Excellent response, Kris! Very educational.
-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eva J
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2018 1:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] Fwd: FW: students and instructors should know what test questions they get wrong
Foi
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Kris Roberson <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, Nov 9, 2018 at 1:51 PM
Subject: FW: students and instructors should know what test questions they
get wrong
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Hello Evamaria,
Thank you for your insights about the training process and the
certification process. As an experienced trainer, your thoughts on the
training are necessary for the improvement of the training programs.
I would like to give some information before I comment on your specific
points.
In the past, IPC training and certification have been viewed and treated as
a single entity. The training was conducted, the exam was given and
everything was viewed as a learning experience for the students. In a
typical *learning* environment, this is the proper way to educate an
individual.
However, a *certification exam * is not a learning tool. A certification is
the verification and validation of an individuals knowledge, skills, and
abilities (KSAs) in regard to a topic or subject.
A License and a certification differ in only one thing. A license is issued
by a government body. A certification is issued by a non-profit
organization. In all other matters, the two documents are the same.
An individual who attempts the exam for a medical license, a pilot’s
license, of even an exam such as the SAT or ACT for college entry do not
receive the questions missed in the review. If any review is offered, the
candidate may receive areas of missed topics, but no questions or answers
are presented.
The same is true for the IPC Certifications. At the CIS level, the training
is modular. If a student does not pass a module exam, the instructor has a
clearly defined topic of study in which the student and instructor can
review. The modules are structured to allow for this focus of study.
With the above information, I would like to respond to the items in your
email.
1 – “Instructors need to know generally what types of questions are being
missed…”
- As noted above, a failed module exam shows that a student does not
understand the concepts and criteria of a section of the document. The
review can be limited to that portion of the document being tested (e.g.
Wires and Terminals, Through hole, SMT… etc.).
a. – “It gives the instructor ability to improve instruction technique”
- IPC has contracted with a Psychometrician for the full review of the
questions and programs.
- As the review is completed, and with the abilities of the new EDGE 2.0
systems, the psychometrician and the supporting certification committee
will review the performance of the questions. Any question that are not
psychometrically sound or are performing poorly will be removed or
re-written.
- Instructors will also receive information on how their classes have
performed on a quarterly basis. As the questions are confirmed sound and
are performing correctly, any recurring patterns in the individual
instructor’s classes should show up as outlying data points. The instructor
whose students consistently perform poorly in one area where the balance of
the industry instructors do not have the same issues will know to review
the teaching of that section of the program.
b. “Instructors should provide IPC feedback on [questions]”
- This is one area where IPC instructors will need to make a
modification to the current practices. In a certification exam, any
individual who teaches a subject must not view, know, or in any way
interact with the questions on the exams. The *only* time a question
should be viewed (other than by the developing group) should be by the
candidate during the exam.
- Any instructor who is aware of a question about a particular section
or topic may emphasize this section more than another. I do not mean to
imply intent of wrong-doing. Even with the very best of intentions, an
instructor is ultimately human. As your passionate email demonstrates, you
want the best education and outcome for your students. The tendency of a
good-hearted, well intentioned instructor would be to make sure that the
students cover a specific area where a known exam question answer will be
found.
- Going forward, development committee for an exam will be made up of
5-10 individuals from industry and education. These individuals will be
guided by an IPC staff liaison and the Psychometrician. No person who
teaches (who holds a current CIT for a subject area, or intends to hold a
CIT certificate for that subject area in the next two years) will be
eligible to sit on the certification committee for that program.
2 – “Students need to know what questions they got wrong”
- Please refer to my responses above. Students need to know the areas in
which they make errors, not the exact questions. A review of the exact
question exposes the exam questions to compromise. In keeping with
international standards for Certification Programs that Certify Individuals
(IS0-17024), the exam questions must be protected for the integrity,
efficacy, and above all, defensibility. If a question is compromised, the
legal defensibility of the exams and the entire certification program can
be called into question.
– “Students/ companies pay to receive training and instruction”
- You are absolutely correct. They do pay to receive *training*. That
training is to come from the trainer through the use of the training
materials or (in the case of a CIS who wishes to challenge test) an
equivalent preparatory program. In that training it is appropriate to use
visual aids, PPTs, videos, quizzes, practice exams, and whatever other
method is deemed to be useful in preparing that student to take the
certification exam. However, that is not the certification exam.
