CTT

What is the CTT certification?

CTT is a cross-industry certification available to all training professionals who provide technical instruction and education. While it is significant that the computer industry is the first to endorse the CTT program, the wider impact is that the certification can be applied to all industries that provide technical training and education. To earn the Certified Technical Trainer designation, the trainer must pass both a computer-based test that assesses knowledge of the ibstpi Standards and a performance assessment via videotape in which trainers demonstrate skills in the Standards. The CTT certificate provides recognition that the trainer has attained a standard of excellence in the technical training industry.

Beleive it or not, the Certified Technical Trainer certification can be one of the most difficult certifications for we techies to obtain. As opposed to other technical certifications that you can study and practice and may seem to have a logical structure (except, of course, Microsoft's exams!), the Chauncey CTT certification is more of a "soft skills" certification.

Study Resources:

Obtain "Instructor Competencies: The Standards" book from Chauncey. The ISBN number is 881326-03-9. This is an absolutley horrible book, but it contains all of the competencies you will need to master to obtain the CTT certification. Read through the book a couple of times, read the glossary at the end of the book, and take the practice exam. After you do the above a few times, you will begin to see patterns and understand what Chauncey is looking for.

Test Strategy:

The first several questions on the CTT exam are all "bios" questions. Chauncey is simply gathering information about you. You will not be told this, but your exam time starts as soon as the first bios question opens. These questions do not count toward your score, but the time to answer them comes off of the available time to take the exam. So.....skip the bios questions and move to the actual exam. The exam is very lengthy and it will seem that you are asked the same question 3 or 4 times. The key to doing well on this exam is "do thy student no harm". Answer all questions so that the learning experience will be a positive one for the learner without significantly changing the lesson plan.

Video Strategy:

After passing the computer based exam, you will have to submit a 20 minute video of a training session in which you demonstrate 12 of the 14 IBSTPI competencies. Don't forget to use several forms of questioning (overhead, reflective, restatement, ec.) during the training session that demonstrate your ability to facilitate learning in your students. The video should not be less than 18 minutes, and the evaluators will turn it off at the 22 minute mark. It is no easy task to demonstrate all of the required competencies in 20 minutes, so plan your video session well.

http://www.chauncey.com		The Chauncey Group
http://www3.cybercities.com/j/jdengler/cttexam.htm		Practice Exam
http://204.1.18.201/ctt/index.htm		The CTT Discussion Group
http://www.fka.com/software/tools/ctt/index.htm		The Only Commercial CTT Practice Exam I Am Aware Of

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