AECP Level 3
Final Assessment
Good day, fellow crafters. Today I present to you the culmination of my work over the last nine months, the final assessment of the Altenew Educator Certification Program. It has been a long road but my commitment to learning has been a constant source of growth and discovery. Throughout this educational endeavor, I've absorbed a wealth of knowledge, honed my skills, and explored various aspects of the crafting world. The program has not only provided me with valuable insights into the art of card-making but has also allowed me to refine my techniques and develop a deeper understanding of design principles. As I reflect on this transformative experience, I look forward to applying these newfound skills to enhance the creative offerings at Forget-Me-Not Card Company.
About AECP?
The Altenew Education Certification Program (AECP) is structured into three levels, offering a self-guided and flexible learning experience. Participants have the freedom to complete the program at their own pace, delving into a series of well-designed courses at each level that are crafted to impart specific techniques, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of various aspects of the craft. Beyond the individual projects created for each course, participants face a culminating challenge at the end of each level.
Level 3 Final Project
The challenges serve as an opportunity to apply the acquired skills and knowledge in a more integrated manner. As participants progress through the levels, the culmination at Level 3 involves hosting a workshop, akin to a practical test. This final workshop not only marks the completion of the program but also showcases the depth of expertise gained, providing a tangible testament to the skills honed throughout the AECP journey. To successfully complete the assessment I was required to complete the following
Create a lesson plan for approval by Altenew and distribution to participants
The lesson must include 4-10 participants, I delivered my lesson to a class of 15 very talented individuals
Conduct a 2hr workshop – virtual by conferencing software such as Zoom or Google Meet.
Demonstrate a technique or techniques with 2-3 cards gained from classes in the program
Create a blog post to describe the event and show the cards of the participants
I began the process by first deciding on the card-making techniques that I wanted to teach and then drafting out a step-by-step lesson plan for Altenew’s approval. I have included a link at the bottom of the post if you would like your own copy of the approved submission. The next step was to gather up potential class participants. To do this I advertised the class as a complimentary class on the Altenew Family page on Facebook as well as with all of the Instagram card hops I participate in. Let me tell you, between those two sources I had no trouble in gaining willing participants. Once I had the names and email addresses of all of the participants I sent them the list of required materials for the class along with a Google Meet link. A week before I sent a reminder email out to the participants to finalize the number I was to expect.
The class was very much a success! I was able to clearly demonstrate both of the card designs I had proposed to Altenew and all of my participants were able to complete them within the 2hr workshop window. I honestly had a blast teaching the class, as it was full of laughter and excitement for techniques many of them had never tried. I can’t wait to start teaching many more in the future.
The Card Designs
Below are images of the two card designs that I taught for this assessment. The first was created using gilding flakes, various kinds of black inks, and an Altenew embossing folder. As you will in the participant gallery below, not everyone had the same embossing folder or gilding flakes but the technique translates really well across the designs. The second card was created using vellum and an Altenew embossing folder. This design technique was also new to almost every participant but they all did fabulously with it. You can find the materials list in the step-by-steps as well.
Participant Cards
In the gallery below you will find all of the beautiful cards that were created by my class participants based on my instructions. I always love to see what others come up with when given a particular theme and I find it even more amazing that someone else was able to take my instructions and apply it to their designs in a new and unique way.
If you feel inspired and would like to make these cards yourself then here are the step-by-step instructions for you to download.
