Boot Camps

[Jim Goughenour]

Hi Everyone....I am being asked about a "boot camp" style delivery (5 days) with a test on the last day of class (Friday). It generates a couple of questions for me:

1. Does anyone have any experience with this type of delivery, and if so, what do you do differently than say a normal delivery?
2. Does anyone know the process of becoming a proctor for Pearson Vue to actually administer an exam event?
3. What is the success rate of your students on the first exam attempt?
4. Do the hours of classroom delivery change from a normal 8 hour day to longer, and if so, how much longer?

Thanks in advance everyone.

Jim Goughenour

 

[Rick Butler]

1. Personally, I've seen boot camps work for students that already have a good amount of experience in the subject matter already - they're just there to go over the high points ahead of an exam. I've seen them fail for students who 1) do not have any experience in the subject matter or even 2) students who do not have the prerequisite knowledge to be successful. I do not believe a 40 hour time frame is enough to be testable in most cases.

Boot-camps do have the benefit of the 'get-em-in-get-em-out' model for making big profits, if that's the angle, on the desperation of students wanting to get into the field fast. Good marketing and some creative skewing of the performance numbers and sure, the seats will fill. But I've seen bootcampy schools come and go pretty fast - mostly for making lofty marketing promises that their educators can't keep, paying their instructors a pittance or not paying them at all, or ducking behind legalese to avoid any culpability when students cannot pass an exam.

In short, for my part of it, I have little respect for these kinds of institutions - they're less 'flying high' and more like 'fly by night'.

2. Pearson VUE - This is a rather extensive question. Essentially if you proctor an exam for CompTIA, the rules do not allow you to test for any certification for six months prior to becoming a proctor and wait six months after being a proctor before you can cert.

To proctor an exam, you must go through the accreditation process of creating a test center, even if it's 1-2 stations. The technical and administrative requirements for it are pretty involved. You will want to connect with PearsonVUE on the process and allocate yourself the time to get it right. I set up an eight station center back in the day and it took me about 2-3 months to get everything ready to go. There were a LOT of details to manage.

3. Success rates are very hard to determine. It really depends on the crop of students you get. If they are neophyte students, I would put that rate at below 20%. Obviously, the more experienced they are, the better off the rate will be.

While anecdotal, I ran a six week program, training students at 20 hours per week for a cert exam. I saw high success rates of those that took the exam, but very low confidence rates to actually take the exam.

4. Bootcamps have traditionally been eight hours, with a 1 hour lunch in the middle of the day and break times as needed, without it being excessive.

/r

 

[Jim Goughenour]

Thanks so much for responding Rick! Really appreciate your insights and perspectives. Take good care! Jim

 

[Michael Schmitz]

here.
Long Days for Trainer (0830 -1800) and the Students (even longer). You have to make compromises. Usually, i skip the Review Activity, and the Labs can be done later, or some, when students do not know the tools. They have a lot to learn. Ports, Acronyms, if they to not know them. 568A/B (seems not to be in 009 anymore). Concepts and tools. I never recommend to take the exam if they do not feel prepared. It is an Option, but not required. But i suggest to learn 2-3 more weeks to take the exam. I do not teach it in High School Classes, where you have months of time. Yes, it is possible, but students to not like it anymore like 10 or 20 years ago. So yes, they are still offered. .

 

[LynW]

Hi Everyone....I am being asked about a "boot camp" style delivery (5 days) with a test on the last day of class (Friday). It generates a couple of questions for me:

1. Does anyone have any experience with this type of delivery, and if so, what do you do differently than say a normal delivery?
2. Does anyone know the process of becoming a proctor for Pearson Vue to actually administer an exam event?
3. What is the success rate of your students on the first exam attempt?
4. Do the hours of classroom delivery change from a normal 8 hour day to longer, and if so, how much longer?

Thanks in advance everyone.

Jim Goughenour

I have been teaching IT "boot camps" for five years (most often for companies who are enhancing skills for incumbent workers) - rarely have students passed with an exam in the same week - for same week testing - my highest success rate approximately 33%. Giving them one week to independently study has improved pass rates to 67%. I encourage companies to allow the option for learners to wait until they feel prepared to take the exam - some of them never take the exam - but the success rate often rises to near 100% with this autonomy. I also incorporate study skills and how to recognize preparedness throughout the boot camp.

While I recognize the typical work day is 8 hours, when introducing new information and practicing with that information every day for 5 days can have a negative impact on information retention. For intensive performance goals in college and career level courses the anticipated classroom hours to independent study hours is 1:2 (1 hour in class, 2 hours independent learning) or 1:3. I also provide guidance for independent study suggestions based on their strengths/weaknesses.

 

[Abby N Krane]

I have been teaching IT "boot camps" for five years - rarely have students passed with an exam in the same week - my highest success rate approximately 33% Giving them one week to independently study has improved pass rates to 67%. While I recognize the normal work day is 8 hours, when introducing new information and practicing with that information every day for 5 days can have a negative impact on information retention. For intensive performance goals at college level courses the anticipated classroom hours to independent study hours is 1:2 (1 hour in class, 2 hours independent learning). I also provide guidance for independent study.

My organization does some "boot camps" and we take a similar approach. The exam is NOT on the last day. Depending on the client, we recommend spreading things over a couple of weeks. So, week 1 is the lecture "boot camp", week 2 is finishing materials like CertMaster Learn and Labs, week 3 may continue finishing materials and maybe the first people take the exam, week 4 is when most will take the exam. This accelerated style would only be done for a more advanced certification for individuals who already have existing CompTIA certifications so are very familiar with the style and layout of the exams. Would never consider doing it that way for A+. Even though lecture may be 40 hours, we warn participants they will have at least another 40 hours if not 80 hours outside of the class to complete preparation successfully.

 

[Jim Goughenour]

Thanks so much everyone! Your experiences are all aligned with my thoughts around this. Really appreciate your input. THANK YOU!

 

[Hemlock]

Just wanted to add what Rick mentioned about a PearsonVue test center.
We run one, so I'm somewhat familiar with their guidelines, but here's a snippet from their policy.
There is another bullet that mentions that even "trainers" within the last 12 months (certified themselves or not) cannot proctor exams.



Personally, as for boot camps, I would say they would work great for someone that perhaps already studied the material and needs a refresher, or has worked in the relevant field.