NRA rolling back blended training

[jmorris]

Didn't see it anywhere

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2016/1 ... l-classes/

[BCGlocker]

Best news ever. I stopped offer NRA Basic Pistol classes when they instituted blend training, nowI will offer it again.

[Skiprr]

For the time being, I'll take this with a big grain of unrefined sea salt.

There is nothing on the NRA Instructors' website corroborating this, and likewise no email communications from them. And I don't take a statement that "we made a mistake" to mean that they're abandoning the blended online training concept. They may simply intend to revise the content or delivery.

We'll see.

To be clear, I am not a fan of the NRA's change to an online hybrid training concept for Basic Pistol. I'm no Luddite here: I've actually developed online training and testing curricula, and support same for many purposes.

Basic Pistol ain't one of those purposes. I'd be more inclined to support blended online training for Personal Protection in the Home and Outside the Home.

Most everything's on a bell curve: there are some remarkable NRA instructors, the majority are adequate, and there are some who probably shouldn't be teaching at all. I get why NRA would want tighter standardization of curriculum to help ensure that the less-than-adequate stratum of instructors cannot fail to teach the precepts correctly. But that's engineering to teach to the lowest common denominator; designing for mediocrity...if not failure.

In my experience, the interplay, questions, and hands-on interaction in the NRA Basic Pistol classroom is worth more than any online training.

These are people who may never have fired a gun before. They've taken a big step toward a willingness to learn about firearms. We can't fail them. They are our future in support of the Second Amendment.

Guns aren't like your corporate mandatory HR course; not like your defensive driving test after you've been given a ticket.

For someone who has basic skills already developed, online training can work. But to think for someone who may have never fired a handgun before that online training would be the way to go before ever receiving any in-person instruction?

I am the NRA; but this was/is a big mistake.

[bblhd672]

When I started shooting again back in April, I wanted to take the NRA Pistol classes. Discovered that the "basic" class had gone online instead of instructor/classroom. While many topics can be adequately covered in online training, I felt that the subject of firearms familiarization and safety is best handled by an instructor who can see the mistakes you make, especially safety mistakes that can prove harmful, and correct them.
Additionally, the $60 price was ridiculous when I could take a non-NRA basic pistol classroom course for about the same amount.

I hope this story is correct and NRA goes back to what works best - person to person training.

[Scott B.]

Well, hallelujah!

I figured it would take a few years to correct course since Basic Pistol is a requirement for the more advanced classes. The numbers must have been even worse than feared, aside from being a terrible teaching methodology. Wonder if they'll ever admit/publish what the completed course numbers were pre and post 'blended.'

[bkj]

So I sent back 15 student packages and have not received a check and now I will have to buy more?

[Mike S]

So I sent back 15 student packages and have not received a check and now I will have to buy more?

Ugh. Unfortunately, I gutted my student packets and threw out the tests & certificates (kept the handbooks & safety pamphlets for future use) before I saw the email about sending them back for a refund. Double Ugh...

[mloamiller]

Has the NRA sent an email to instructors about this change? I haven't seen one.

[Mike S]

Has the NRA sent an email to instructors about this change? I haven't seen one.

I haven't seen anything other than the OPs link regarding a change to the blended learning; I was referring to the series of emails we received from the NRA offering to refund any student packets that were returned to them unused. Sorry if my post caused confusion.

[The Annoyed Man]

Best news ever. I stopped offer NRA Basic Pistol classes when they instituted blend training, nowI will offer it again.

I stopped too, for the same reason.

[bblhd672]

I stopped too, for the same reason.

You start teaching the classes again and I'll sign up!

[jmorris]

So I sent back 15 student packages and have not received a check and now I will have to buy more?

Ugh. Unfortunately, I gutted my student packets and threw out the tests & certificates (kept the handbooks & safety pamphlets for future use) before I saw the email about sending them back for a refund. Double Ugh...

They haven't said how far back it's going to roll. I doubt it goes clear back to the old packet. It may still be blended just with a different balance.

[The 4th]

I have an update from the Shot Show. Background information is the NRA spend a lot of money putting the program in place (we're talking a lot) and the information that the blended program is going away is somewhat premature. The powers that be recognize they have a problem and they are looking at solutions, but nothing is settled at this time.

I teach the old NRA FIRST Steps class. Basic Pistol is TMI for most folks just wanting to get started, and you have to be pretty damn dedicated to set in front of a computer for 8 hours with no human interaction before you get to go to the range, even if you break it up into 15 to 20 minute intervals at a time. The NRA should bring back FIRST Steps taught by an instructor with hands on instruction and then let folks Basic Pistol if they like. There is a lot of good info there.

The best thing that anyone can do keep voicing your concerns to the NRA. Like anyone else, the squeaky wheel gets the grease and the more complaints, the sooner we may get something done about it.