Help for Preceptors and AITs

This is none too fancy, however, it's a start in the right direction.  What we're putting here is the latest tool we have for Preceptors to use to be able to tailor the AIT Program to their AIT.  It's all on an Excel spreadsheet and comes with directions... but let's explain it a little before we go into it.  WE THINK WE'RE ON TO SOMETHING REALLY GOOD HERE and early feedback from those who are using it has been VERY positive!  AITs...be sure to see the BOTTOM of this (it's all worth reading but don't quit halfway through...there IS some VERY helpful online flashcard studying help at the bottom...just follow the links).

It STARTS with the AIT going in and doing a "Self-Assessment" based on their knowledge/experience with various Administrator tasks expected of them as they relate to the 5 Domains of Practice as defined by the NAB.  Since Oklahoma's AIT Program translates into various modules, and such self-assessment tools in the past have not translated well for us, we have actually translated those responses directly into our modules, so the Preceptor can now see their AIT's incoming strengths and weaknesses relative to either (or both) the Domains of Practice OR our training modules.

Next, the Preceptor can adjust the assigned hours in each of these areas (sub-domains) and tweak the hours in each module and this in turn feeds into a "Plan of Study" where the Preceptor would IDEALLY sit down with the department heads and discuss "learning activities" that would be good for the AIT to learn more about each of the areas required, and specifically focus on the "weak" areas as identified by the AIT him/herself.

We have even included "Sample" learning activities to get the ideas rolling so the Department Heads and the Preceptor (as well as the AIT) have a better idea of what they "should" be getting out of their time in each of the departments (modules).  

A Preceptor will likely want to download this file him/herself and perhaps, in advance, go over some learning activities with the Department Heads and go ahead and "save" them in the Plan of Study (they may not change that much from AIT to AIT though the time spent may change considerably based on their individual experiences/knowledge).  The first time you do this, it may feel like a lot of work but subsequent times, if  you do it right (and save it), it will be MUCH easier and the benefits should greatly outweigh those costs...your Department Heads will know what it is they should be teaching the AIT, you'll know what they're supposed to be learning and the AIT will also know what they should be getting and ultimately, the AIT should be better prepared for reality as well as the NAB exam...and you should try to include some focus in the plan of study on helping prepare them directly for that NAB exam as well -- and the Preceptor will also benefit from this process and be a better administrator from these things as well.  There is nothing wrong with giving them practice test questions that relate to the various domains along the way, etc.  Take your role as Preceptor seriously -- be proud that YOUR AIT's usually pass that NAB exam the first time! 

A prospective AIT who does this self-assessment in advance will want to save it on a flashdrive or some other media to be able to give it to their Preceptor (emailing it may also work) so they can make the adjustments to the file and tailor it (and may also expect that IF the Preceptor has a file already that he/she may want you to do the assessment on their file so the numbers will feed into their Plan of Study they've already been preparing, but only modifying at this point based on the results of that self-assessment.

You may also note that the "standard" times allotted to the different modules (departments) has recently changed...significantly in some of the modules.  This is a direct result of the ability to use this tool and see how much time is spent in each module and how that translated into the various Domains of Practice....the current recommendation for a "starting point" was made by a group of 15 administrators, 9 of whom were seasoned preceptors already.  The "balance" of these changes better reflects the emphasis of the NAB's Domain of Practice percentages to mirror those percentages more closely.

So, without further adieu, get your copy of this "Self Assessment Tool" by clicking HERE.  And please provide any feedback to us so we can continually improve this product and the AIT Experience.  PLEASE NOTE:  This is an Excel spreadsheet and will not work with "Works."  We've set it up to open in a new window. Thank you!