Master Instructor Certification Course (MICC)
In 2007, the POST Commission approved “The Instructor Development Institute” (IDI). The institute provides standardized, multi-level, multi-track programs to develop professionalism in the delivery of law enforcement instruction. Prior to 2007, the Master Instructor Development Program (MIDP) was the primary advanced instructor development program in POST. With the implementation of IDI, Master Instructor Certification Course (MICC) became the fourth level of a modular development process. The IDI process provides a tiered approach to law enforcement instructor development.
The focus of MICC is an Instructional Systems Design Model (ISD) and Total Training Package for a course of instruction, a minimum of 24-hours in length, designed, developed and delivered by the student that meets a validated public safety training need and that need requires the course be taught repeatedly.
MICC Process
MICC includes a number of on-site workshops. Students are expected to do a significant amount of work outside of class. The class will be broken into two teams with a team facilitator assigned to each team. Students will be responsible for providing work products and monthly reports to the team facilitator who will review the students’ products and provide appropriate feedback. Currently, one MICC class is conducted each year with approximately twenty students in each class. The classes typically begin with a three-day on-site orientation and training needs assessment workshop.
During MICC, the student will be assigned a mentor who is a Master Instructor graduate to assist them in every step of their journey. Our experiences indicate this is a very valuable part of the overall process and the mentor can provide assistance in reinforcing the learning process, brainstorming, evaluating concepts/ideas and reviewing work. They won’t do the students’ work for them, but they can and will provide guidance and advice that will materially aid them to be successful. The IDI is grounded in contemporary adult learning methodologies, critical thinking, taxonomies of learning, effective presentation procedures and course design skills.
Ideally, the potential MICC candidate has already conceptualized their individual learning project when they made a decision to enroll in this program. If they have not, they are advised to talk with past Master Instructors and with the lead Team Facilitator to finalize their learning project prior to arrival at the Orientation/TNA workshop. This learning project will be required to be approved in concept by POST prior to formally beginning the ISD process. The project must clearly meet what is believed to be a demonstrated training need.
Orientation and Training Needs Assessment Workshop (24-hours)
The Orientation and Training Needs Assessment (TNA) Workshop is designed to provide the student with clarity on the overall MICC process and prepare them to launch into the TNA process. One of the stated and important aspects of this workshop is to ensure the candidate fully understands the expectations of the program and is suitable committed to successfully completing the program. During this workshop, students will begin formal work on what will be a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) document in support of their learning project. The learning project is a minimum of a 24-hour course of instruction that they design, develop, and deliver supported by a Total Training Package that includes the MICC ISD applied to their validated training need, and a Total Training Package that includes lesson plans, appropriate instructional support material and a Course Certification Package.
This initial step of the MICC process is formally called a Training Needs Assessment (TNA). It begins with the conceptualization and approval of a meaningful project that POST approves. Once their concept for a project is approved, the student then begins the formal TNA process. The TNA will include an electronic survey of potential clients and persons whose area of expertise meets that of the subject matter. Through surveys, research, and personal interviews, the student will gather appropriate data to enable them to prepare a complete needs assessment document in a provided format that supports or validates the need for the training. If the training cannot be adequately supported and is not seen as being needed by the field, this is the point where further design work would be terminated and a new training need would be identified and taken through the above process. If the need is validated, then the student is directed to continue their design and development work. The principle of this process is simple and is the foundation of the Instructional Systems Design process. *All training design and development begins with a training need that has been formally validated using the best available resources.
It must be understood that any work done once a candidate is registered for MICC can be extremely beneficial and should be a priority whenever possible. As you are expecting feedback from individuals and conducting interviews it should be apparent the TNA does take time and this timeline can be greatly reduced by any and all work the learner does on the front-end prior to arrival at the Orientation/TNA Workshop. While it is possible to be successful in this program without doing significant work prior to the Orientation/TNA Workshop, having an approved concept remains a requirement for the workshop.
This is a very challenging course and there is significant work to be done throughout the course. There is no make-up work, this is a focused activity and based on sound design and development training philosophies that you will be learning during MICC. Learning the ISD process is the priority – your course is the vehicle to demonstrate that you learned the process. There will also be significant, focused TNA work to be done between this workshop and the Core Course. Written guidance will be provided to assist the student to understand the requirements and successfully complete as much pre-Core Course work as their schedule will permit.
Core Course (40-hours)
Approximately 60-days after the Orientation and Training Needs Assessment Workshop, the 40-hour Core Course will begin. The Core Course is taught by seasoned MICC staff members, all of whom have experienced facilitating and delivering MICC. The Core Course focuses on learning and applying the Instructional Systems Design process to their course of instruction. During this first week, students will learn the steps of the ISD process, collaborate on the individual pieces, interpret the data they received during the needs assessment process, conduct research and develop the initial task list (knowledge and skills) for their project.
Progress Workshop #1, #2 and #3 (24-hours each)
Approximately 60-days after the Core Course, Progress Workshop #1 will be held. The purpose of this workshop is to ascertain the status of the individual students’ progress on their ISD and TTP, to provide assistance where required, and to foster collaboration among the participants. During the workshop, the learners will meet one-on-one in teams and with their facilitators to evaluate their progress. At the conclusion of this workshop, the learner should have an appreciate for their progress and the priorities for the next steps of the process.
