Certified Professional Learning and Performance (CPLP)

Our Chapter has acquired the ASTD Learning System - a series of nine informative volumes intended as a resource to prepare members for the CPLP knowledge-based exam. Our intent is to provide a study group for Chapter members who may be interested in pursuing the CPLP certification. Read more about certification. If you would like more information about the study group, speak to any Board member.

Human Performance Improvement Workshops

Our Chapter will be hosting several professional development workshops and conferences:

November 28 - 30, 2007
Selecting HPI Solutions
Hampton Inn & Suites, Hurst

Reserve your seat today at: www.astdfortworth.org, or www.astd.org

Chapter Membership – Fort Worth Mid-Cities

Individual Membership - $65.00 per year (plus one-time $10 enrollment fee)

Student Member- $40 per year (plus one-time $10 enrollment fee).

Corporate Membership (Five members or more) - $250 per year (plus $10 one-time enrollment fee)

Join on our website ASTD Fort Worth

National Membership

Classic Membership
12-month individual US$180
24-month individual US$320
36-month individual US$450

E-Membership
Electronic benefits only
12-month individual US$150

HISTORY OF THE FORT WORTH / MID-CITIES CHAPTER

The Fort Worth I Mid-Cities Chapter was founded in 1974. The purpose was to provide a three-county network for professionals in the fields of training and development to further their skills. Since then, chapter membership has grown and includes professionals from the entire Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Fort Worth I Mid-Cities Chapter was one of 51 chapters recognized at the 1994 ASTD International Conference for having successfully met the criteria established for the Chapter Assessment and Recognition Tool (CHART).  In August 2003, the chapter was named National Chapter of the Month.

The Past Presidents of the Fort Worth I Mid-Cities chapter have been instrumental in building our chapter into the organization it is today. The past presidents are:

1.  Our minds never miss the opportunity to stray. Getting and keeping attention cannot be accomplished with a program bent on pushing out information. Learning must be a co-creation between the learner and the learning experience. Our job as facilitator of learning is simply to create an environment in which this co-creation has the highest probability of occurring.

2.  Learners need to know "What's in it for me" (WIIFM). It is a given that individuals need to work hard to learn. It is not an easy task. However, with this said, trainers should not skip over the part that actually tells the learner what they will be getting out of the program.

3.  Use visuals. 83% of all we take in during our lives, comes to us visually. We are adept at taking in information with our eyes. It makes sense to exploit this fact within all phases of our presentation. Use diagrams and graphs, descriptive pictures designed to engage and grab that ever elusive learner's attention.

4.  Retention occurs when information is repeated. It’s been said that people need to hear things at least three times to “get it”. Figure out several different ways to say the same thing. Allow users to engage using questions and exercises so that they can experience the information from different angles. Engage as many of the learner's senses as you can. Remember V-A-K, Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic.

5.  Understand the importance of context - Assimilation and Constructivism.  Adults need to assimilate information. New content may make very little sense and simply confuse the learner if they cannot “hook” newly acquired information onto a known concept or practice. Assimilation is our ability to more easily add new information when it fits with information we've already learned. Constructivism is a learning theory founded on the premise that, by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in.  Deriving understanding and meaning requires that we understand the whole as well as its parts. 

6.  Tell stories. If they are interesting, relevant and engaging, they help learners envision what is being taught.

7.  Help learners to relax. Stress reduces focus and our ability to retain information.  Learning is not only hard, but genuinely stressful. Sometimes such stress can be alleviated by the instructor saying, "Don't worry if it seems a bit fuzzy at first, we'll look at this a number of different ways to help you understand it.”

The Fort Worth Mid-Cities Chapter maintains a Resume Binder to provide members with a method for posting their resumes and reviewing jobs currently available in the area.

Looking for a job?

If you are interested in placing your resume in the Resume Binder, bring five copies of your current resume to a Chapter meeting, or email it to Sharon Dera or Larry Wilson. Resumes are placed in pockets inside the binder. Prospective employers can scan through them and pick those in which they have an interest. Look for the Resume Binder at the monthly Chapter meetings.

Need a job opening filled?

If you or your company has a job opening that you would like placed on the website or into the Resume Binder email it to Sharon Dera or Larry Wilson. NOTE: Please include the job title, description, qualifications, salary range, submission information and a closing date. Announcements about openings will also be made during the monthly Chapter meetings.

Chapter Board Positions and Openings

The Board of the Fort Worth Mid-Cities Chapter needs you! We currently need to fill the Vice President –Registration. For successful operation of our Chapter, it is important that we get all of our positions filled.

The required duties for this job is not particularly difficult, mainly a time commitment. The commitment is to attend two meetings each month: the Board meeting and the Chapter meeting (each meeting is approximately two hours.)      

NOTE: There is a financial benefit attached to volunteering to serve on the Board – a price reduction in both National and Chapter dues. (National dues $100 vs. $185 and Chapter dues $10 vs. $65.) Job description for Vice President of Technology is posted on the website.

If you cannot commit to a Board position, we also need people to help with committee positions such as: registration and New Member Orientations (conducted quarterly) following a Chapter meeting. 

Contact Sharon or any Board member if you have an interest in serving your Chapter.

Presently, our slate of Board members is as follows:

President—Sharon Dera

President Elect—John Wright

Vice President Communications—Mike Putnam

Vice President Finance—Larry Wilson

Vice President Hospitality—Brian Singleton

Vice President Marketing—Kevin Flach

Vice President Member Services—Debra McTaggart

Vice President Programs—Sam Palazzolo

Vice President Records—Rusty Lewis

Vice President Registration—Open seat

Vice President Technology—Ken Kolsti