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Articles and Podcasts
It is important to realize that any trainer needs two separate sets of skills and knowledge. First, they need to know the topic they are teaching (subject matter expertise). And second, they need to know how to transfer that information to the student (instructional expertise). When instructors are hired to train adult students, they need both of these sets of skills. The problem is, corporations need people that know the topic material very well; and in order to know a topic well enough to teach it at a high level, you often have to have expert experience or a graduate degree in it, yourself.
 So most corporations and colleges hire instructors that have graduate degrees or subject matter expertise in the areas they will be training. But this is a sacrifice, because most of the instructors have little or no training in instructional expertise, or trainer training. The administrators assume that having been exposed to so many learning experiences, the instructors will have learned how to teach simply by watching other instructors teach.
Most commonly the skills that are learned are traditional lecture style, which are non-interactive and not well suited for non-auditory learning styles. High schools, middle schools, and elementary schools, however, know better. They know that the best teachers have usually been taught how to teach. So they require their teachers to have both classes in and practice at teaching — in addition to other education in the topic or topics that they will be teaching.
It is ironic that the elementary schools and middle schools, which are designed for much less intense instruction than colleges, better understand the importance of hiring teachers who have been taught how to teach. The same can be said for any instructor — whether you are teaching preschoolers, teenagers, or adults, you can’t just explain a topic to your students, and then expect them to “get it.”
 You must also be able to design ways to authentically assess whether or not your students have learned what you’re trying to teach them. And you should be able to address different types of difficulties that students with special needs may have so that you can best assist them in learning the topics you are presenting.
Train the trainer training can help you do all of those things, and more. PrepMasters Be A Great Trainer Workshop gives you excellent training skills and career certification based on the latest research.
Posted in: Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
 When raising a child, pediatricians will suggest to the parents that they ask themselves “Who is in control here?” As a trainer, we have to ask the same question: Are our visual aids, or ourselves (the trainer) the ones in control (if the answer is our audience- that is a completely separate topic which will be discussed in the future).
We must always be in control of our presentation and our class structure. Once we lose that control, our student loses the purpose of their training: to convey the material in a way that the participants will be able to absorb and use.
How do we lose control?
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Boring the participants by going into too much detail
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Expecting audio visual material to do all the training
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Allowing the participant to take control
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Not having a full understanding of the materials
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Using methods of teaching students cannot relate to
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Unengaging presentations
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Non-Verbal messages contrasting with words
We have all had training sessions that could have been much more effective. PrepMasters’ purpose is to help you maximize the effectiveness of your presentations. We plan to discuss the above issues in further posts. Please let us know your suggestions or questions. We can all learn from each other!
Posted in: Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
Boring - that’s the last word we want to hear in our training evaluations! There can be many reasons why our students feel that way. A common reason for boredom and confusion is providing too much information.
Most trainers enjoy sharing knowledge with their students, and some trainers fall into the trap of getting so excited that they really want to share, share, and share. Let’s face it - our students may not be as excited about the material as we are. Too much detail may drive them to a point of pure frustration!
Avoid These Fatal Training Errors:
- Going into too much detail with unnecessary information
- Sharing information that is off-topic or too difficult to understand
 As you prepare for your next training program, verify that you have a clear understanding of the material, your students’ needs and the methods you will be using. Look at the material from their perspective - what they already know, what they need to know, and what would just be a waste of their time to know. The next step is selecting the most effective way to share the information with the group, which we will discuss in future posts regarding trainer training.
Do not let distractions or questions take you off-course and avoid burying your students in detail. Focusing on the necessary information is what will make you an effective trainer!
Posted in: Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
Just about every class has one: the student who thinks that he or she is smarter than the trainer and knows more about the topic than the trainer does. Some of these know-it-all’s deliberately try to disrupt the class; others don’t consciously try to do so, but may nevertheless cause problems.
The know-it-all student may do any or all of the following:
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put up their hands to answer every question
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find folly in the course content
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openly ridicule your training methods
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openly ridicule other students’ questions and answers
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repeatedly interrupt you or other students who are trying to talk
 Most of the time, the know-it-all will talk just for the sake of talking-and they will ignore you and other students, even if you point out where they have made an error. They may have credentials, experience, or technical know-how that you don’t. They may have been trained in areas that you haven’t. To them, this means that they are smarter than you-and therefore more qualified to teach.
