Becoming a CPLP: Incorporating the Knowledge Exam

I was meeting a new client and introduced myself as a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP). Her immediate response was, “Did you pass it on the first try?” This question didn’t faze me. I smiled and thought to myself, “She knows…Obtaining that certification was no joke.”

Unlike some other certification tests, the CPLP Knowledge Exam is not a memorization test. The questions are carefully and deliberately crafted to cover each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Will there be some questions with one obviously correct answer? Yes. But there will also be questions for which several answers are possible and appropriate, but only one yields the best results. Yes. This type of question requires you to imagine each answer in practice, envision how they all play out, and compare the results with one another. It will take some time, so the more thoroughly you know your material, the better you’ll be at answering it.

I’m not telling you this to scare you. This insight is meant to prepare you. The Knowledge Exam is difficult, yet achievable. Passing it will instill in you a lasting sense of pride, and you will share a silent understanding with other CPLPs. You quite literally join the club.

Focus When Studying

So how should you best prepare in order to pass this exam? In my previous post, I stressed the importance of changing your daily routine. This is critical to your success. I set aside 45 minutes each morning before work and additional time on Saturdays. Some days I found myself easily distracted by external factors or even my own thoughts. In both cases I simply put in ear plugs. The absolute silence helped me to concentrate.

Apply What You Learn

I don’t study well in groups, so I had to look for other ways to bring to life the knowledge I was acquiring. Many mornings, I found myself inspired by what I read. I would jot down ideas and use them at work. One of my favorite ideas was a job aid for newly promoted directors. Two of my clients had been recently promoted while I was studying Managing the Learning Function. The new directors appreciated the job aid, and I scored well in that exam area because I had really thought through the material.

Practice Taking the Exam

It is not enough to get through the materials. You will need to take the practice exams in order to kinesthetically prepare for the Knowledge Exam. Football players study the plays and then practice on the field. So should you. This will help you get used to the different types of questions and get a feel for taking the test at the exam center. I gave myself a one-month cushion after studying the materials. During that month, I ran through the practice questions over and over, carefully reviewing my notes for the lowest-scoring sections.

Reach a State of Quiet Acceptance

I chose St. Patrick’s Day to bring a little luck o’ the Irish with me to the exam. Unfortunately, a late-season snowstorm blew in the night before. I was pretty worried about not being able to get to the exam center. By 5:30 the morning of the exam, I had a call and an email notifying me that the exam center was closed. Rescheduling was quick and easy, and I took the exam a couple of days later.

I suppose plenty of people would interpret my luck o’ the Irish as the bonus 48 hours of study time. Not me. I didn’t study on those days. I didn’t need to. I knew I was ready. Most of the material was in my long-term memory and I was at peace.

Remember the Bigger Picture

My goal wasn’t to prepare for or even to pass the exam. My mission was to improve my overall level of expertise. This prompted me to take more time to learn the material at a higher level of Bloom’s taxonomy than needed to pass the exam. I know it sounds lofty. However, I invite you to consider striving for the same purpose. Don’t just pass the Knowledge Exam. Incorporate it. Together, this is how we strengthen our profession.

Learn more about the CPLP Certification.