Training Manager
Resume:
RESUME
C. MICHAEL PRETZINGER
Los Gatos, CA 95033
************@*****.***
www.ZZYZXthelastwordintraining.com
Objective
A position responsible for the design, development and delivery of
employer's technical training programs for both internal and end-user
audiences. Areas of expertise include the creation of blended learning
opportunities by combining instructor-led training with distant-learning.
The latter includes, in addition to standard interactive eLearning, both
guided self-development and social learning. Applicant also seeks to take
advantage of the opportunities that evolving technologies offer for trainee-
testing, and for program and corporate evaluation and validation.
Employment History
Instructor, FBI Laboratory, FAVIAU Unit
2002-present
(Forensic Audio, Video, and Image Analysis Unit)
Since 2002 I have been a contract instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico
VA, for periods of two weeks to one month per year, in response to their
changing needs. Trainees include FBI Agents, and technicians and other
personnel from local police departments. I train the science and art of
recovering images and sounds from analog and digital storage devices. This
knowledge is useful in the solution of crimes caught on surveillance
systems, in combating child pornography, and in the recovery of data from
intentionally compromised media.*
For the past 25 years I have principally developed training for the
broadcast television industry, in particular, installation, operation, and
maintenance of control software and equipment.
Pinnacle Systems (AVID Technology) 2003-11/2008
Developer/trainer, News Systems. From 2003 to 2006 with Pinnacle Systems,
I developed and presented the training program for the Vortex Networked
News System (VNNS). For the following year and ten months I performed the
same functions for Pinnacle's successor, Avid Technology, whose product is
called Unity/ISIS. Both systems are notable for their complexity: built
around a core of RAIDs (either DataDirect, 22-44 Tbyte or Unity, Unlimited
Tbyte capacity), deploying multiple servers (typically a minimum of
sixteen, providing content and control for up to 400 video data streams),
supporting hundreds of editing and management workstations, as well as
dozens of ingest and playout channels.
* My previous employers have made it possible for me to perform this task
during vacation periods or during paid and unpaid leaves of absence.
However, there is no expectation that any future employer should be so
inclined, and the FBI will replace me if need be.
I produced all the training materials, working directly with the project
managers to custom tailor the content for each installation site. I made
sustained presentations at customer sites. For example, each training
sequence for CNN training typically lasted two weeks, while Time/Warner
systems required a week to present. The typical site required multiple
training sequences, consisting of numerous modules. At all customer sites
training was typically repeated many times with recursions, improvements
and much new material each time. In the course of 4 years, I spent 6
months at CNN in Atlanta, and 3 month at CNN in New York. In addition to
the mega systems described above, I trained Media Stream Servers and the
DEKO character generator.
The scope of content for these devices included data switch installation
(Cisco and HP), V-LAN configuration, custom server software (as well as
SQL), metadata management software, device control (often UNIX), asset
management library, editing, and scheduling software.
I also developed content for a web based training application deployed by
AVID called ALEX (AVID Learning EXcellerator). The subject matter was Live-
to-Air graphics and play out control for the Deko, DekoCast Master Control
Switch, and ThunderServer products. Our principal development tools were
Camtasia, Captivate and Flash.
Sony Electronics
1995-2003
Senior Staff Engineer/Senior Instructor. Responsible for the development
and presentation of training programs in support of Sony Broadcast. These
included general knowledge courses spanning basic through very advanced
analog and digital television technology, integration techniques for state-
of-the-art digital systems, and procedures for transitioning from SD to
DTV/HDTV systems. I also created many courses supporting specific SONY
products including MPEG encoders, servers, DVD authoring systems and
numerous camera models. When staffing limitations required it, I taught
production classes on videography, baseband-studio engineering and post-
production.
