1. Creating a Quality Instructor Competency Program and Observation Form
“QA for the Instructor”
August 7th, 2014
QATC Webinar

2. Your Speakers Today G. Todd Gladden, CWPP
Principal & Managing Consultant -
DeNOVO Consulting Group
Jana Meyers
Director- Training, Development and Support
American Century Investments

3. Our Topics Why Instructor Competency Training Program?
Kirkpatrick’s Model of Training Evaluation
Basic Instructor Competencies & Best Practices
QA for the Instructor – Observations
Sample Instructor Observation Form
Case Study of Instructor Observations
Questions & Closing

4. What type of Instructor Competency Program do you currently have?
Polling Question
What type of Instructor Competency Program do you currently have?
No Formal Training
Content Training & Minor Competencies around Delivery
Delivery, Content & Leadership
Full Instructor Competencies Taught & Observed
No Formal Training
Content Training and some minor competencies around delivery
Delivery, Content and Leadership
Full Instructor Competencies Taught and Observed

5. Why Instructor Competency Training Programs?
Ensure the Quality and Integrity of Learning/Development
Enhance Time to Proficiency (T2P) and knowledge retention of students
Create Foundation for Instructor Evaluation & Performance Management
Improve the Bottom Line / ROI

6. Next Polling Question
What Level of Kirkpatrick Evaluation do you currently use for Training?
Level 1 – Smiley Face Sheets
Level 1&2 – Adding Assessments at critical points of training
Level 1,2,3 – Adding On-the-Job Performance Behaviors evaluated
All Levels – Kicking it in High Gear & ROI
Level 1 – Smiley Face sheets
Level 1& 2 – adding Assessments at critical points of training
Level 1, 2, 3 – adding on-the job performance behaviors evaluated
All Levels- Kicking it in High Gear and getting Return on our Investment
Well, Then let’s look at some basic Competencies and what they benefit for your Instructors, students and organization.

7. Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model and Instructor Competencies
If we look at Kirkpatrick’s model of Training Evaluation, we normally think of Level 1, Reaction to the training, then move upward to the other levels (Go quickly through to Level 5. What I propose with building and evaluating Instructor Competencies is to look from the Top down! What are the Instructors utilizing to give the organization and students a return on their investment? What behaviors did they instill and change that positively affect the outcomes for the organization? What behaviors were changed that translated to on-the-job performance? Then lastly, how did the instructor go about assessing the skills, knowledge and attitudes after training? If we look at these evaluation levels this way

8. Basic Instructor Competencies (IC)
Preparation
- Classroom set-up, system checks, logistics, ground rules, expectations, etc.
Delivery
- Platform Skills, introducing lessons/objectives, content knowledge, varying delivery styles, politically correct training
Communication
- Checks for understanding, effective questioning, creating open/interactive learning environment, “working the room”, continuous improvement feedback on content
Leadership
- Leading students into making real world connections, support vision/organizational strategies, change champions, attitude
Content
- Knowledge of ALL aspects of the training; policies, systems, etc.
The Basic Instructor Competencies (or ICs) that are most commonly found as best practices are around these four areas: Preparation, Delivery, Communication, Leadership and Content . Let’s look at each of these and some components of them.
Preparation: These competencies center around the ability to “set-up” the environment and atmosphere for learning. How the classroom is set up, systems operations and checks, logistics of the area, setting ground rules for the class, documenting expectations and concerns of the students upfront, so you can ensure that you’ve covered those and met/exceeded those expectations; basically, setting the learning environment for everyone.
Delivery: Here is where we have the “Platform skills” area, plus things like introduction of lessons/objectives, content knowledge, varying delivery styles to accommodate different learning styles (Gen X, Y, Millennial, Baby Boomers), and fostering an environment of teamwork, diversity and inclusion (politically correct training)
Communication: This area looks at how to get the learning across and determine if the “light bulbs” are coming on. Checking for understanding, creating an environment that’s open/interactive, and learning how to “work the room” as they say. This is reading the audience, looking for who’s got it, who’s getting it and who needs assistance in getting it!
Leadership: How to lead the student into making “real world” connections, attitude and enthusiasm, supporting organizational strategies and visions, being a change champion, and how to manage difficult classroom situations appropriately.
One addition that you might add to this Competency area is around Specific Content: i.e. Specific lessons that develop needed skills in the students. Technical skills, soft skills, systems, sales, etc. Look for expertise in these areas where you know excellence translates to improved proficiency and productivity.

9. Internal vs. External IC Training
Many External Companies
- Most focus on Components
- Tie in with Certification
Internal Delivery an option
- Can be Cost-effective
- Average 3-4 days
There are many competent & effective courses out there that companies provide for IC training. Most of them focus on one or more of the IC components we’ve discuss, like presentation skills or leadership training, but don’t go too far into rolling them all into one course offering. Many of them tie these courses into an Instructor Certification, which is generic in nature, and doesn’t have the content knowledge specifics in it.
Internal Delivery is an option, depending on your specific needs and size. It may be cost-effective to develop an IC curriculum/course, wrapping it around the content training you have. In my experience, training like this runs anywhere from 2-5 days, plus content training, with an average of 3-4 days being the norm.