These know-it-all’s cause trouble but it’s not the first time. They have been exhibiting this poor behavior long before they got to your classroom, possibly since high school. Don’t take it personally. Using the tools you learn in the PrepMasters’ comprehensive train the trainer workshop and in this article you will learn how to turn this behavior around.
Know-it-all’s may disrupt the classroom and distract other students from learning. They often interrupt the flow of thought. They waste time. And they may anger you and other students, frustrate you, make you feel anxious, or possibly even embarrass you. So you need to know how to handle them. Here’s what you shouldn’t do:
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ignore them
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challenge them
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ridicule them
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grin and bear it
Here’s what you should do:
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identify the problem
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acknowledge that they are smart
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show them that they still have something to learn from you
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get them to work cooperatively with the rest of the class and with you
Confidence
The know-it-all appears to have great confidence. But this can be a cover-up. The truth is, some know-it-alls feel very insecure and unconfident. In order to keep people from finding out how insecure they feel, they project a strong confident attitude to erase all doubt that they have ability in the particular area that they happen to be weak in.
Then there are those know-it-all’s who actually ARE confident. These are the most difficult to deal with, because no matter what you tell them, they are unlikely to believe you if they already have another idea in their mind. The more confident they are, the more difficult it is for you to convince them that you can teach them anything.
Some Know-It-All’s Don’t Know Much
Some people are very nervous in class. They may feel so nervous, in fact, that they might think that they’ll do worse than most of the other students will. This can be frightening. They don’t want everyone else to know how little they know, and they don’t want anyone to know that they’ll do badly. So to compensate, they loudly proclaim that they know a lot, and they take every chance they can to prove it.
Fortunately, you can easily calm their fears. And if their fears go away, their know-it-all attitude will probably go away, too. Guide them, reassure them, and get them all of the extra help they need to do well; and then let them know how well they are doing. Once they feel confident, they may easily become enthusiastic students.
Some Know-It-All’s Really DO Know A Lot
 Sometimes, however, the person that claims to know it all really does know quite a bit. They may be experts in their field. They may already have certification and credentials that you do not. And they want you to acknowledge this. Understandably, they are just looking for a little acknowledgment and respect.
But just because they know a lot about the topic doesn’t mean that they are good at teaching it. In order to get them to cooperate, you’re going to have to get them to understand that people with great knowledge on a topic are not necessarily qualified to be teachers of that topic. Teaching takes instructional expertise plus subject matter expertise.
Four Steps to Managing a Know-It-All
So if you can’t ignore them and you can’t openly challenge them, what can you do with them? Like it or not, you are still their instructor, and you have to deal with them-both to help the class learn, and to help the know-it-all learn. You can turn this behavior around so that they do not continue to repeat it in every classroom situation. Here is a four-step strategy to help:
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Assess the situation First of all, find out how much they really know. If they already know everything that you are teaching, then there’s no reason for them to sit there in class-that would only waste their time, and yours. So if they really can’t learn anything from your class, then lead them to another one that they can learn something from.
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Acknowledge them They are either looking for acknowledgment, reassurance, or both. So the first thing you need to do is make them more comfortable by assuring them that they are intelligent and that they do know things-even if they don’t know everything they’re talking about. And then use them. Give them extra things to do, extra ways to help, make them the TA (teachers assistant). Talk to them on a personal level in a friendly manner.
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Disarm them Whatever you do, don’t let them make you angry. The last thing you want is to openly challenge them. Instead, appear to be friendly to them. Acknowledge their expertise. Invite them to show what they know. And then ask them a lot of really tough questions, so that they can see what there is left for them to learn from you. You can do this as an open forum question and answer session for the whole class to participate in.
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Get them to participate Once you’ve gotten them to show you their expertise, you need to get them to admit that there is still something that they can learn from class. Otherwise, you can’t justify them being there. If they agree that they still have things to learn, then you can probably get them to participate in the class. Show them that these skills are very important for their job, and that by staying around in the class to help, everyone will know just how good they are.Admittedly, managing the know-it-all is a challenge. If you handle things carefully, though, you may be able to positively impact their lives by converting a really annoying, disruptive student into one who is enthusiastic and a genuinely helpful leader in the classroom.
Posted in: Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
Are you interested in becoming a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)? If so, you have chosen a growing and lucrative field of study that quickly pays dividends with your very first job. Becoming an Microsoft Certified Trainer is a well respected position and takes work. If you don’t mind getting down to business and believe that you’ve got what it takes, then you must first acquire the training and necessary skills to get you on your way. Please read on for helpful information to steer you in the right direction: toward a rewarding career as a Microsoft Certified Trainer!
