Hosting CMG Training Requirements
- Classroom “host” present throughout all class sessions. — The host does not need to be paid staff; this is a great role of an experienced CMG Volunteer who are trained to deal with the role. Host responsibilities include the following:
- Welcome instructor and assist instructor with set-up (as needed)
- Starts class on time, giving announcements
- Conduct review session
- Introduce instructor
- Turn on/off light, as needed
- Deal with other classroom management issues such as temperature control and PA System needs
- Coordinate breaks and lunch with instructor
- Set-up classroom facilities, including chairs, tables, PA system, Agents should look at CMG volunteers or class students to assist with this work.
- Host agent contacts each speaker to confirm times, locations, AV needs, and provide local travel information.
- Since training sites accommodate more than one county/area program, agents from participating units need to coordinate efforts so the training runs seamlessly. The host needs to give special attention to making all participants feel welcome.
- All programs are to have a system in place where students can be readily notified of class cancellations.
Class Size
- On-Site Instructor Sites
- Minimum class size is 25 CMG volunteers and Colorado Gardener Certificate students (staff taking the class do not count in the minimum enrollment) with PAID registration at least 14 days prior to the first class. Classes will be canceled without minimum enrollment.
- Maximum class size (per location) is 65 students, including returning CMG volunteers, unless special arrangements for a larger class size are made directly with the instructors in advance.
- CMG volunteers are invited to reattend select classes of special interest with advanced sign-up, as space permits and only if pre-approved by county staff. They are expected to fully engage in the lecture and lab activities as any student. Attendance on an annual basis, as a social activity, is not acceptable.
Elements of a “Learning Classroom”
Required classroom accommodations
- Adequate space for lecture, small group activities and lab activities, based on number of participants. Tables and chairs for participants with adequate space to spread out materials in comfort. Do not crowd three people on a six foot table!
- Lighting that can be dimmed for PowerPoint presentations and bright for lab activities. During Powerpoint presentations, the room should not be dark, rather avoid lighting the screen.
- Climate control (heating and cooling)
- Adequate ventilation (air circulation)
- Screen (without folds, tears, or wrinkles) or suitable wall space. Size suitable to room. Screen reasonably adjacent in height for audience seating. Area for speaker on left side of screen (as viewed by audience).
- Projector for displaying PowerPoint/other media
- Sound system with hand-less microphone (based on number of students)
- Clean restroom facilities
- Adjacent parking
- Handicap accessible
- Accessible for set-up and tear down outside of instruction time.
- The instructor is to provide the computer, unless other arrangements are made in advance with the hosting agent.
Content Review, Exams and Quizzes
Requirements for CMG training and Colorado Gardener Certificate training are the same. Do not exclude Colorado Gardener Certificate students from review sessions, homework, or other learning activities (except the local CMG orientation). Likewise, do not add extra requirements to Colorado Gardener Certificate students.
A concept in adult learning is to provide avenues for students to self-evaluate what they have learned. In the CMG curriculum development this is done with homework sheets and review questions.
Review Session
In adult learning concepts, it is best to have student questions steer the review session rather than a leader (agent, program assistant or CMG volunteer) recapping or re-teaching concepts.
Review session will be handled differently for on-site instructor locations and distance education sites.
Exams and Quizzes
All pre- and post-tests for online classes are required, but scoring is irrelevant (the final exam is the one exception). These tests are required so county staff can know which courses a student has completed. The intent for these quizzes is for adult students to self-evaluate their learning. County staff are discourage from requiring additional exams and quizzes, as a quizzes graded by someone else are not consistent with adult learning theory. It is inappropriate to use exams and quizzes in an attempt to force learning or as a punishment.
Exams and quizzes should be open book, reinforcing that CMGs should look up information, rather than guess or memorize content.
The final exam is graded and required for ALL students (both CMGs and CGCs). Students must obtain a 70% or better to pass. The correct answers will populate after students submit the exam, so that students can still self-evaluate their learning. The final, like all quizzes, is open-book, open-note and students are encouraged to research.
Class Evaluation
Our evaluation efforts are under review by a CMG Evaluation Team. To join the team reviewing, please contact the statewide coordinator.
Note: For 2020, we are NOT evaluating EACH class, rather, we will provide an online link and hardcopy forms of an overall training course evaluation.
In the meantime, if you are doing any programming and would like to collect standardized data, please consider using these general evaluation forms:
