schedule requirements. For example, an advanced module on

diffusing difficult or dangerous situations; coaching and mentoring, selecting alternative instructional

methods, etc… Also part of this learning path would be re-certification. The additional training the

learning path will offer provides another incentive for voluntary instructors.

Training Approach

While the IDP emphasizes a training cycle, the surveys and focus interviews reveal instructors who are

adequately conversant in the distinction between trainer and facilitator and the majority have sufficient

understanding and use of the facilitator concept. So the move from the training cycle to the facilitator

cycle will not necessitate major behavioral/performance or cultural changes.

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This change is significant because it removes training tasks like identifying training needs and developing materials from the program; these tasks are not required of instructors. The facilitator cycle also provides the framework to address candidate needs before, during and after the learning experience for which they will be responsible. However, this change alone will not be sufficient in addressing instructor

competency. While the Facilitator Cycle has some elements that are not needed in the IDP, there are five elements that would help instructors; these include Preparing for Success, Getting the Session (Course) Started, Focusing the Group, Group Dynamics (Guiding the Group), and Closing the Session (Course).

Figure 14-Facilitator Cycle

With the framework for facilitation established, the focus shifts to the toolbox of methods facilitators

will use to assess, instruct and evaluate learners.

While FMCSA NTC’s Performance Work Scope (PWS) calls for innovative training methods, the learner

analysis found that innovative methods are needed to engage the experienced learners; this is a

significant gap that the training will have to address. The learners are experienced instructors who are

motivated and ready to learn, but they do not hold attitudes aligned with learner centered teaching.

Moreover, the NTC Technical Curriculum is prescriptive and relies on the NTC Methodology which is

largely teacher-centered, relying on direct instruction. To address this, a uniquely balanced approach

will be necessary. This necessitates instructional training that prepares learners for the instructional

methods present in the NTC Curriculum as well as a toolbox of additional methods they can draw upon

to guide learners to the highest levels of knowledge. This may also be a point on which a distinction can

be made between instructors and master instructors.

Page 26

The training will model and have candidates present subject matter related activities using direct and

indirect instruction. While indirect or learner-centered methods like problem-solving, case studies,

reflective discussion, etc. may appear to be more time consuming, they are aligned with best practices

for adult learners and would be of significant assistance with NTC’s content. This approach will rely

heavily on tools or job aids to prepare and successfully present learning.

Finally, while there was much interest in developing this modular experience as a hybrid or blended

learning experience to maximize the classroom time, this is no longer feasible. The implementation of

the new Learning Management System (LMS) has not been finalized and the Morgan Team does not yet

have access to it. Also, many decisions would have to be made about the online experience which have

not even broached. For example, would the online courses be asynchronous or synchronous and how

would they be facilitated? Have current instructors demonstrated online facilitation skills? Will

instructors and candidate instructors have access? Given the number of changes this program will have

it would be preferable to focus on rolling out the training in a format the instructors and the associated

groups are familiar. Eventually, the program can be migrated to an online format.

Increase the Course Duration

The instructional competencies cannot be assessed, modeled, practiced, developed and evaluated in

one week. No amount of pre-work packets, creative instructional design and information chunking will

enable the development of an engaging, meaningful learning experience in which technical, leadership,

facilitation, communication and coaching/mentoring competencies are be addressed. A 40 hour, one

week, IDP will not be instructionally sound, thus a viable vehicle in achieving NTC instructional goals.

While the course was two weeks at some time, it was not a structured experience, especially the second

week which was used to ‘learn the course’ with the master instructor. A structured two week training

course is recommended.

Currently, the training is one week, but the candidate spends the second week co-teaching with a

master instructor; this is the mentoring period. At the end of the second week the certification is

awarded (i.e. 1 week training + 1 week teaching= certification). In lieu of this formula, two weeks of

training with a probationary certification at the conclusion is more viable. During the probationary

period, the candidates, now probationary instructors should co-instruct with different master

instructors or the same master instructor depending on their learning plan. This period provides

additional opportunities to observe and support the new instructor.