Progress Workshop #2 and Progress Workshop #3 will be held at approximately 60-day intervals after Progress Workshop #1, both of which are designed to prepare the student for the validation workshop.
Validation Workshop (32-hours)
Approximately 60-days after Progress Workshop #3, a Validation Workshop will be held. During this workshop, a panel of individuals who are very knowledgeable trainers will review the students’ ISD and TTP. The TTP is expected to be complete in every aspect so that another trainer with equal expertise could use to deliver the course. The evaluation team will carefully and diligently review the students’ work product to ensure that it meets established standards. A TTP includes the ISD, an executive summary, course schedule, course design worksheets for each task, lesson plans, learning activities, supporting handouts, job aids, presentation graphics, videos (if used), evaluation instruments and a completed course certification package. Each individual will be required to present their course ISD and TTP for review and conduct a 50 minute facilitation of actual material from their course, which must also include a learning activity. The student will be rated on their ISD/TTP and presentation using rubrics designed for the program. They will be thoroughly debriefed on the results of their evaluation.
The student is expected to deliver their course to a typical population following the workshop and prior to graduation. The course delivery is required prior to formal certification of the student as a Master Instructor. The MICC student is responsible for coordinating with a presenter, recruiting students and delivering their course. It should be apparent that this must be started and coordinated early – the coordination details cannot wait until after the validation workshop.
Graduation
The students are given a Master Instructor Certificate of Completion of the formal Master Instructor Course.
Certification as a Master Instructor does not take place until the following requirements have been met:
- Creation and completion of a minimum of a 24-hour course of instruction that meets a law enforcement training need (your MICC TTP)
- Presentation of this course to the appropriate law enforcement audience
- Submission to the Government Training Agency (GTA), the course roster and all student evaluations for review of the first presentation of the course.
- Submission to the Government Training Agency (GTA) a written summary of your successes and challenges encountered and your plan for revising your course for future presentations.
You are not considered to have completed the program nor are you considered a “Master Instructor” until all of these requirements have been fulfilled.
Note: What is NOT required, is that your course be certified by POST for presentation. It is certainly desired that your course be POST certified and a benefit to the law enforcement attendees, and we have worked at great lengths to ensure that it is, but there are never any guarantees that you will get it POST certified. Not having POST Certification does not relieve you from the above requirements, you must still present your course for you to be considered a graduate of the program. There are several MIDP/MICC students who have successfully presented their courses within their agencies and in other venues without POST certification.
We are also aware that due to logistical reasons, changes in agency and staff, that it may be a year or more before a student can present their course. No matter the time, you must still present your course before you can be considered as having completed the program. Once all requirements have been satisfied, you are then officially a certified POST Master Instructor.
MICC Dates – Class 14 (2023-2024):
Orientation: February 21-23, 2023
Core Course: April 24-28, 2023
Progress Workshop #1: June 13-15, 2023
Progress Workshop #2: August 8-10, 2023
Progress Workshop #3: October 10-12, 2023
Validation Workshop Presentation: January 16-19, 2024
Graduation: June 2024*
*Course dates and locations subject to change
MICC DATES – Class 15 (2024-2025):
Orientation: February 20-24, 2024*
Core Course: April 22-26, 2024*
Progress Workshop #1: June 11-13, 2024*
Progress Workshop #2: August 6-8, 2024*
Progress Workshop #3: October 8-10, 2024*
Validation Workshop Presentation: January 13-16, 2025*
Graduation: June 2025*
*Course dates and locations subject to change
If you are considering applying for MICC Class #15, please see the Course Checklist to make sure the prerequisites have been met.
Course Fee Information:
Reimbursement Plan IV: There is no tuition for POST reimbursable agencies. Travel reimbursement is reimbursable via Training Reimbursement Request (TRR).
Non-Reimbursable agencies: Tuition is $1,852.25. There is no reimbursement for travel and per diem.
Pre-Requisites for MICC:
- Level 1 coursework
- Basic Instructor Course OR Academy Instructor Certification Course (AICC) OR ICI Instructor Course (ICII)
- Validation of competencies in the classroom, to be completed by your Level 1 instructor
- Level 2 coursework
- Level 2 Intermediate Course (40-hours)
- Instructional Technology (16-hours) OR equivalency process in place for course
- Level 3 coursework
- Advanced Instructor Development, Level 3 Course – Phase I & Phase II (56-hours)
- Leadership, Mentoring, Coaching (24-hours)
- Instructional Technology Update (16-hours)
- Critical Thinking as an Instructional Model (24-hours)
If you are interested in applying, but still completing required pre-requisites, please contact GTA to discuss your individual progress.
Please fill out the MICC Application and submit to the Government Training Agency.
Applications for MICC Class 15 are due December 31, 2023, unless an extension has been approved by GTA personnel.
If you have any questions, please contact Marisa Messier via email or phone (858) 550-0040.