10. Best Practice IC Training Topics
Adult Learning Needs
4P Learning Model (or variation)
- Preparation, Presentation, Practice &
Proficiency Assessment
Delivery Techniques; Instructor Led as well as Virtual/Webinar/Facilitator
Questioning, Feedback, Debrief & Discussion
Leadership, Change Agent, Cheerleader
There are several items that have been found as best practices and should be included in IC courses/curricula. An understanding of how adults (of all age/generational group) learn is a key to effective delivery. What type of learner are you? Visual, Listener, Reader, Hands-on or combination of these? Understanding how people learn can help Instructors learn how to vary style of delivery to accommodate these different learning styles.
A basic 4 step process in learning should be understood and demonstrated:
- Prepare me to learn (or help prepare me), Set expectations, objectives, timeframes, ground rules.
- Present the Content ( This is the transfer of information or knowledge)
Practice ( Show me what you’ve learned) This is a chance for the Instructor to identify areas of improvement, deficiencies, as well as areas that they excel in.
Proficiency Assessment (Putting it all together to see if I got it and can apply it. Also an opportunity to assess training effectiveness.
Platform Techniques are essential to proficiently and effectively get the content across. Techniques around eye contact, expressions (non-verbals), gestures, movement/poise, voice/inflections all aid or detract from delivery. It’s also important to understand proper management of visual aids like easels and PowerPoint presentations so that we don’t detract for the content.
Effective Questioning techniques, how to give/receive feedback, activity/discussion debriefing and managing the facilitation of group discussions are important in Instructing.

11. Best Practice IC Training Topics, Cont’d
Managing Nervousness & Displaying Confidence
Effective Summarization of Objectives
Communication Skills
Skill Practice and Assessment
Some additional items that are important are: Managing nervousness and displaying confidence.
Effective Summarization/Review of lesson/course objectives
Some skills to help make them effective leaders like: Making real world connections to the learning. What’s the WIIFM (for them, the customer and the company)? Attitude, Being a Change Champion and Managing difficult classroom situations (conflict management)
Lastly, there needs to be opportunities to practice these skills that they’ve learned. This gives them an opportunity to put into practice what they’ve been learning, and you the chance to assess their proficiency. This can be further tied into ongoing performance management plans with periodic instructor observations (More in next session on Instructor Observation form)

12. Summary – So what have we Learned so far?
Why Instructor Competency Programs?
Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model and IC
Basic Instructor Competencies
Internal Development vs. External
Best Practice Competency Topics

13. QA for the Instructors? Why Instructor Observations?
- Insure the Integrity of Learning/Development & Continuous Improvement
- Create foundation for Instructor Evaluation &
Performance Management
- Develop Individuals to Performance Excellence

14. How many of you perform Instructor Observations?
Last Polling Question
How many of you perform Instructor Observations?
Don’t Observe – Use Smiley Sheets to assess
Observe but with no form
Use Form with formal Observation Process
Don’t Observe, just use Smiley Face Sheets
Observe but with no Form
Use Form with formal observation process

15. Sample Instructor Observation Form
Divided into 4 main Competency Areas:
- Preparation
- Delivery
- Communication
- Leadership
- Additional area for Content Specific Knowledge
Formulas for weighting/averaging of Ratings
Final Sections for Areas of Expertise/Skills, Improvement and Commitments for Development w/ Signatures
Review quickly using Sample Form. Be sure to point out opportunity to tie in Instructors observation of training content needs and referral to developers or changing material themselves, if applicable. This tells you if they are teaching “off the cuff” or paying attention to content and material and making sure the student has the latest, correct information.

16. Case Study on Instructor Competencies/Observations
Challenge:
New to managing trainers
Question:
How to review and evaluate their effectiveness?
As a leader newly charged with managing trainers, my challenge was to be able to evaluate their performance and effectiveness.

17. Case Study: Business Rationale
Why evaluate?
Learner experience and competency
Individual performance and feedback
How to tell the “story” back to the business
What to use?
Internal “old” form
Creating a new form
Using an Expert’s form*
My team of four had not had formal in-classroom evaluation in over five years.

18. Case Study: What did this accomplish?
Applications:
In the classroom
Tweaked form to fit our approach
Provided framework to test assumptions
Feedback capture
Hiring
Expert form
Internal form

19. Case Study: Results Gains Challenges
Trainers feel “heard” and observed
“Non-trainer” training manager has set of standards
Challenges
Time
Repeatability and consistency
New trainers in the classroom this year

20. Questions & Closing Just Do It…and reap the benefits
Develop It and they will Come
Thank you for Attending! Hope to see you at the QATC Conference
In closing, I’d like to make a few small points about Instructor Competencies training. Whether you develop a full-blown curriculum as part of a job-functional training program, an intricate form or just have workshops to enhance skills and observe instructors in “action”, you’ll reap the benefits of equipping your instructors with more than just an easel and a marker, and what’s in their head. Also, don’t assume that individuals that are high performing in their job make good instructors. Look for talents/skills that lend themselves to all these other competencies, not just content knowledge.
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