Preparation of training content typically began with a lengthy stay in
Japan where I interacted with the product engineering group (SMEs) and
product mangers. Training manuals were written (Framemaker), PowerPoint
Presentations created, training aids identified, and exercises developed in
preparation for classroom and auditorium presentation. During the period
of the first two or three presentations, trainee response and performance
was evaluated and courses were modified as needed. Of course, classes that
presented broad technologies required annual revision to remain current
with real baseband and broadcast products.
Between 2000 and 2003 we began to experiment with distant learning products
and techniques and produced numerous webinars.
Sony Contract Trainer
1984-1995
February, 1984 to November, 1993. I created five course titles for Sony
Video Institute (SVI) at the American Film Institute (AFI). I retained
ownership (copyright) of these courses, which I presented on 193 occasions
over an 11 year period. I trained Sony's full-time instructors how to
present these as well as other courses that I contracted to develop for
their sole ownership and presentation. It was during this time that I
developed relationships with our national and international security forces
(CIA, FBI), which I maintain to this day.
In 1983 I developed a training program titled Video's Power in Training.
It was created to help corporate trainers exploit the (then) new "video"
technology that Sony and others were introducing. The 10 steps that I
developed have proven to be equally applicable to any and all new
technologies employed in the corporate training world. I have repurposed
this 27 year old content to explain the 10 steps to follow for achieving
quality eTraining. (Please visit www.ZZYZXtheLastWordInTraining.com .) As
recent customers and employers have observed, this training methodology is
both a precursor of and superior to the latest training nostrum, namely
ADDIE.
June, 1994 to March, 1995. Contracting training manager representing Sony
to Galaxy Latin America, at Long Beach, CA. In this role I defined the
training objectives with the customer (Hughes Corp), identified and hired 5
trainers to assist with content development and presentation, and created a
certification program for trainees that met Hughes' rigid requirements.
This position was a continuation of...
November, 1993 to June, 1994. Contracting lead instructor representing
Sony to DirecTV, at Castle Rock, Colorado. I worked closely with Hughes
Corporation's in-house training group to develop a self-sustaining training
program for over 200 employees. This course work covered every aspect of
what was then the most advanced television distribution technology in the
world, including satellite up-link and down-link, compression, the largest
digital router then in existence, turn-around/delay systems with audio
break-away, library and media management systems, Quality Assurance, Alamar
Automation, and automated scheduling. I developed training on over forty
separate software systems.
Education
Graduate of La Salle High School. Pasadena, CA. Bank of America
Scholarship Award in Physical Sciences.
Bachelor of Arts, UCLA. Departmental and College
Graduate Studies, Arts: Motion Pictures/Television (MFA not completed)
Active SMPTE member
Participant in innumerable technical training seminars conducted by GVG,
TEKtronics, PRO-MPEG Forum, UCLA, Berkeley, SMPTE, CISCO Systems, and so
on.
ADDENDUM
(Note: red highlight indicates that I own full licensed copy of referenced
software and that it is installed and in use on one or more of my
workstations.)
E-Learning Skills Development 11-
2008 to 11- 2009
While actively seeking employment, I have invested 40+ hours/week and my
dwindling monetary resources in the enhancement of my knowledge of
eLearning utility and design, and the programming (software-skills)
required for best deployment. I began by learning Dreamweaver and basic
HTML-CSS, but moved on quickly to Moodle and Joomla, tools that I have used
to created a number of websites, all devoted to some aspect of education,
training, and social learning (Web2.0). The following is a brief summary
of my study, analysis and mastering of software skills most beneficial for
developing eLearning.
I own and use Adobe eLearning Suite, CS4. I rate my knowledge of the
components of this well established system as follows: Dreamweaver CS4 =
good; FlashCS4 Pro = good; Action Scrip = poor; Acrobat 9 Pro = excellent;
LiveCycle Designer = very good; PhotoShopCS4 = in web related areas, good;
Captivate (&Presenter) 4 = Advanced; Sound Booth = fair. I also work with
Adobe's "Swiss army knife" (Bridge, Pixel Bender, Control Central, Drive,
etc).
