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April McDuffie
Master Instructor
When the Business Office Technology Department at East Central Technical College (ECTC) began requiring instructors to become Microsoft Office certified, April McDuffie-a business office technology instructor with several years of experience-recognized the new requirement as a window of opportunity.
McDuffie has always impressed upon her students the importance of pursuing certification and credentials that will afford them opportunities for advancement in their chosen fields. As an instructor, she felt it was important to lead the way by earning her own certifications. "Teachers serve as mentors and role models for students, and we set an example even when we don't say a word," she says. "By earning Microsoft Office Specialist certification I just don't tell my students it's important, I show them."
Although ECTC only requires instructors to become certified in Microsoft Word and Excel, McDuffie took her certification a step further by earning the Master Instructor certification-the premier certification for the entire Microsoft Office suite of programs.
In addition to improving her credibility as an instructor, McDuffie says the Master Instructor certification process increased her knowledge of Office programs, which she can now pass on to her students. "I can better prepare students for the work world because I am able to teach beyond minimal proficiency and help them discover the features that will make them more useful and efficient," she explains.
Now, it's not just the students who are benefiting from McDuffie's new level of Office expertise. Chandler Newell, Director of Technology at ECTC, noticed that after McDuffie earned certification, her coworkers started calling on her to help with features of Office programs. Seeing that these skills were in demand, Newell offered McDuffie the opportunity to teach classes to faculty and staff-instructing them on the features she learned in preparation for Master Instructor certification.
ECTC Vice President Jim Schwindle also acknowledges the depth of technical proficiency McDuffie gained through Master Instructor certification. "April's preparation for Master Instructor certification led to her mastery of Microsoft Office programs at a depth not normally found in business program instructors," he says. "Our college highly values industry certifications, and individuals who achieve these credentials are favored with opportunities for advancement and salary increases."
And McDuffie is experiencing these opportunities. Recognition from Microsoft Office certification has led ECTC to select her to be the first fully "online" instructor at the school, responsible for all business courses offered online. Additionally, McDuffie was selected to give a presentation on utilizing Microsoft Office organization features to manage online classes at the Georgia Virtual Technical College Summit 2001.
Robert Keown, ECTC's online coordinator, says, "April's certification has greatly impacted the Business Office Technology's online classes. Her credentials have added validity and credibility to East Central Technical College's online environment."
Once again, McDuffie is not just telling her students the benefits of Microsoft Office certification, she's showing them.
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