 MCTs are authorized trainers who have been certified by the Microsoft Corporation to provide instructor-led courses to Information Technology developers and specialists. Instructors are responsible for teaching Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) to their students.
In order to receive Microsoft Certified Trainer certification there are several steps you must take first. These “musts” include:
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You must prove that you possess teaching skills. As a trainer you can do this by attending PrepMasters 3-in-1 Workshop a Microsoft Approved Train-the-Trainer course. Participants will receive a Train-the-Trainer certification and recorded in-class performance ready for the CTT+ submission. Or prove that you are an instructor at an accredited institution.
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You must pay an annual fee to become MCT certified and to keep your certification current. (in addition to taking the CECs and providing ten days of MOC training annually). Fees vary from country to country, the US fee is $400.00 or check the Microsoft site for your country.
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You must fax a copy of your Train-the-Trainer or CTT+ certificate to: 661-793-6555 include a cover letter & email info, Attention: MCT Escalations, MCP ID# & your name and title of document you are submitting. Or email an electronic copy of your Train-the-Trainer or CTT+ certificate to: mct@microsoft.com
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You will receive notification via email 72-hours to 10-days.
To keep your certification current you must:
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You must continue to earn technical and instructional continuation education credits (CECs) by attending a course taught by a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) at a Microsoft Certified Technical Education Center (Microsoft CTEC).
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You must provide a minimum of ten days of Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) or MSDN Training courses annually.
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You must meet technical competency requirements for each course you are authorized to teach.
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You must teach a minimum of 15 students per year.
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MOC Course evaluations must reflect high customer satisfaction scores. PrepMasters provides a sneak peak at this online evaluation in its 3-in-1 workshop.
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You must submit to an audit if necessary. Microsoft conducts audits approximately five percent of the MCT community to ensure compliance with program requirements.
 Yes, it takes work, but the benefits of becoming a Microsoft Certified Trainer are extensive and Microsoft shows their commitment to you by backing up their program with their legendary support network. With the economy continuing to improve and salaries on the upswing, right now is an excellent time to explore becoming an MCT. Upon successfully completing the Microsoft Certified Trainer program and once your application has been approved, you will then be able to gain access to the Microsoft Certified Trainer member site and receive terrific benefits including: a discount on Microsoft products and textbooks, access to downloadable material and newsgroups, courseware support, invitations to related Microsoft Certified Trainer events, and so much more. In addition, within two months time you will receive by mail a welcome packet from Microsoft containing an MCT pin, certificate, a wallet sized certificate card, MCT related DVDS, and more.
Are you interested? If so, read on for detailed information about launching your MCT training!
Posted in: MCT, MCT Certification on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
Communication- it is an essential business skill that is required in almost every type of industry. For those in the training community, superior communication skills are not only essential, but they are a pre-requisite to successfully explaining a subject. 
The ability to convey knowledge to others is a powerful skill and must be developed in order to be an effective communicator. Without this training, we often use bad habits we’ve picked up along the way.
Slipping into these “bad habits” or deadly training sins can sabotage your training effort and minimize the effectiveness of your overall training objective. While there are many “deadly presentation sins” to avoid, some of the most common include the following:
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Burying students in detail- inhibits learning. Giving students more information than they are ready to absorb creates confusion and fear, and is scientifically proven to deter learning. Build a foundation of understanding and make sure they are comfortable with the information before you add details.
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Disorganization- developing a training plan, organizing your materials and your training facility can be as important as your knowledge of the training topic.
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Excessive use of words like “umm” or “and”- When we are nervous, we often unconsciously tack on these words at the end of a statement. They serve as a constant “interruption” between relevant training information and have an adverse impact on the students’ ability to fully understand the information.
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Fidgeting or foot shifting - is a nervous reaction to public speaking and is extremely distracting to students
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Lack of control over the pace of a presentation- In an effort to convey information, presenters often forget the importance of pacing. Many presenters speak too quickly for students to grasp the concepts; others speak too slowly to retain the attention of students.
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Diminishing students’ self esteem- Just as presenting in front of a group takes courage so does asking a question. Presenters must make efforts to maintain the self esteem of students who ask or answer questions or risk alienating not only the student asking the question but all who witnessed the interaction.
