Instructor Certification Training
Training Objectives
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Certify you to teach
Increase your confidence
Introduce teaching tools
Show you the NxLeveL system
Offer you a business model
Enjoy our time together!
Day One Agenda
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Welcome & Introductions
About NxLeveL
NxLeveL Course Overview
The Art of Teaching Adults
In-Depth Course Analysis
CoLTs
NxLeveL Website Resources
Q&A, Day One Wrap Up
Day Two Agenda
• Each new instructor will make a 5-10 minute
presentation using the NxLeveL materials.
 Find out how easy it is to use the NxLeveL Instructor’s
Manual.
 Demonstrate presentation and facilitation skills.
 Demonstrate how to teach adult learners.
 Demonstrate tips and techniques.
 Receive feedback from other instructors and Master
Trainers.
Class Procedures
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Please silence your cell phones.
Treat text messages like phone calls.
We’ll break every couple of hours or so.
This is a collaborative effort.
 Student-Lead Discussions
 Reflection and Experience
• Immediate gratification.
1. Introductions
About you…
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name
Organization
Education
Experience
Teaching
NxLeveL Instructors should be…
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People who value education
Business counselors/consultants
Experienced instructors
Experienced entrepreneurs
People who enjoy teaching adult
learners
About me…
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B.S. Finance, MBA, MED
Small Business Owner
SBDC Regional and State Director
ASBDC Accreditation Committee Member
Certified NxLeveL® Instructor
NxLeveL® Master Trainer
Publisher, Managing Editor and Author
President and CEO of NxLeveL®
The Importance of what we’re doing!
“The dreams we build and the life we lead
sometimes differ by staggering amounts.
This need not be. We can reduce that gap
and build a life which accords quite closely
to our dreams.”
On becoming an educated person
By Dr. Virginia Voeks
NxLeveL Opportunities…
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Educational tools
a proven business Model
Distinction in the Market
Successful marketing strategies
National Affiliation
2. About NxLeveL…
History of NxLeveL
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Founded in 1993
University of Colorado (WEN)
Sponsored by the US West Foundation
Originally 14 western states
18 curriculum writers
Tested and updated from the NxLeveL
Training Network (NTN)
NxLeveL Training Network
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48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, American
Samoa, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico,
Canada, Mexico
Hundreds of communities
Numerous host organization
Thousands of Certified Instructors
Master Trainers
State Administrators
NxLeveL Belongs to you!
NxLeveL Partnerships
Vision Statement
“To help people better their lives through
entrepreneurial education and small
business ownership.”
Michael C. Finnerty
What’s going on in your region?
Diagnostic Assessment
Participant Profile
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Age
Gender
Income
Education
Pre-Venture, StartUp, Existing
Start-Up Capital
The Next American
Frontier
Economic Outlook!
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Housing
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Home Sales
Housing Starts
Vacancies
Business
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Retail/Wholesale/Mfg.
Small vs. Large
Employment
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Major Employers
Unemployment Rates
Jobs
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Job Market
Job Creation
Layoffs
Optimism!
“As part of the 30th-anniversary issue, Inc.
asked Jim Collins, author of Good to Great
and Built to Last, what we might expect in the
next 30 years. His answer: uncertainty,
chaos, turbulence, and risk. In other words,
it’s not a bad time to be an entrepreneur.”
Small business will lead the way!
3. NxLeveL Course Overview!
NxLeveL Training Products
“Get the Buzz on Biz”
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Being an Entrepreneur
Mind Your Own
Business
3. Be a Legal Eagle
4. E-Commerce
5. Researching Your Idea
6. Big Time Marketing
7. Building Your Business
8. Accounting
9. Managing Your Cash
10. Show Me the Money
11. Ready, Set, Charge!
Micro-Entrepreneur
“Business Plan Basics”
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Keys to Your Business Success
Assessing Your Business Idea
Business Planning
The Marketing Plan
Government Regulations
Management
Market Analysis
Product and Price
Placement and Promotion
E-Commerce
Selling Success
Where’s the Cash
Managing the Money
Financial Tips and Tools
Bringing it All Together
Start-Up Sessions
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Intro-Are You Entrepreneurial
Material?
