Kris,
I understand what you are saying. I am sure you know that many of our CIS
candidates are not college educated, maybe not even high school graduated,
and quite possible English is not their first language.
CIS certification is not analogous to a medical license, a pilot’s license,
or even an exam such as the SAT or ACT.
My fear is that EMS companys will go back to custom training that directly
apples to their workforce.
Sorry about that, I inadvertently hit the sent button and had to take care
of a quick job.
in continuation to previous email.. above
I have developed custom electronic assembly, cable building, quality
assurance and quality control courses to suit my customers. Generally, I
advocate for IPC training to my customers; however, some customers are
unsatisfied with the lack of hands on training relative to presentation
time. Yes, customers like the J-STD-001 certification, but really they want
their employees to know how to solder. Understanding the requirements is a
different level.
On Fri, Nov 9, 2018 at 2:40 PM Eva J <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Kris,
> I understand what you are saying. I am sure you know that many of our CIS
> candidates are not college educated, maybe not even high school graduated,
> and quite possible English is not their first language.
> CIS certification is not analogous to a medical license, a pilot’s
> license, or even an exam such as the SAT or ACT.
>
> My fear is that EMS companys will go back to custom training that directly
> apples to their workforce. resort to
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 9, 2018 at 1:51 PM Kris Roberson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> 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
>>
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>> Please be sure to add [log in to unmask] to your approved email list.
>>
>> *E-mail Opt-in/Manage Preferences* <http://www.ipc.org/opt-in>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *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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