I am an owner and user of Adobe Frame Maker 9, and use its extensive range
of plug ins. My skills are very good: I can make both document and book
templates. I am working on advanced capabilities: structured document
creation using DITA and other frameworks. In particular I am working with
the Omni Systems version of DITA, as well as their versions of Help, in the
course of which I am acquiring a modest knowledge of XML.
I personally own and use MS Office Suite 2007. My command of the standard
components is as follows: PowerPoint 2007 = very advanced; MS Word2007 =
very advanced; Excel = adequate. (I do not use Access, preferring FileMaker
as described below.) I use the Microsoft eLearning plug-ins,: "Learning
Essentials for Students," "Learning Essentials for Educators," "MS-Math"
for Word, and "PP-Plex" and "MS Publisher" for PowerPoint.
I personally own and use FileMaker Pro Advanced 10. I prefer this DB
creation-management system to Access because of its intuitive and
customizable GUI, which is very important when trying to entice trainees to
use a database. (It is much more accessible to most trainees than SQL.)
The FileMaker interface works very effectively across a network and plugs
into web pages with highly developed utility.
Training applications which I own and use include (in addition to the
previously mentioned Captivate 4): Camtasia 6 = very advanced; SnagIt 10 =
very advanced; Articulate 2009 Suite= good (this is a very easy to use
authoring tool in any event) and extension for Dreamweaver from Raptivity
called CourseBuilder. I am a power user of Trivantis' "Lectora", a
demonstration of which is included on my demo disc. This is the most
powerful and flexible tool available to eLearning (with the possible
exception of ToolBox 10, the successor to Authorware, but which can hardly
be considered a Rapid ELearning program.)
I try to examine a new content creation tool or suite every month. To date
my personally licensed arsenal includes (but is not limited to):
Aptana: my preferred HTML-CSS editor, but I have some familiarity with most
of widely used apps (Notepad++, CoffeeCup, etc).
Buzan iMindMap and FreeMind: These mind-mapping (a.k.a. idea-storming)
tools are excellent applications for creating Web2.0 exercises. (I am in
the process of deploying them extensively on my Moodle demonstration site
to layout the terrain of all the eLearning tools and strategies available
today.)
LAMS (LearningActivityManagmentSystem): Makes Moodle instantly
MoodleWeb2.0; AND provides Moodle's missing "workshop" tool! It can also
be configured to work with other LMSs.
Sloodle (for Moodle): This is a SecondLife application custom tailored for
Moodle, making it into a "hosted" 3D world. (This may be a dangerous
Web2.0 toy in the sense that it becomes a serious distraction when the
effort to create web "art" overwhelms the effort to create web content.
However, there is the growing expectation that training will employ avatars
and motion into visual depth.)
I regularly install and configure Apache servers for test sites using the
XAMPP Package and control Panel. For example, my laptop has two instances
installed and my desktop has four. I use these for a total of six proto-
websites developed in Joomla, the Moodle MLS for my eLearning
demonstration site, and MediaWiki for my Wiki. I am not limited to these
very powerful template-tools, as I can hand build or modify in HTML, XHTML,
and CSS.
I invite all to go there at www.ZZYZXthelastwordintraining.com . I
created the content presented on this site in 1983, and it was immediately
licensed from me by Sony Corporation. People who go to the site have e-
mailed me that it looks like a plagiarism of ADDIE. This is very
flattering to me as I originated my training system 10 years earlier.
While awaiting the opportunity for full time employment, I intend to
continue extending my skill set by adding lessons (developed with the most
popular and powerful content creation tools) to the appropriate modules on
this site. In addition, I have a contractor for whom I maintain and extend
two sites: an ".org" and a ".com/mediawiki." I accepted this client as he
was desirous of developing social learning sites based around blogs, wikis
and twitter. I thought this an excellent opportunity to explore the
utility of these applications for eLearning.
Further Skill Enhancements 11-
2009 to 7- 2010
All of the 130+ tools, programs, executables, web-sites, LMSs, and CMSs
listed have been thoroughly researched, installed, operated, and evaluated
by C. Michael Pretzinger. They are grouped into categories by application.