Developing Your Business
Concept
Business Start-up Options (1)
Business Start-up Options (2)
Business Fundamentals
Testing the Idea: Market
Research & Analysis
Getting to the Market:
Marketing Strategies
Understanding Budgets &
Financials
Raising Money
Getting Started & Managing the
Future
Entrepreneur Sessions
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Introduction, Overview &
Entrepreneurship
Planning and Research
Organizational Matters
Marketing Analysis
Marketing Strategies
Financial Overview – Books and
Records
Managing Your Money - Budgets
and Assumptions
Managing Your Money - Cash
Flow Projections
Managing Your Money Understanding and Using
Financial Statements
Financing Your Business Alternative Sources of Money
Green Business
Opportunities Environmental
Solutions
Your Business Future - Managing
Growth
“Tilling the Soil”
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Take Stock in Your
Resources
Basic Equipment
The Legal Terrain
Manage from the Ground Up
Plant It, Grow It, Market It
Reap the Benefits
Get Your Budget in Line
Analyze These: Cash Flow
and Financial Statements
Cultivate Your Money
Resources
Harvest Your Future
The Science of Signage
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The Effectiveness of
Signage
Signage, Laws, and
Community Standards
Elements of Design
Working with Designers
and Manufacturers
Going Green
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Why Go Green?
Is It Feasible?
Saving Money, Saving
Resources
Pollution Prevention
Product Design and
Redesign
Green Branding and
Marketing
Exporting Green Products
Finding Money, Getting Help
Staying Green
Your NxLeveL Green Action
Plan
Money Matters
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Don’t Wait – Start Now!
Setting Financial Goals.
Personal Financial
Statements.
Understanding Credit~
Your Past, Your Future.
Debt ~ Is It Right for You?
Linking Personal Money
Mgt. w/ Your Business
Finances.
Need to Borrow for Your
Business? What to Expect
Take Action Today!
NxLeveL in Spanish
Digital Books Available
NxLeveL On-Line
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Introduction, Overview &
Entrepreneurship
Planning and Research
Organizational Matters
Marketing Analysis
Marketing Strategies
Financial Overview – Books and
Records
Managing Your Money - Budgets
and Assumptions
Managing Your Money - Cash
Flow Projections
Understanding and Using
Financials
Financing Your Business Money Sources
The Deal Making Process –
Negotiation
Your Business Future - Managing
Growth
Which Product Works Best for You?
Here’s what we’re working on for 2010!
Green
Certification
SEO
Supplements
NxLeveL
Mktg & Grant
On-Line
Certification
Why Write a Business Plan?
Business Plan Articles
“Do Start-Ups Really Need Formal
Business Plans?”
“Research Roundup: Writing a Plan.”
The rationale for writing a Business
Plan…
The rationale for writing a Business
Plan…
How long does it take to write a Business
Plan?
4. The Art of Teaching Adults!
Adult Learning Theories
“It is unlikely that there will ever be a
single theory of adult education. Instead,
there will be many theories useful in
improving our understanding of adults as
learners.”
Adults as Learners
by K. Patricia Cross
Adult Learning Theories
Adults are an interesting Bunch!
As an adult learner…
1. Why are you here today?
As an adult learner…
1. Why are you here today?
2. What are your expectations?
As an adult learner…
1. Why are you here today?
2. What are your expectations?
3. What better not happen?
Andragogy Theory
by Malcolm Knowles
As we mature:
1) our self-concept moves from one of being a dependent personality toward
one of being a self-directed human being,
2) we accumulate a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an
increasing resource for learning,
3) our readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental
tasks of our social roles,
4) our time perspective changes from one of postponed application of
knowledge to immediacy of application, and accordingly our orientation
toward learning shifts from one of subject centeredness to one of problem
centeredness,
5) our most potent motivations are internal rather than external, and
6) we need to know why we need to learn something.
Three-way Typology Theory
by Cyril Houle
Motivations of adult learners:
1) Goal-oriented learners, use learning to gain specific objectives, such as
learning to speak before an audience, learning to deal with particular family
problems, learning better business practices, and similar concrete
objectives. Such learners do not restrict their learning activities. They’ll
take a course, join a group, read a book, take a trip, etc.
2) Activity-oriented learners, participate primarily for the sake of the activity
itself rather than to develop a skill or learn subject matter. They take the
course or join a group to escape loneliness or boredom or an unhappy
home or job situation, to find a husband or a wife, to amass credits or
degrees, or to uphold family tradition. They do almost no reading.
