Objectives:
From this self-study program you should learn:
What is required to become a FOA certified instructor
What to study for the FOA instructor exams
How to take the FOA instructor exam
The FOA occasionally holds a train-the-trainer (TTT)
course where FOA Master Instructors train new and
prospective instructors about how to effectively teach
fiber optics. Tom Collins, member of the FOA Board of
Directors hosted several of the TTT sessions like the
photo shown below. Here Tom (yellow shirt) and FOA
co-founder and Master Instructor Emeritus John Highhouse
conduct a class.
All these classes consisted of classroom training in fiber
optic technology and how to teach it, plus lab sessions to
develop the skills the instructors needed to be able to
teach those skills to their students.
Finally
each prospective instructor would be assigned a topic to
develop a short lesson to give to the class as their
"final exam."
Unless
we get you into one of these classes, we can't duplicate
these TTT sessions. So instead, we've developed this
self-study program to help you understand what is involved
in being a FOA-certified instructor and help you get
prepared for the instructor certification exam.
Ready to get started?
- What Is A
FOA Certified Instructor?
- FOA-approved
schools may only have FOA-certified instructors
teaching FOA certification courses and conversely FOA
instructor certification is only available to
instructors actively teaching courses at FOA-approved
schools. FOA-certified instructors are expected to be
both technically competent and good teachers. They are
also expected to know about the FOA, its goals and
programs and keep abreast of the changes in fiber
optic and/or premises cabling technology.
- FOA has used
the knowledge and experiences of many experienced
instructors to set standards for instructor
certification which are documented in the KSAs
(Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) for Instructors.
The FOA qualifies all instructors wishing to become
FOA-certified by reviewing their qualifications and
requiring examination in the subjects they teach and
the methods accomplished instructors recommend for
teaching the materials.
- Instructor
certification is only available to those currently
teaching at an FOA-Approved school. The school must
sponsor the applicant for certification. Another
important qualification is that the instructor
certification is only valid at the school which
sponsors the instructor for certification. If the
instructor leaves the sponsoring school or the school
replaces the instructor, both must notify the FOA
about these changes. Instructors who are no longer
teaching for their sponsoring FOA approved school must
notify the FOA if they intend to teach at another FOA
approved school to transfer their certification. The
certification becomes valid again after the transfer
is approved by the FOA.
Please remember the FOA does not require instructors
or schools to use the FOA curriculum materials. We
make them available free to those who do not want or
have time to develop their own curriculum, We
encourage instructors to customize the materials to
fit their own course aims or even translate to the
language of their students. But whether you use your
curriculum or ours, you should ensure that you cover
the FOA KSAs
in order the meet the requirements for FOA
certification.
- Online
Self-Study
- FOA offers
this online Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program for
teachers and instructors that leads to the FOA CFOS/I
and/or CPCT/I Instructor Certification. This "first in
the industry" program brings all the expertise of the
Fiber Optic Association to the process of training and
certifying fiber optic instructors, both in industry
and in the academic world.
There are three
sections to cover: technical topics, teaching the FOA
way and preparing for the exam.
Prerequisites
For FOA Instructor Certification
- Applicants should
be an experienced fiber optic and/or premises cabling
technician or experienced instructor in a technical
discipline or both.
- Applicants must
be sponsored to be an instructor at an FOA-Approved
school or a school in the process of applying
for approval.
- Applicants
must meet the requirements of the FOA KSAs for
Instructors: (The knowledge, skills and abilities
instructors should have.)
- Applicants
must submit the required applications and email a
resume covering both practical field experience and
teaching experience.
- Two
references or letters of recommendation from previous
employers or schools where the instructor has taught
may be required.
- For
practical reasons, a reasonable understanding
of
English is needed, as all FOA materials
originate in
English but some are translated into other
languages, although instructors may request permission to translate
the materials into other languages.
Depending on the applicant's experience and scores on the
FOA Certification exams, the applicant may be required to
study and/or submit additional information before they are
approved to teach at an FOA-Approved school. Instructors
who have limited knowledge or hands-on experience in fiber
optics may be required to take a CFOT class from a
FOA-designated instructor.
Instructors will receive a provisional certification
pending approximately a one year successful record of
instructing.
- Cost
- There is no
cost for FOA Instructor Certification for a reasonable
number of instructors at FOA-approved
schools. Applicants who are applying for the
first time to become FOA certified and take the
instructor exam are granted one year free
certification also. After the first year, all
instructors must renew their FOA certification at
regular rates every 3 years to remain certified. At
renewal, instructors may also be required to complete
an online continuing education course.
Lessons
Lesson
1: Technical Topics - Fiber Optics (CFOS/I)
Lesson
1a: Technical Topics - Premises Cabling (CPCT/I)
Lesson 2:
Teaching The FOA Way
Instructor Exam:
Taking the CFOS/I or CPCT/I Exam
This information is provided by The Fiber
Optic Association, Inc. as a benefit to those interested
in teaching courses about fiber optic communications
systems or premises cabling. It is intended to be used
as an overview and/or basic guidelines and in no way
should be considered to be complete or comprehensive.
These guidelines are strictly the opinion of the FOA and
the reader is expected to use them as a basis for
learning, as a reference and for creating their own
documentation, project specifications, etc. Those
working with fiber optics in the classroom, laboratory
or field should follow all safety rules carefully. The
FOA assumes no liability for the use of any of this
material.
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