Many of these programs are licensed to Mr. Pretzinger (cf. items in red-
italics, above) and are employed by him on an ongoing basis. This effort
has consumed working hours amounting to approximately 6 months of full-time
employment. This hard-won knowledge provides him with a major asset for
designing and developing eLearning, mLearning (mobile learning), sLearning
(social learning), bLearning (blended learning) and IFT (Instructor
Facilitated Training). This is on top of the thirty years of delivering
live, in-classroom instruction which provides his basis of expertise in ILT
(Instructor Led Training) and OJT.
Categories are as exclusive as possible, but keep in mind that many
applications or services could easily live in two or more classifications.
Authoring tools (Rapid eLearning and PPt based unless otherwise noted)
Articulate (Engage, Presenter, Quizmaker)
Author Point from AuthorGen
Business Toolbox from Perception
Lectora X Pro Suite
eProficiency Plug-ins
Norpath Nestudio3.5
Rapid Intake ProForm 3.1
Raptivity eLearning "Zest." "Essentals," or "Standard"
ReadyGo Web Course Builder (ReadyGo WCB)
Respondus (operates under an LMS or CMS such as Blackboard or Moodle
and many others)
Silverlight (Microsoft)
Scate 'Ignite'
Seminar Author (Seminar Learning System)
SoftChalk
QuestionMark (from Perception)
ToolBook10 (Sum Total)
WBTExpress (4-System)
Hosted Authoring (Rapid eLearning [ReL]) Tools [SaaS]
Atlantic Link (ReL Hosted)
Lectora Online
Lesson Writer
RapidLi and RapideL (from BrainVisa)
Rapid Intake Unison
Saas.com (generic)
Content Origination and Presentation Tools
Camtasia
Captivate
Framemaker
JetDraft Suite (CHM or XML file from Word or PDF)
MS LCDS (see Microsoft category, below)
Snagit-10 (+advanced editor)
Scenari
Storyboard Pro for eLearning
PowerPoint
InterActive (from Indezine) Random Access extension for PPt
InterSlice (from InterSlice Studios) PPt Presentation Extension
iSpring (from iLearn) (PPt to Flash converter)
Power Point Force (from Joomla Place)
PowerPoint Plex (from MS)
Presenter (Adobe)
Raptivity PPT Presenter
XERTE Toolkit (opn src authoring)
MS Word
Course Genie (Wimba)
Word Force (from Joomla Place)
Word 2007 Math Plug-in
Question Mark Word Plug-in (from Perception)
RapideL Word plug-in, converts it to full authoring tool
Test, Survey, Evaluation Tools
Question Mark Word Plug-in (from Perception)
Quiz Force (from Joomla Place)
QuizFaber
Study mate (from Respondus)
Games, Learning Modules and Plug-ins
(Mostly examples that can be re-purposed using a Flash de-compiler. See
"Flash" section)
ClassTools.net (requires an ActivLnk)
Content Generator (training games)
Matchup, Multi 1, multichoice_1
e-Adventure
Eclipse Crossword
Games Factory2 (ClickTeam)
My collection of 54 games created using PowerPoint+Excell (constantly
growing)
University of British Columbia Learning Tools
LearnZoom, Timeline, Pronunciation, handwriting, the monkey
game, etc.