This will provide the candidates with opportunities to build a foundation and immerse themselves in the

course(s) they will be facilitating. This can also serve as additional job induction if needed; this is

especially required of these unpaid, voluntary learners who are largely state, not federal employees.

Moreover, because instructors often only facilitate courses a handful of times a year, extending the

candidacy ensures that they are thoroughly prepared to create and manage an effective learning

experience. During the probationary period, they can receive more feedback from their co-facilitators,

the program manager and a more detailed review of their evaluations to fine-tune their style and

master the competencies.

Page 27

Candidates should be certified in only one area at a time. The learning path should provide a module to

add certifications in other areas.

With the implementation of an LMS, in the future the course can be revised as a blended or hybrid with

one week online and one week of face-to-face instruction.

For more information on the extended learning experience, view the Course Design Guide Outline.

Support Tools

If new instructors are to be successful, they will need support to help them in their transition from

learner to facilitator. New instructors like new teachers, need a variety of types of support especially in

the first year to preempt the many kinds of dissatisfaction instructors are prone.

The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (2003), estimates that one-third of all new

teachers leave after three years, and 46 percent are gone within five years. We do not have any data

from NTC on instructor retention rates or quality of facilitation but this study’s consultations, interviews

and surveys illustrate a need for support.

Stansbury and Zimmerman (2000) believe that, “beginning teacher support should be looked at as a

continuum, starting with personal and emotional support, expanding to include specific task- or

problem-related support and, in the ideal, expanding further to help the newcomer develop a capacity

for critical self-reflection on teaching practice” (4).

As illustrated in Figure 15-Continuum of Support for NTC Instructors, each area of the continuum is

aligned to specific support mechanism which have been addressed in the recommendations. To begin,

for Personal & Emotional Support, assessments and induction will be vital in the IDP New Instructor

Training; additionally, a learning plan, coaching and mentoring will provide on-going support as new

instructors gain confidence and begin to master more competencies. To further support new instructors’

growth, specific task tools will help them better assess, instruct and evaluate learners; these include the

competency model, graphic organizers, infographics and regulation guides. Finally, to guide their

growth, new instructors will use self-assessments and their learning plan; of course NTC course and

instructor evaluations as well as performance reviews would also be very valuable. Further discussion

and explanation will be provided in the Design Document.

Figure 15- Continuum of Support for NTC Instructors

Personal & Emotional

Support Assessment Induction

Learning Plan

Coaching and

Mentoring

Specific Task or Problem-

Related Support

Competency Model

Graphic Organizers

Infographics Regulation

Guides

Critical Self-Reflection

Self-assessment

Learning Plan

Evaluations Performance

Reviews

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COURSE DESIGN GUIDE OUTLINE

As detailed in the needs analysis, once the decision on course duration is made, the Course Review

Panel Meeting Packet will be delivered for review and distribution. The following outlines are presented

to assist NTC in determining the course duration. These outlines are at the early stage of design, but

they provide much insight to how we propose to change the IDP course.

One Week Course The one week course will not address all of the IDP Competencies; instead it focuses on building a strong

foundation and preparing new candidates for the rigors of technical instruction, by immersing them in

content specific activities to gain confidence and competency in teaching regulations as they are

presented in the NTC Curriculum. The instructional methods are varied, but there is no time for

reflection and certified candidates will require considerable coaching and mentoring after the course. As

the project proceeds the course design will evolve.

Figure 16- One Week Course Guide

Module (Duration) Topic Instructional Method Pre-course Limited Assessment IDP Competency Model Self assessment

Preparing for Success (8 Hrs) IDP Competency Model Facilitation (Adult Learning Principles) Facilitation (Law Enforcement Officers) Technical (Core and Subject)

Jigsaw or Fishbowl Anticipatory Learning Activity Direct Instruction Group Activity Discussion Graphic Organizer (Course HW)

Getting the Course Started (8 Hrs) Leadership (Instructional & Technical) Facilitation (Presentation Style) Leadership (NTC Methodology) Communication

Think-Pair-Share Lecturette & Didactic Questions Explicit Teaching/Video Regulation Guide Presentations

Focusing the Group (8 Hrs) Facilitation(Group Dynamics) Technical (Core Regulations)