- After the training, the individual pays IPC for access to attempt
the *certification
exam*. The Certification exam is the final verification of the
individual’s KSAs in regard to the standard. It is nothing more. As written
above, it is not a learning tool. This is absolutely a different way of
thinking from the way IPC programs have been conducted in the past. Once
again, this is a move toward improving the integrity, efficacy, and
defensibility of the programs.
a. & b. “Students not will be able properly navigate documents if they are
getting questions wrong and don't know why.” & “Also, students will not
able to properly apply requirements if they do not understand criteria.”
- The students do not need the individual questions to learn and
understand the use of the document and the criteria. The students need to
review the content and the concepts of the document through the training.
If questions are missed on the certification exam the student knows that
he/she should go back and review the section.
MITs and CITs are definitely IPC’s front line. For this reason it is
important for those trainers to understand the correct training of the
programs. IPC must remove any disservice that may have been done in the
past process so the IPC programs will be effective, complete, conducted
with integrity, and will be defensible.
I invite all MITs and CITs to participate in the *Training Development
Process. *One great improvement that has been made is the addition of
Carlos Plaza as IPC’s Director of Education Development. Carlos brings a
wealth of knowledge and experience in Education design. With the Training
Committees, Carlos will work to improve the *Training * component of the
programs. Some improvements may include fewer PowerPoint slides and better
use of interactive media, use of knowledge check-ins, and practice tests in
the training program to help instructors judge the preparedness of the
students for the *Certification exam. *There are many more improvements in
the works and I highly encourage all trainers to become involved.
With industry help, feedback, and participation the IPC programs can meet
the needs of our industry with the best training we can develop. Then when
the certification exam is completed and a student passes the exam, that
individual will be able to state with confidence that they truly do meet or
exceed the requirements to have the designation of a Certified IPC
Specialist.
Thank you.
Mr. Kris Roberson
IPC- Association Connecting Electronics Industries®
Director of Certification Programs
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*From:* Eva J <[log in to unmask]>
*Sent:* Friday, November 9, 2018 9:56 AM
*To:* IPC Helpdesk <[log in to unmask]>; certification <
[log in to unmask]>; ipc training <[log in to unmask]>
*Subject:* students and instructors should know what test questions they
get wrong
IPC Director of Certification and IPC President,
I read the "helpful" article on the help desk portal and I am very
disappointed that trainers / instructors and students can not see what
questions were incorrect. 2 things....
1. Instructors need to know generally what types of questions are being
missed and why for process improvement and to validate student
understanding.
a. It gives the instructor ability to improve instruction technique,
material presentation which helps reinforce important criteria.
b. Instructors should provide IPC feedback on incorrect, ambiguous, and
misleading test questions that confuse everyone! Frequently students get
the same wrong questions, which then instructors and IPC can do trend
analysis, test/curriculum efficacy, and instructor awareness.
2. Students need to know what questions they got wrong. Students/
companies pay to receive training and instruction! It is not all about the
certification. Instructors are there to help them learn and understand.
a. Students not will be able properly navigate documents if they are
getting questions wrong and don't know why.
b. Also, students will not able to properly apply requirements if they do
not understand criteria.
In closing, IPC and trainers are doing their students and EMS / CM
companies (all of which are our clients) a disservice by not properly
training students; they will not be able to learn from their mistakes if
they don't know what is wrong. We as trainers are obligated to help
students learn and understand the information we are
presenting....especially when they get test answers wrong!
I have been conducting skilled based training for 25 years and IPC training
for over 15 years.
MIT/CIT trainers are essentially IPC's front line to knowledge and
understanding for all new students (clients) and EMS / CM companies.
Consider implementing this little process improvement to help our clients
get the most out of our training by providing test answers to students and
trainers.
Thank you
Evamaria Jones
CID Certified in PCB Design Principles
CIT IPC J-STD-001
CIT IPC-A-610
CIT IPC-A-620
CIT IPC-7711/IPC-7721
senior Quality Engineer
Specialized Technology Electronics
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