A+ Curriculum (Do you teach it as one course or two?)

[Dana Fellows]

So my question is do you teach the A+ curriculum as one course or two?
Do you do the 1001 objectives separate from the 1002 objectives when teaching or do you just blend it together?
How does this work out for students who are mostly wanting to prepare for the exams rather than those students just starting out in tech and wanting to learn the content?

 

[Ivan Jude Busgano]

So my question is do you teach the A+ curriculum as one course or two?
Do you do the 1001 objectives separate from the 1002 objectives when teaching or do you just blend it together?
How does this work out for students who are mostly wanting to prepare for the exams rather than those students just starting out in tech and wanting to learn the content?

With "quality" in mind, I had the same dilemma last year teaching A+. At the end of the day, making profit takes higher priority over quality and thus it's usually delivered as one blended course here in the Philippines in just 5 days. I just followed the presentation planner provided along with the instructor's guide for 5-day schedule. It could be theory-focused or lab-focused, depending on the requirements of your training participants. Either way, you'll make a lot of assumptions and have most of contents for your participants to self-study, considering the compressed schedule.

For students who are preparing for the exam, I would assume that they already have some background on most of the topics and deliver the course like "review" sessions, with the exam objectives as a handy checklist. A+ is easier to deliver for this group of learners. As for those starting out in tech and wanting to sink their teeth into the craft, it has been very challenging for me to really teach them everything they need to learn in the very short period of time. To compensate for it, I just tell them that they can beep me up anytime on social media anytime they have concerns or questions. For the latter group, I'd prefer delivering A+ content over a longer time period.

 

[Rochelle G.]

We are offering it as 2 courses at SPR Integrated Cyber Education - CertYes.com
The CompTIA platform offers a Core 1 and Core 2 licensing option and we are using that. I am cross referencing objectives also with my Sybex book where chapters 1-14 are Core 1 and the rest of the book is Core 2. Hope this helps.

 

[Rick Butler]

We've always done it in two courses, six weeks each, 20 hours of seat time per week. Personally, I think twelve weeks for a neophyte, even after coming out of ITF+ is still challenging enough, and requires the repetition and time to study. Maybe you can boot-camp it in a week for those with experience, but our clientele usually can't go to a more aggressive schedule like that and have the class meaningful.

Although I've worked in for-profit academia for over almost 15 years now, I am not one that would sacrifice proficient training over profit, because, in the end, profit doesn't equal value. Valuable training takes real time - a commodity that few seem to have these days.

/r

 

[Hod Berman]

The 5-day Bootcamp is only effective for those with experience and who have some knowledge of the content, in my humble opinion. Our schedule is a 3 week 60-80 hour class. I teach both Core 1 and Core 2 all the way through without going into too much detail. Just to get from A-Z, bookmarking important topics along the way. Then I focus on Core 1 along with quizzes and practice exam. Next, I focus on Core 2 with content and quizzes etc. Plus some labs along the way. I provide enough material that after the course, they can review all content and decide which exam to focus on first. I have found that each student is different in their background, test-taking and learning abilities. I want them to pass on their first try and hopefully sign up for another course.

 

[Rick Butler]

I want them to pass on their first try and hopefully sign up for another course.

Exactly - because the expectation is that a student should be able to prepare and pass an exam, after taking the course. If they can't do that, then the course isn't much of a service to the student, no matter how it's scheduled. However, those that are more focused on profit and not too concerned about student performance would have another opinion than mine.

/r

 

[Ivan Jude Busgano]

I envy you guys. How I wish the owners/admins of IT training centers would do the same here, especially for neophytes. I do believe that at least 3 weeks for each A+ course is best.

 

[jasoneckert]

We teach it as one long course (100 hours of instruction), but tell students to focus on 1001 first and use the detailed certification objectives as a knockdown list when studying for the certification. Once they pass 1001, they can do the same for 1002. One good benefit of teaching all of it in one course is that there are topics in the 1001 portion that help students understand the 1002 portion, and vice versa.

 

[Rick Butler]

...use the detailed certification objectives as a knockdown list when studying for the certification.

This. Right. Here

If more students would use the cert objectives as the spine from which they learn, they would do SO MUCH BETTER. No book writes against the objectives in an orderly fashion, and when I study, I use that as my guidepost, not necessarily what the publisher thinks is important and how it's laid out in the book.

In fact, as @Stephen P has said a number of times: Cert Objectives + Google = Study Guide

One good benefit of teaching all of it in one course is that there are topics in the 1001 portion that help students understand the 1002 portion, and vice versa.

That's the classic argument for a blended course, managing the overlap between the x01 and x02 exams, which I see is about 30%. The time spent in teaching really goes back to the original audience. Established pros are going to obviously need less time than neophytes.

/r

 

[Gord]

We teach it as one long course (100 hours of instruction), but tell students to focus on 1001 first and use the detailed certification objectives as a knockdown list when studying for the certification. Once they pass 1001, they can do the same for 1002. One good benefit of teaching all of it in one course is that there are topics in the 1001 portion that help students understand the 1002 portion, and vice versa.

How many hours does your one course use to deliver both 1001 and 1002?

 

[Hemlock]

Our college has two courses for each exam of the A+. Each course is 15 weeks long, 5.5 hrs per week. (82.5 hrs for each course in the semester, and we make them co-requisites)
But we have a heavy focus on practical components of the learning outcomes. Each student has access to real hardware and operating systems to hopefully get the best experience. We even sneak in some electronic soldering labs for the students (outside the scope of A+), but we think it's a fun and valuable skill for the students to learn. Pre-COVID of course, and we've used online simulator tools since then, but looking forward to get back on campus!

 

[Hod Berman]

Our college has two courses for each exam of the A+. Each course is 15 weeks long, 5.5 hrs per week. (82.5 hrs for each course in the semester, and we make them co-requisites)
But we have a heavy focus on practical components of the learning outcomes. Each student has access to real hardware and operating systems to hopefully get the best experience. We even sneak in some electronic soldering labs for the students (outside the scope of A+), but we think it's a fun and valuable skill for the students to learn. Pre-COVID of course, and we've used online simulator tools since then, but looking forward to get back on campus!

Sounds like a great learning experience.

 

[Hemlock]

Sounds like a great learning experience.

We hope so too!
It's interesting to note that (not often) we get the odd student that has never held a screw driver.

 

[Steve Linthicum]

Great question. Here in California, there is an attempt to standardize IT/cybersecurity courses through the development of course descriptors. For the A+ class (designated as ITIS110), it is a 4 unit single course. Recognizing A+ use to break out as one course focused on software and one course focused on hardware, I think the single course makes sense. Too bad it isn't a single exam (something I regularly speak to my friends at CompTIA about). You can read the course descriptors for the ITIS110 and other courses that focus on CompTIA certifications by clicking HERE and selecting "Information Technology - Information Systems."