Focused Listening Inquiry and Discussion Videotaped Presentation and Evaluation Graphic Organizer (Course HW)

Guiding the Group (8 Hrs.) Technical (Subject Area) Facilitation (Instructional Methods & Presentation Style)

Regulation Guide Minute Paper Continued Presentations and Evaluations

Closing the Course (5 Hrs.) Facilitation (Instructional Methods) Communication (Technology & Co-Instruction) Learning Plan

Course Summary Learning Plans Alternative Exam

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Two Week Course

Like the one week course, the two week course is designed to appeal to experienced Law Enforcement

audience with focused, practical, engaging activities and varied opportunities for the new candidates to

connect prior knowledge to NTC Instructor Competencies. However, this course provides the structure

and time for learners to build a foundation, practice with the materials, define their instructional

style/voice, and master skills before assuming instructional responsibilities for other federal and state

officers. At the completion of this course, candidates will be confident in their instructional and

technical competencies in their subject area as well as the course materials. The need for coaching and

mentoring should be minimal and evaluative in scope. As the project proceeds the course design will

evolve.

Module (Duration) Competency Discipline Instructional Method Comprehensive Assessment Competency Model Self-Assessment

Inventories & Tests

IDP Competency Model (4 Hrs) Induction Competency Model

Anticipatory Learning Structured Overview Graphic Organizer Direct Instruction Interactive Instruction

Leadership (4Hrs.) Instructional Technical

Scenarios Think Pair Share Compare and Contrast

Facilitation (4Hrs.) Learning Process Learning Fundamentals Adult Learning Principles Facilitation for Law Enforcement Officers*

Structured Overview Group PBL Activity Didactic Questions

Communication (8 Hrs) Presentation Style Teaching and Learning technology NTC Methodology

Concept Mapping Video and/or Demonstration Presentations

Technical (8 Hrs.) Leadership

Core Regulations Subject Area Instructional (Methods)

Questioning Outline & Regulatory Guide Technical Presentation #1

Review (1.5) Competency Model Disciplines Reflective Discussion Prompts

NTC Curriculum (4 Hrs) Leadership (NTC Methodology) Technical (Core and Subject)

Inquiry Model and Practice

Preparing for Success (8 Hrs) Facilitation (Facilitator Cycle*) Communication (Co-Instruction) Coaching/Mentoring (Change Fears)

Graphic Organizer Checklist Jigsaw Panel or Debate

Getting the Course Started (8 Hrs) Communication Technical

Video Critique Technical Presentation #2

Focusing the Group (8 Hrs) Facilitation (Group dynamic) Technical

Technical Presentation #3

Guiding the Group (8 Hrs) Technical Co-instructing

Technical Presentation #4

Closing the Course (8 Hrs) Competency Model Coaching/Mentoring (Process)

Structured Closing Learning Plan

Certification (TBD) Competency Model Alternative Exam Figure 17- Two Week Course Guide

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DECISION POINTS AND NEXT STEPS

As we move forward with this project, NTC will need to make several decisions which will guide the

completion of the next two deliverables: Course Panel Review Meeting Packet and Final Course Design

Guide.

Course Duration The PWS and the Proposal detail the development of a 40 hour intense, practical and experimental

design with a solid emphasis on effective learner-centered teaching. The analysis found that a 40 hour

course would not sufficiently address the instructor development competencies. While 80 hours is

beyond the scope of this contract, it is important that either the competencies be altered or the project

goal be revised.

Re-use of Materials There are three IDPs available. While the 2006/7 Instructor and Master Instructor Courses have no

copyright, the Four Day Mentoring IDT 2010 is copyrighted. If NTC owns the materials, then this project

can repurpose some of the content. This will serve as a bridge between the existing and candidate

instructors.

Requests The following documents are requested to assist with design and development phases of this project.

IT Familiarization -Prerequisite listed for all courses--SENTRI, UFA, CaseRite and Aspen

Instructor Copy of the IDT Course (Four Day Mentoring Course for Instructor Development)

Updated Instructor and Course Evaluation

Performance Evaluation for Instructors

Written Statement on NTC Methodology--Maybe what was used to train the instructors

SOP for the Testing Policy

Videotape of Instructors (NAS A Preferable)

o NTC Methodology

o Presenting a regulation direct and indirect instruction

o Leading Discussion

o Using Visual Aids?

