Instructor Complacency and Competence

Competent instructors are critical to an organizations overall success. Competent instructors contribute to positive program outcomes, better their peers, and provide a physically and emotionally safe environment.

Unconscious Incompetence

I don't know what I don't know

Conscious Incompetence

I know what I don't know

Conscious Competence

I know what I know, and I know what I don't know

Unconscious Competence

I don't know what I know

How do we assess instructor competency?

It takes resources and intentionality

Indirect Methods

Direct Methods

Hybrid

Can an outdoor instructor implement a program with fidelity?

Weather, group needs, individual needs...

Instructors buy-in to the program design

If instructors believe that a program will

produce a desired effect they are more

likely to implement with high fidelity

Methods to develop and ensure instructor buy-in include involving them in the program design process, supervision of their program instruction, and dynamic training and retraining

Early monitoring of program implementation followed by retraining has been shown to improve fidelity and programmatic outcomes

A better understanding of instructor complacency, instructor competency and their role in achieving positive program outcomes

A better understanding of the role of fidelity, experience, buy-in, and training and there effect on competency & complacency

Questions?

High skill and high training are needed

Two observers are better to ensure

inter-rater reliability

Within Flowers Model of Competency

Comparative Analysis

Do the most experienced instructors have the best outcomes?

Experience level is not generally associated with positive program outcomes as a standalone construct

Are the most experienced instructors also the most competent?

Quite simply...No, here's why

What Contributes to Competency

In multiple studies and program evaluations the word "experience" is most often thought of as relating to competency

In our field it relates to employment

or certification

What is Experience?

Knowledge or skill resulting from exposure to or involvement in an event

What is Complacency?

Self satisfaction combined with an unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies

What is Competency?

Competency is also influenced by fidelity

Competency is the ability of an individual to do a job well

Fidelity is the degree to which an instructor implements a program as designed

TBUS vs PBUS vs BUS

Without fidelity we can't say that our program design is working

Adaptation versus Fidelity

Instructor Complacency and Competency

Desired Learning Outcomes

Yes! If a program has clear objectives, protocols, and strategies, instructors will be able to implement a program with fidelity, if...

Ryan Gagnon

AORE 2012

Thoughtful and deliberate training is critical to maintaining program fidelity.

Training should be an ongoing process