A prospective CLI must also have prior teaching experience. This leads to a paradox that only teachers are eligible to become teachers. However, Lotus accepts end-user training (which most LAECs can provide) and other training program experience is approved (e.g., CompTia, MCT, etc.). Just remember that Lotus will want sample copies of student evaluations.

Now that a likely CLI has become a CLP and has teaching experience, it is time to submit an application to Lotus. This application includes general questions, professional history, as well as several essays. For instance, the application will pose some awkward situations to be resolved: "A student asks a question to which you do not know the answer." Once the application has been accepted, it's time to move onto ICE.

ICE
The acronym ICE refers to the Instructor Certification Evaluation that Lotus has for each and every CLI. It has a slightly ominous association to it, because historically the candidate CLIs would come to an ICE facility (usually run by Lotus) for a week and receive additional training and an evaluation of their performance. It's a little chilling to be presenting class instruction while the instructor videotapes the segment for later review. And, naturally, not every aspirant makes the cut. ICE, indeed.

Lotus still requires ICE, but the program has been streamlined. Instead of flying to a Lotus center and spending a week in the classroom, there is the offer of on-line, distance learning for ICE. Now the candidate may have a choice between ICE at a hosted LAEC or doing so on-line.

Course requirements
After passing through ICE, you're ready to begin teaching the first level courses in your track(s). The first ND6 classes have recently been released, and they are all R5-to-ND6 update classes. The prime CLIs qualified for these courses are those who are already R5 CLI certified and have passed the ND6 update exams. The first ND6 set of core CLP classes are slated for a November release (see Figure B).

FIGURE B

Here is the ND6 Roadmap. Click picture for a larger image.

For the ND6 education program, there is a shift in how current CLIs are being qualified to teach it. Looking back, when R5 was released, the first wave of CLIs were upgraded through a one-week enablement session. By going to the enablement and passing the upgrade exams, an R4 CLI could become R5 ready.

While this one-week enablement was a good thing for the CLIs (it grouped about five courses into one week), it slowed down the availability of R5 classes. After all, the one-week CLI session was only possible after the five core classes were complete. These courses take significant time and resources to develop. Lotus education is going to pick up the pace for ND6 and release the courses as fast as they can.

The current intention is for CLIs to be certified for ND6 classes, one-by-one, as they are released. It's a good plan, and it should help build momentum by providing training for those ND6 early adopters.

Up to this point, you might think all of the steps are well within range. You may already be a CLP and have some training experience. There is one last little hitch that frustrates a few potential CLIs from going further. For each class a CLI intends to teach, they must have already attended the class at an LAEC.