So now that we know what some of the deadly sins are, how can we avoid them? As trainers we must be aware of how we are presenting at all times. Learning the training techniques and skills developed by PrepMasters expert trainers can help you build your presentation skills and avoid these common pitfalls. Once you learn these skills practice, practice and practice.
Posted in: Uncategorized, Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
To follow up on our recent newsletters, our third method of losing control in a training session happens when we expect our instructional media to do the training. There is a tendency to allow the movie/slideshow/PowerPoint to do the teaching for us.
 A common student complaint is that they do not feel like they get anything out of the material. Reasons for this could be because there was no explanation of what they should be looking for, no understanding of the subject matter, or that the material was simply boring. It is important for you to assess the students learning, and for the students to understand how they can apply the material to their learning. A good rule of thumb is to use instructional media to compliment your presentation, not to replace it. You and your students are the strongest tools you have! Here are a few general guidelines you may want to follow when adding media to your presentation:
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PowerPoint presentations should be used as a backdrop or a cue card. The slides should be short and concise, listing bullet points. Remember that a visual learner will be reading everything on the slide and if you have too much information, they will not be listening to you.
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Always prepare a backup plan. If a bulb dies or the movie won’t work, how fast can you repair it and what alternatives do you have for teaching the material? It is not the preparation that the students will remember; it is your reaction to the problem. Technical difficulties happen: use teacher finesse to find a creative solution to the problem.
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Do not expect the instructional media to do the teaching. When using movies, discuss with the students what you expect them to observe and learn, and how it will help them to understand the material. Don’t be afraid to pause the movie to discuss parts of it, answer questions or to make a further illustration.
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Ensure that students can see the materials clearly and that you can see their reaction to the materials. It is a natural tendency to keep a room dark when using instructional media. With the lights out it is hard to see their reaction and to watch their body language so that you can properly react to their needs.
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When using audio equipment, ensure all participants can hear the material. Turning the volume up for one participant may make another participant uncomfortable. Instead, see about sitting the participant who cannot hear closer to the source.
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Use of instructional media can be a great supplement to almost all training sessions, provided it is used in a manner which enhances understanding of the material.
Posted in: Uncategorized, Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
The need for skilled trainers continues to grow as America’s workforce meets the challenges of changing technology and information. Acquiring new knowledge and skills is critical to your job success and ongoing professional development.
Some workers may be able to walk onto a job and get their hands around it immediately, but for most new employees, training is necessary. That is why trainers are important! It is the trainer’s job to ensure that employees have the knowledge, ability and confidence to tackle their new job.
It is important to realize that any trainer needs two separate sets of skills and knowledge. First, they need to know the topic they are teaching (subject matter expertise). Second, they need to know how to transfer that information to the student (instructional expertise).
Great Training leads to the following positive results:
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employees perform their jobs with more confidence
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they learn more quickly
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they work more accurately
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they get along better with other employees
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they’re more capable of training other employees
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they work better in teams
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since things are easier for them at work, they have more job satisfaction; and they are more likely to stick with the job longer
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they are much more likely than other employees in the same position to master their job well enough to be promoted later
When a trainer stands in front of a crowd or is working one-on-one, it is their responsibility to make sure that the right information is shared with the proper methods. Attending a Train the Trainer certification workshop such as PrepMasters’ Be A Great Trainer workshop can help with this. By using different techniques to meet the group and individual needs, trainers with the Train the Trainer certification ensure that the proper message is conveyed to their listeners so that they are well trained for their position. It may take a lot of creativity, patience and fortitude, but that is what makes the Train the Trainer participants so qualified to train.
In a Train the Trainer course, you:
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work on overcoming the 10 most common student complaints
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understand how body language affects a presentation
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practice presentations with people that are there to help you improve
and much more!
The Train the Trainer certification is not a goal, it’s a result. The goal is to become the best trainer you can be! Next time you have an individual or group to train, think about what your objectives really are. If they are to train these individuals so they can be the best, then you have to use your skills to meet their needs, not just stand up and start talking!
Posted in: Uncategorized, Train-the-Trainer, Trainer Training on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
If you are thinking of pursuing a Microsoft Certified Trainer certification, you may be wondering whether it will be worth the trouble and expense. Redmond’s 10th annual salary survey sheds some light on this. Although the survey covered IT professions in general, its findings are relevant to anyone entering the IT trainer field, including those considering pursuing MCT certification.
