Mather Training Center hosted the second offering of the Instructor Institute for the National Trainer Development Program (NTDP) on the week of May 24th. A group of 24 trainees gathered from around the Service during that week to complete the final requirements for this rigorous program.

Members of the class represented Servicewide programs, including operational leadership, facility management, fee management, and learning and development.  The largest group of trainees (ten) was from the operational leadership program, which is undertaking a vigorous effort to provide OL training to all NPS employees by the Centennial of the NPS in 2016.

To meet the program requirements, each trainee in the institute completed eight on-line electronic courses made available through a partnership with Eppley Institute at Indiana University. At the institute, participants gained additional in-depth knowledge and skills in instructing adults and presented a practice teaching presentation to a group of their peers. This presentation was recorded, and the instructor-trainees were provided feedback on the lesson plan they presented.

Each program represented in the class is cooperating with learning and development to improve the instructional effectiveness in the courses they present throughout the Service. Collateral duty trainers are the backbone of the NPS in providing skills and knowledge needed to accomplish the NPS mission. Through the years various train-the-trainer programs have been offered, providing the foundation for this course of study. The NTDP was called for in the 2008 report to the NLC on learning and development in the NPS. Its intent is to provide collateral duty trainers and others the requisite skills needed to be effective in the classroom.

The institute also unveiled a prototype wireless system for laptop connectivity at Mather Training Center. Each participant was each issued a netbook computer to test the wireless system throughout the week, downloading files and photos, and many using the netbook as their participant workbook. In the near future Mather Training Center (and eventually all Servicewide training centers) will provide expanded wireless computer-based classroom services, connecting to software systems and other on-line resources real-time during each course.  Ultimately, the Mather Distance Learning Center (also called for in the 2008 report) will bring a wide range of computer-based training to the field through improved technology delivery systems of all types.