Next Steps NTC Decisions and Materials Requested (2/25)

Course Panel Review Packet for Review (2/28)

Course Panel Review Packet Delivered to Participants (3/1)

Virtual Course Panel Review Meeting on Adobe Connect (3/15 or 3/18)

Final Course Design Guide and Preliminary Lesson Plan (PLP) (3/1 or 3/25)

Development (6/24)

Implementation (Pilot) (July 22-26)

Evaluation (Summary) (August 2)

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CONCLUSION

Thomas Gilbert, the founder of Performance Technology, felt that improving the performance of people

must begin with identifying and resolving the environmental barriers, thus enabling the people

(performers) to achieve maximum performance (Dean, 1997). Using Deterline’s Performer Centered

Model, this analysis has thoroughly reviewed the multiple factors, personal and organizational that can

influence new candidate instructors at NTC.

The organizational review found that NTC is a complex culture which has not implemented the IDP in

close to two years and will need to implement changes to the IDP process to yield evaluative

information from the nomination and selection process as well as better prepare candidates for

instructional leaderships roles. However, it was interesting to learn that while the IDP is defunct, the

current instructors are engaged, motivated and their readiness for instruction considered high. NTC has

had three IDP programs in ten years, so there were a lot of instructional materials to review. We found

that while the programs varied in design, structure and approach, they were all built around ASTD’s

adult learning environment competencies. However, the materials were grossly inadequate in

addressing both instructional and technical competencies.

Additionally, two major findings will weigh heavily in all instructional decisions moving forward. First,

there is a disconnection between the PWS and NTC Curriculum. While the PWS calls for innovative

student-centered learning, NTC’s Curriculum almost exclusively uses teacher-centered learning. Second,

though instructors-identify as student-learning focused, the survey found that they are teacher-focused

and will need significant training to help them differentiate between teacher and learner centered

practices, attitudes and beliefs.

Five recommendations were presented to develop an IDP which would address the rigors of assessment,

technical instruction, evaluation and the use of technology and prescriptive or dogmatic course

materials required for the NTC Curriculum.

1. Use of a Competency Model

2. Develop a Learning Path with formal and informal Learning

3. Transition from the Training Cycle to the Facilitator Cycle (Training Approach)

4. Extend the Learning Experience

5. Develop Support Tools

Finally, to increase the transfer rate, the revised program will illustrate its value to the organization and

the learner by meeting their respective needs. The organization will be able to implement and maintain

an aligned Instructor Development Program which maximizes the instructor pool’s expertise, deploys a

succession plan and provides a competency model which can be used for assessment, instruction,

performance review and development. The learner group will receive the tools and practice they need

to effectively assess, instruct and evaluate learners, as well as a solid instructional approach to all

regulations.

Page 32

REFERENCES

Alvarez, K., Salas, E. and Garofano, C. M. (2004). Integrated Model of Training Evaluation and Effectiveness. Human Resource Development Review, 3, 385-461. Applied Performance Improvement Technology. (2000). APIT stop definition [On-line]. Available from http://www.apitstop.com/general/whatis.htm

Campion, M.A., Fink, A.A., Ruggeberg, B. J. Carr, L., Phillips, G. M. and Odman, R. B. (2011).Doing

Competencies Well: Best Practices in Competency Modeling. Personnel Psychology, 64, 225-

262.

Dean, P.J. (1997). Thomas F. Gilbert, PhD: Engineering Performance Improvement With or Without Training. In Dean, P.J. & Ripley, D.E. (Eds.). Performance Improvement pathfinders: Models for Organizational Learning Systems (Vol. 1). Silver Spring, MD: International Society for Performance Improvement.

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APPENDICES

NTC New Instructor Development Certification SOP

NTCE New Instructor Certification Program Flowchart

Master Evaluation Checklist

Instructor Survey

Learner Analysis Summary and Addendum

Interview Guide