Quandry & Hot Potatoes (both have plug-ins for Moodle)
Raptivity Turbo-packs and Booster Packs
Respondus (HTML, not Flash)
Webducate Drag'nDrop
Google On-Line Tools
Google for Teachers
Google Sites
Google Wave
HTML & all generic Web Page/Site Construction tools
Adobe Dream Weaver
ReadyGo WCB (connects to DW)
Adobe CourseBuilder 4 DW
Aptana Studio 1.2 or later
CoffeeCup
CookTop
EverSoft First Page 2008
Notepad ++
Raptivity Web BuildeR
LMS/CMS
Moodle (Anything else is a waste or the product of unimaginative
paranoia)
Barking College (UK) extensions
Spelling, sounds, spelling strategy, spelling_10, sounds,
words within word, image spell, image, word match, image-
word, match-spell, label diagram, match, matching_2,
matching_3, sequence_timeline_1, spelling_10
Dekos (interesting ideas; but not beyond anything suggested or
achieved by Moodle)
LAMS (learning Activities management Server) Standalone or
integrated into Moodle. At this time it appears most
feasible to wait for the release of Moodle 2.0 which
will be pre-integrated to LAMS.
StudyMate (Respondus)
Sloodle a 3D interface for Moodle (actually 2nd Life)
WBTExpress, FreeMoodleEd
MyiCourse (Hosted-free for non-profits-LMS for people, schools,
churches, etc. creating their own" mini-universities." Also
possible to set up pass- word protected, for profit sites in
partnership.)
OpenMark- OpenUniversity (OU) Requires Tomcat Server) Cannot mount
or test on my SQL server.
"Results Management System" and "Enterprise Manager" (From
Perception)
SEGUE Middlebury College developed CMS focused on Social Learning.
Complete system offered as freeware.
WIMBA Hosted Authoring and LMS
Xerte Toolkit runs parallel (but inside) Moodl= can upload objects or
build within Moodle)
Microsoft eLearning Software
Learning Essentials for MS Office
Learning Essentials for Educators
Learning Essentials for Students
MS Learning Content Development System
Mind Mapping, Brain Storming, Ideas4 Idealization
Buzan iMindMap Pro Extended with eLearning Designer and Web Link Maker
DeepaMehta-MindMap_Hosted_or_StandAlone
FreeMind Mind Mapper
HeadCase hosted mind mapping
MeatballWiki
VUE (Visual Understanding Environment)
Media and Multimedia Creation Tools
Audio tools for FLV and MP4 (Mux-demux)
Audacity
FLVExtract & FLVExtractCL
MediaInfo
Sound Player (cre8 flv audio & custom players4HTML)
WM Encoder
Yamb
Graphics Engines
Artweaver
Adobe Photoshop
Crazy Talk,by Reallusion (facial animation)
eLearningART
Infran View
Nature Illusion Studio
Motion Video and Animation
Expression Encoder (MS)
Flash (also see Portfolios)
Trillix Flash Decompiler (SWF Decompiler)
Trillix FLV Toolbox
So...Think Decompiler
Webducate
High end drag and drop aurhoring Hosted
Project & Portfolio Management Systems
(fine-tuned for eLearning development environments)
Adobe Acrobat Pro-Extended 9 or Later
Acrobat Flash Flip-Book for Joomlla
Acrobat Flash Flip-Book for Html
Acrobat Flash Flip-Book for Dreamweaver
GhostScript
PDF-Publisher
'AtTask' Project & Portfolio MGMT Software
VUE (Visual Understanding Environment)
SCORM editors
eXe
Reload (REusable Learning Object Authoring and Delivery)
Simulation (Training by)
Next Learn's SimWriter
Social Media/Social Learning (SeLearning)
Includes all WIKIS, BLOGS, TWITTERS; Includes SaaS versions (hosted)
BookR
CoFFEE-Soft (LAN_based4ClasromSocialLrng)
CourseForum--PROJECT FORUM--Learning Wiki
Mzinga Social Learning (Hosted CMS-LMS)
ShowBeyond
Tweet Deck
Zakta Deep Search (Social search engine)
X-Timelines (hosted create&share timelines)
ThreeDDD Tools
Caligari TrueSpace (now MS)
Muvizu
Real-Illusion-3d
Second Life ("Sloodle" within Moodle)
XML Editors
Framemaker cum DocBook and DITA
oXygen XML Editor
Peter's XML editor
Scenari
Sema XML Editor
XML Copy Editor
XML Mind
XML Notepad
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