Assessment Driven Training

Why should I care about assessment driven training? All bootcamp classes are the same, right? Wrong. Most bootcamps focus on lightening fast lecture followed by drill and exercise. When those days are over, you are handed a test voucher and told good luck and goodbye. That is not what our assessment driven training is all about.

Convergent Communications’ assessment driven training accomplishes three things:

• Coaches the students to attain basic Cisco routing and switching skills to be able to perform those tasks on the job.
• Provides students with test taking exercises, techniques, explanation, and feedback to be able to pass the CCNA exam.
• Provide a solid foundation upon which to build future expertise, skills, and training (e.g., CCNA Voice or Security, CCNP, CCVP or CCSP).

Our assessment driven training uses multiple techniques and tools to address the whole student in learning. Different students learn best using different approaches. Using our methods, the different approaches compliment each other and reinforce learning.

• Self-Assessment examination
• Foundation network concepts e-Learning and online activities
• Expert instructor coaching
• Informative, interactive, multimedia instruction
• Embedded questions and assignments
• Oral presentations
• Laboratory exercises
• Team learning and exploration
• In classroom assessment
• Standardized test simulation and feedback
• Standardized Examinations

It all starts long before you enter the classroom. We want to understand, “What do you know?” and you need to understand “How well do you know it?” So, we give you a self-assessment examination focusing on the basics of networking – LAN protocols, networking protocols, IP addressing and Subnetting, and TCP/IP. If you pass this test; you have the foundation skills needed to advance in this class. If not, we provide you with 14 hours of e-Learning to fill in the knowledge gaps identified in the self assessment.

With your foundation skills firmly achieved you now move into the classroom. We have our expert, certified instructors not just lecture you on the course material; but coach you. Its not about feeding you knowledge through a fire hose. We take the time to understand what your objectives are: simply to pass a test or to gain real skills for your job? We take the time to know what are your strengths and weaknesses – the course material, test taking skills, hands on equipment configuration? Based upon these factors, we tailor time in our instruction to your objectives. Also time we dedicate to individual instruction, during labs or question and answer sessions; we communicate course content with your objectives in mind. In addition, we use interactive lectures with multimedia content to clearly illustrate key concepts. Beyond the standard PointPoint slides, we use extensive white boarding, product feature or configuration demonstrations, simulations, audio and video presentations, and of course question and answer.

Presenting course content is not enough. So at the end of each lesson there are embedded questions which the instructor asks you to answer. This reinforces lesson objectives and provides an opportunity for students to better understand the material and ask questions. Also, there are hands-on labs and team learning opportunities where the class is divided into groups to complete assignment and explore concepts. This reinforces learning via ones peers. In addition, at the end of every class day, the instructor gives 30 minutes of “homework”. These could be additional lesson questions, simulations, or oral presentation assignments (i.e., explain a fundamental concept to the rest of the class) for the following day. These oral presentations also have the impact of relieving performance anxiety.

Throughout the class, the instructor has illustrated key concepts, and the students have both practiced using those concepts in labs and explorations and answered questions to clarify and solidify those concepts. But, how do you know that learning is actually happening? We perform in-class assessments and standardized test simulations. Where the embedded questions and assignments are informal and group oriented, the in-class assessments and standardized test simulations are individual and designed to simulate actual test taking scenarios and the accompanying stresses they invoke. The in-class assessments are short in duration and focus upon individual lessons or concepts. The test simulations are very similar to the actual CCNA examination in that they are 60 min or more in duration; cover multiple lessons and topics; and questions may take the form of fill in the blank, multiple choice, or simulation. In both cases, the assessments and simulation are graded and students are provided their answers and the correct answers to review and the instructors review many of the questions with the students and provide feedback, correct answers and test taking strategy. This process familiarizes students with the test and reduces test anxiety.

Finally, what good is all of this preparation without actually taking the CCNA exam? We have found that many students if not provided with a reason to take the exam will delay in taking the test. A delay beyond 30 days lessens the success rate of those preparing to take the CCNA exam. Therefore, on the last day of the class; you take the actual exam. You have prepared before the class started, the class provides you with additional concept knowledge, practice, and test taking strategy. We have found that using this approach, 80 % pass their examinations on the first try and 80% of the remaining group passes on the second try if they retake the exam within 30 days of the start of the class. In addition, for those who are in positions as entry level network administrators; they find that they are more easily able to retain the skills learned during this training and apply them to their day-do-day job activities or use them as a foundations to attaining higher level skills or certifications.

Our Guarantee

Students who have successfully passed the prerequisite exam to attended Convergent Communications’ 8-day CCNA Immersion Master’s Program, attended the class, but failed the initial CCNA examination given of the last day of the class; will be issued a free exam voucher to take the test again within 60 days after the start of class.

If this student fails the CCNA exam a second time, they will be eligible to attend the 8-day CCNA Immersion class a second time, free of charge, and receive a third free exam voucher to take the CCNA exam for a third and final time. The third exam voucher must be issued within 12 months of the start of the original CCNA Immersion Master’s program class. If the student elects to attend the CCNA Immersion class a second time; the second course start-date must be within 12 months of the initial course end date. Enrollment is subject to availability of seats in the class. The student is required to bring their course materials from the original class.

Exam vouchers and attendance in the CCNA Immersion class is not transferable. Requests, to receive these benefits, must be made in writing and include copies of your test results along with your original CCNA Immersion Master’s Program confirmation letter. Send inquiries to Convergent Communications via email at info@ccitraining.net or call 1-800-963-4108.