I-CAR announced it will cancel classes that have fewer than three registered students, in an effort to improve “the overall live classroom experience for all I-CAR students,” the organization said.
“[M]iniscule class sizes directly reduce student learning and instructor teaching effectiveness,” I-CAR said. “This change represents the first in a series of quality improvement initiatives being developed to enhance learning for I-CAR students.”
If a class has fewer than three registered students, I-CAR instructors will receive a warning four days prior to the class. Local research will begin to determine if one or two additional students in the area would benefit from completing the class.
If enrollment remains below the fewer-than-three threshold, I-CAR will notify instructors two days prior to the class that the class is being cancelled, allowing time for instructors to inform students and their businesses of the cancellation.
I-CAR noted that it has implemented measures to ensure that classes will be available for rescheduling and that shops pursuing Gold Class renewals have other options. Students can register for the next available class in their area, and businesses can schedule a private I-CAR event on a specific date and an instructor to teach as many or as few students as needed for the previously cancelled class. More information on private events is available on the I-CAR website.
In addition to increasing class size, I-CAR said it is trying to secure permanent training locations.
“In the past couple of years, we have seen classes being taught in locations not conducive to a quality learning experience,” said Nick Notte, I-CAR director, Business Development. “Moving to permanent qualified and approved locations, preferably career and technical education facilities, brings a heightened level of consistency and professionalism to the I-CAR training experience. Our regional managers and committee members are currently working to secure those permanent sites, and will complete this work by the end of the year.”
Once the initiative is implemented, I-CAR said it expects increased student participation in the classroom to “pay dividends through improved knowledge transfer that can be applied immediately on-the-job.”
“The end result should be a safer, more complete and quality repair for the ultimate benefit of the consumer,” I-CAR said.