3) Learning-oriented learners, pursue learning for its own sake. They seem to
possess a fundamental desire to know and grow through learning, and their
activities are constant and lifelong. Most are avid readers; they join groups,
and even choose jobs, for the learning potential offered; they watch serious
programs on television and make extensive background preparations when
traveling in order to appreciate what they see.
The Pyramid of Learners!
by K. Patricia Cross
ADULT LEARNING FORCE
College
Credit
Organized
Instruction
Self-Directed
Learners
Top Ten List!
Top Ten Characteristics of NxLeveL
Learners
• 10. Adults try to avoid failure
1. Adults are much less open to the trial-and-error approach than
children are. Adult learners will resist something new if it
involves the risk of making an error and feeling foolish as a
result.
• 9. Adults will learn only what they feel they
need to learn
1. In the work world, adults are expected to evaluate the relative
importance of information, to exercise personal judgment in
setting priorities and allocating their time. This behavior carries
over into the adult learning environment.
• 8. Adults want their learning to be practical
 Adults are willing to learn theories, but only if they can see how
those theories apply in real life. Adult interest soars when
training is built around a clearly defined challenge or demand,
rather than hypothetical problems and solutions.
Top Ten Characteristics of NxLeveL
Learners
• 7. Adults are problem-centered
 Adults must feel that the material they are learning is relevant,
and that it will have immediate effect. They want to see how the
objectives of the learning relate to authentic situations and real
solutions to problems.
• 6. Adults learn by comparing past experience
with new experience
 Every adult learner has a lifetime collection of previous
knowledge and experience. When learning something new,
most adults need to see how it fits in with (or is different from)
what they already know.
• 5. Adults Can Be skeptical
 Adults will filter new information through their years of
experience and knowledge. They become skeptical when
information conflicts sharply with what they already hold to be
true or if the instructor appears inexperienced or unqualified.
Top Ten Characteristics of NxLeveL
Learners
• 4. Adults need immediate feedback concerning
their progress
 Adults want to know how they are doing all along the way. They
are not content to continue plugging away at course material
without knowing whether they are on the right track.
• 3. do not all learn the same way (personal
learning styles)
 By the time people reach adulthood, they have settled into a
learning style that has worked well for them in the past. One
person may prefer reading, while another does best trying out a
practical exercise, for example.
• 2. Adults are goal-oriented
 Adults want to know what the specific goals and objectives are of
a course, how they are measured, and what determines their
individual success.
Top Ten Characteristics of NxLeveL
Learners
• 1. Adults are motivated to learn
 Adults learn most effectively when they have
an inner motivation to develop a new skill or
gain new knowledge. Adults participate in
self-directed learning almost universally. The
typical adult spends 500 hours every year in
self-directed learning.
Take this simple test
Thinking back over your whole life, what were the
most significant learning experiences you ever had?
That is, list the moments (or events) in which
you discovered something of lasting significance to
your life.
Ask yourself the following questions
about each…
1. Did it take place in the classroom?
2. Did it take place in a school?
3. Was a professional teacher instrumental in making the
learning experience happen?
4. Was a teacher-like figure (e.g., coach, minister, school
counselor, theater director) instrumental in making the
learning happen?
5. In general, what factors were instrumental in bringing
about the learning?
Good teaching leads to significant
learning
Your job is to shape the environment in a
manner that is conducive to significant
learning in others!
What does a significant learning
environment look like?
Self
Discovery
Actor
Sounding
Board
Takes
Ownership
Feedback
Self Directed
Visual
Learn
From
Each Other
Experienced
Application
Leader
To
Discovery
Problem
Centered
Facilitator
Auditory
Environmental
Controller
Skeptical
Need
To
Learn
Activity
Oriented
Kinesthetic
Motivator
Lecturer
Goal
Oriented
Practical
Avoid
Failure
Learning
Oriented
Instructor
The Art of Teaching Adults!
Sounding
Board
Autobiography
Processing
Feedback
Tests
&
Quizzes
Assigning
Projects
Using
Journals
Planning a
Session
Projecting
Overheads
Outside
Learning
Declaring
Objectives
Flipping
Charts
Environmental
Inviting
Experts
Participation
Getting
Packed
Showing
Videos
Contracting
Icebreakers
Working
In
Groups
Lectures
Asking
Questions
Learning
Styles
Role-plays
Reading
Together
Studying
Cases
Setting up
The Room
Demonstrations
Brainstorming
Learning
Circles
Group
Behavior
5. In-Depth Course Analysis!
Formula for Success!
