We appreciate the dedication it requires, at this time of year, to carve out the scheduling to deepen your governance education. Many of our students are doing so during their lunch breaks, between meetings, or even, in these summer months, from the cottage, camper, or hotel room.
To acknowledge that effort – and to assist with your goal of returning to the boardroom this fall with a broader skillset – here are 5 quick tips to help you conquer the self-guided Professional Director Certification Program®.
01. Understand the Content Structure and Deliverables
For any educational undertaking online a participant must ask, are there mandatory in-class portions? Deadline dates? What are the expectations around study time?
Fortunately, in the case of the Professional Director Certificate Program®, these details are easily answered: There are six modules, each with a 10-question true/false or multiple-choice quiz, and then a final examination of 40 similar questions, and the only deadline is to complete it within three years of engaging in the first module.
02. Create a Study Plan
Once you understand the content, you can create your own study plan. For many Pro.Dir® students in the self-guided program, schedule flexibility is one of the greatest advantages. Summer isn’t all vacation – there’s plenty of juggling work deadlines, doctor’s appointments, and pet care as well – but the program is designed to allow busy leaders to fit the course as much as possible into their daily lives.
Having a planned structure in mind is a helpful tool, but you know your schedule best!
Understanding that there are approximately 5 videos per session, at 20-minutes each, here are some approaches suggested by our faculty members:
- Watch one video per day of study, study once a week, and finish all modules in 31 weeks
- Watch two videos per day of study, study once a week, and finish all modules in 16 weeks
- Watch two videos per day of study, study twice a week, and finish all modules in 8 weeks
03. Avoid Distractions
While the flexibility of online life can allow us to achieve great things in unexpected places, sometimes too much choice can divide our attention. Things as simple as closing the door, turning off local noise makers, and inserting a pair of earbuds to focus on your next educational video can make all the difference. Fortunately, the majority of educational topics are covered in 20 minutes, so there’s always time for Netflix later!
04. Make Notes
Studies have shown active notetaking helps facilitate memorization, but, perhaps just as importantly, Professional Director® quizzes and exams are open-book. While the downloadable materials cover everything you need to know, it certainly helps to have your notes to point you in the right direction!
05. Reward Yourself
0You’re dedicating a portion of these precious warm months to bettering yourself and your organization, so do not hesitate to reward yourself equally well. As you sit down to your studies consider some small treat – a dip in the lake, going out for ice cream with a child or grandchild, or indulging in your latest page-turner – that will seem all the sweeter when you’ve completed your task.