Your first question may be, “How much do Microsoft Certified Trainers make?” In the 2006 salary survey, the respondents reported making an average of $76,000 or so. This was significantly more than the average wage of all trainers, who only reported an average of $57,197. Was the Microsoft Certified Trainer certification solely responsible for this salary increase of almost $20,000? It undoubtedly contributed. But also keep in mind that many people who are possess the MCT certification possess multiple certifications. So remember that although a Microsoft Certified Trainer certification can certainly help. In your pursuit of that “fat” trainer salary, Redmond’s 2005 IT salary survey revealed that the following would also be helpful:
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Look for a company that positions itself as being on the cutting edge. They tend to appreciate professionals who stay up-to-date.
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Having multiple skills and multiple certifications helps.
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Live in Maryland. Their IT professionals average over $90K/year. And in general, the mid-Atlantic region earns more than the other areas of the U.S.
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Don’t relocate to Arkansas. Their IT professionals average less than $52K/year.
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If you live near Boston, D.C., New York City, or San Francisco, you’re lucky. The IT professionals in these big cities hover near $90K on the average.
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Head for management. Managers average a good $20K more than non-supervisory professionals.
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Specialize in something exotic. Rather than limiting you, specializing in an uncommon area actually opens you up to a limited but generally underserved set of companies. If you specialize in their small area, you will have an edge over all of the generalists applying for the same job.
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Get a graduate degree. Professionals with graduate training enjoyed slightly higher average salaries (about $6K more).
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Men in IT professions earn an average of $6K a year more than women.
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Stay in the field a while. Earnings go up with experience. The highest-paid IT professionals (those who earned in excess of $125K/year) generally had many years of experience… But some had no certifications.
The moral of the story: for a trainer, MCT certification pays off greatly and should be a big first priority. But don’t rely solely on the certification to land you a huge salary. After getting MCT certification, continue to make yourself more marketable in other ways. Multiple skills, multiple certifications, specialization, a graduate degree, and years of experience will combine with your Microsoft Certified Trainer certification to maximize your earning potential.
Posted in: MCT, MCT Certification on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 by Christina | No Comments
All trainers aspire to excel and all trainers hope to land the best paying jobs with prestigious corporations and institutions. But landing that perfect job is easier said than done. Many trainers struggle to make ends meet because they simply cannot compete with the “certified” competition.
CompTIA’s CTT+ certification can add that prestige to your resume. Computer technology trainers as well as trainers, facilitators, and instructors in other realms of business and education have discovered that the CompTIA CTT+ certification is a valuable asset in their search for career positions.
Cross-Industry Credential
 CompTIA developed the CTT+ certification to include not just computer technology trainers, but all trainers in all industries. This widely recognized certification covers corporate training, computer technology training, classroom instruction, and corporate facilitation. The CTT+ certification’s wider scope allows certified trainers more opportunities and provides them with valuable skills that will benefit them in any training situation.
“The CompTIA CTT+ certification exam was created to eliminate the redundancies among the numerous vendor-sponsored instructor certification programs,” — CompTIA website.
Once a trainer earns the CTT+ certification, they can apply it to a wide variety of industries. This vendor-neutral structure allows one who is CTT+ certified to apply their training to all industries that provide technical training and education. In fact, the CTT+ is recommended and required by many corporations like IBM and Cisco.
CTT+ — A Measure of Instructor Mastery
The CTT+ (Certified Technical Trainer) proves that you possess exceptional instructor knowledge, presentation skills, and classroom performance skills.
“Those holding the CompTIA CTT+ certification have proven excellence in preparation, presentation, communication, facilitation, and evaluation in a classroom environment.” — CompTIA website.
The trainer’s instructional skill set will be measured across a wide spectrum of training techniques such as: knowledge of learning styles, needs assessment, adult learner needs, teaching methods, and many more instructor-led training techniques.
Inside the CTT+ Computer Based Exam and the CTT+ Video Exam
The CTT+ certification is earned by passing a 2 part exam:
1. Computer-based test (CBT)
2. Video-based test (VBT)
The CTT+ computer based exam assesses the candidate’s knowledge, and the CTT+ exam demonstrates that knowledge in action; in an actual classroom setting. The computer-based test is composed of 95 questions, and the candidate is given 90 minutes to complete the exam. The CTT+ computer based exam is available in English only, but the video assessment portion can be submitted in either English or Japanese. The video-based exam is 20 minutes in time length.
The CTT+ computer based exam measures the candidate’s knowledge in the following 5 domains: |