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Our Approach:
 “Learn it tonight… use it
tomorrow”
Competency-based learning
Built on a foundation of
fundamentals
Knowledgeable Instructors
Expert Guest Speakers
Networking Opportunities
One-on-One Counseling
NxLeveL® Intellectual Property
• NxLeveL® Trademarks
 Marks can be words, slogans, logos, sounds, three dimensional
symbols or even scents. They do not expire! The longer they
are used, the more valuable they become.
• NxLeveL® Copyrights
 Copyright is a form of protection provided to authors of “original
works of authorship.” The 1976 Copyright Act generally gives
ownership of copyright the exclusive right to reproduce the
copyrighted work, to prepare derivative works, to distribute
copies or to perform the copyrighted work publicly, or to display
the copyrighted work publicly.
• Bottom Line
 The question to ask is whether your use of NxLeveL® IP is likely
to generate a suit. Either get permission or be sure that none
is needed!
NxLeveL Materials
• NxLeveL Guide (Textbook)
 Helps the student gain an understanding of
how to run, own, and operate a small
business (Successful Business Owner).
• Student Workbook
 Designed to help the student develop a
comprehensive business plan (Strategic
Thinker).
• Instructor’s Manual
 Assists the instructor in helping the students
through the learning process.
NxLeveL Materials
• NxLeveL Guide (Textbook)
 Over 2400 business topics
 Over 600 assessment questions
 Extensive Case Studies
 NxLeveL® Tech Tips
 NxLeveL® Green Tips
 Excellent Glossary of Terms and Index
 Wide Margins for Note Taking
 Long-Term Ready Reference
NxLeveL Terms
• What do these terms mean?
 COGS
 MACRS
 IPO
 Estoppel
 PEST Analysis
 SIC Code
• Where can you find the answer?
Collaborative Learning
Collaborative Learning
•Collaborative
•Learning
•Techniques
Collaborative Learning
•Characteristics:
•Group Size
•Time on Task
•Duration of Groups
•Online Transferability
Collaborative Learning
Techniques for
Discussion
Techniques for
Focusing on Writing
Techniques for
Reciprocal Teaching
Collaborative Learning
Techniques
By Barkley, Cross,
Major
Techniques for Using
Graphic Information
Organizers
Techniques for
Problem Solving
Collaborative Learning
Techniques for
Discussion
Student interaction and exchange is
achieved primarily through spoken word.
Collaborative Learning
Techniques for
Reciprocal Teaching
Students purposefully help each other
master subject matter content and develop
discipline-based skills.
Collaborative Learning
Techniques for
Problem Solving
Students focus on practicing problem-solving
strategies.
Collaborative Learning
Techniques for Using
Graphic Information
Organizers
Groups use visual tools to organize and
display information.
Collaborative Learning
Techniques for
Focusing on Writing
Students write in order to learn important
course content and skills.
Collaborative Learning
CoLT 1:
Thnik-PairShare
CoLT 29:
Team
Anthologies
CoLT 27:
Peer Editing
CoLT 30:
Paper Seminar
CoLT 3:
Buzz Groups
CoLT 28:
Collaborative
Writing
CoLT 25:
Round Table
CoLT 5:
Three-Step
Interview
CoLT 2:
Round Robin
CoLT 4:
Talking Chips
CoLT 26:
Dyadic Essays
CoLT 6:
Critical Debate
Collaborative Learning
Techniques
By Barkley, Cross,
Major
CoLT 24:
Dialogue
Journals
CoLT 23:
Word Webs
CoLT 7:
Note Taking
Pairs
CoLT 8:
Learning Cells
CoLT 9:
Fishbowl
CoLT 22:
Sequence
Chains
CoLT 10:
Role Play
CoLT 21:
Team Matrix
CoLT 19:
Affinity
Grouping
CoLT 17:
Analytical
Teams
CoLT 14:
Send-AProblem
CoLT 20:
Group Grid
CoLT 18:
Group
Investigation
Colt 11:
Jigsaw
CoLT 12:
Test-Taking
Teams
CoLT 13:
Thnik Aloud
Pair
CoLT 16:
Structured
Problem
Solving
CoLT 15:
Case Study
Think-Pair-Share
Techniques for
Discussion
Jigsaw
Techniques for
Reciprocal Teaching
Case Study
Techniques for
Problem Solving
Group Grid
Sales
Total Current Assets
Net Income
Retained Earnings
Cash
Total Debt
Interest Revenue
Wages Expense
Income Taxes
Credit Line
Fixed Assets
Accounts Payables
Utilities Expense
Payroll Tax Expense
Advertising Expense
Gross Profit
Accounts Receivables
Common Stock
Inventory
Balance Sheet
Assets
Insurance Expense
Depreciation Expense
COGS
Equity
Net Operating
Profit/Loss
Debt
Total Current Liabilities
Long Term Debt
Interest Expense
Other Gains and Losses
Total Debt and Equity
Total Assets
Income Statement
NIBT
Rent Expense
Operating Expenses
Techniques for Using
Graphic Information
Organizers
Group Grid
Income Statement
Sales
Less: COGS
Gross Profit
Less: Operating Expenses
Wages expense
Payroll tax expense
Insurance expense
Rent expense
Advertising expense
Utilities expense
Depreciation expense
Net Operating Profit or Loss
Other gains and losses:
Interest revenue
Interest expense
Net Income Before Taxes (NIBT)
Less: Income Taxes
Net Income
Balance Sheet
Assets
Cash
Accounts Receivables
Inventory
Total Current Assets
Fixed Assets
Total Assets
Debt
Accounts Payables
Credit Line
Total Current Liabilities
Long Term Debt
Equity
Common Stock
Retained Earnings
Total Debt and Equity
Techniques for Using
Graphic Information
Organizers
Round Table
Techniques for
Focusing on Writing
Sustainable Growth
• Formula: Growth = PRAT
 P = Profit Margin
 R = Retention Rate (Earnings Retained)
 A = Asset Turnover
 T = Asset to Equity Ratio
 P and A = Operating Performance
 R and T = Financial Policies
Sustainable Growth
• Sustainable Growth Made Simple
• Assumptions:
 The company wants to grow as rapidly as the
market will permit
 Management is unable or unwilling to sell new
equity
 The company has a target financial policy
 All parts expand in strict proportion
Sustainable Growth
Sustainable Growth
Sustainable Growth
Sustainable Growth
Sustainable Growth
7. Business Model for Success!
NxLeveL = Opportunity!!!
Opportunity Knocked!
Year
1997
WEN
$
Zions
50,000
$
WellsFargo
50,000
$
-
DCED
$
20,000
1998
50,000
50,000
35,000
20,000
1999
45,000
-
35,000
20,000
2000
21,000
-
35,000
20,000
2001
-
-
35,000
20,000
2002
-
75,000
-
20,000
2003
-
65,000
25,000
25,000
$ 166,000
$ 240,000
$ 165,000
$ 145,000
Total Sponsorship
$ 716,000
The NxLeveL Business Model
• The Competition
• Pricing Structure
• Sponsorships
• Marketing Tools
The Competition
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Who is the competition?
What is the competition offering?
What is the competition charging?
Are you working with your
competition?
Pricing Structure
• Define value for you!
 Low cost provider
 Consistent with the competition
 Perceived value to the client
 Supplemental Income
• How are you determining the price of the training?
 Based on the cost of the training (Breakeven)
 Compared to other offerings
 Compared to higher ed credit hours
 Compared to private sector consulting
 Compared to the cost of paying for a business plan
 Based on what you think you’re worth
Pricing Structure
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Links2Biz.com…$189-$259
PlanYourIdea.com…$$249
BusinessPlans.com…$465
MasterPlans.com …$1,200-$9,900
Sponsorships
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Who are they?
What are their needs?
How will you meet their needs?
What do you need from them?
How many do you need?
Marketing Tools
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Unified Front
Standardized promotional materials
Centralized media/marketing campaign
Offer a variety of sponsorships
Co-brand with sponsors and NxLeveL®
Hold an annual event
Offer courses throughout the year
Video Production
Had Enough?
8. Questions and Answers!
Congratulations!
•
Congratulations! You’re now a
Certified NxLeveL Instructor!
•
Thank You for Participating!
•
All the Best to You!
Contact Information
 NxLeveL Education Foundation
 www.nxlevel.org
 Michael Finnerty: mikef@nxlevel.org
 Connie Fenley: connie@nxlevel.org
 1-800-873-9372 or (801) 446-6162