FAQs for CMALT candidates and assessors
Last updated: December 2023
These are typical questions that individuals have asked us in the past. If you do not find the answer to your question below, check the Guidelines for CMALT Candidates or email your enquiry to cmalt@alt.ac.uk.
What is CMALT?
CMALT stands for Certified Membership of ALT. It is a portfolio-based professional accreditation scheme.
How many people have CMALT?
You can view the list of current CMALT holders. The current cohort of CMALT candidates includes school teachers, researchers, technical support and teaching staff, administrators, managers, CDP specialists, trainers, students, Further Education practitioners, consultants, lecturers and learning technologists from across the UK and a growing number of countries worldwide.
Can anyone register for CMALT?
Yes, you do not have to already be a member of ALT to do so. CMALT candidates hold a large range of different roles and the scheme is sufficiently flexible to be relevant and rewarding for individuals and groups from across different educational and commercial sectors.
How long will the CMALT scheme take me?
We encourage people to submit within six months of registration; three to four months is our recommended guideline. Candidates have a maximum of two years from their registration date to submit their portfolio.
How long is the CMALT registration valid for?
CMALT registration remains valid for two years. After this point you will have to re-register if you wish to submit your portfolio. If there are mitigating circumstances (e.g. maternity leave), you can get in touch with us at cmalt@alt.ac.uk.
How do I submit my portfolio?
See further information about submitting your portfolio, including about assessment timetables and submission deadlines - this includes a link to the submission form. You will receive a confirmation by email.
How is my portfolio assessed?
Your portfolio is independently assessed by two peer assessors who hold CMALT. For a first submission there are two possible outcomes: a pass or a referral. If the portfolio is referred you will receive detailed feedback from the assessors outlining what additions or improvements are required for the portfolio to pass. A re-submission may either pass or fail. If you wish to submit again after a fail outcome you will need to re-register for CMALT. See the CMALT Guidelines for further information.
How long will it take to receive my outcome?
We aim to send outcomes within 20 weeks following the submission window deadline (January, May, September) but cannot guarantee it. The time an assessment takes depends on many factors, including the length and complexity of the portfolio and the availability of our volunteer assessors. If we are experiencing a delay, we will contact candidates to keep them informed.
How widely is CMALT recognised by employers?
Individuals who have achieved CMALT have found that this is taken seriously by employers, as it provides evidence that the individual is taking a committed and serious approach to his or her development as a learning technologist. What is notable is that there have been an increasing number of job advertisements that have specifically asked for CMALT in their person specification.
What phraseology should I use on my C.V. when referring to holding CMALT accreditation?
We suggest you say something like this:
'On dd/mm/yyyy I was awarded CMALT, that is, Certified Membership of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT). CMALT is a portfolio-based professional accreditation scheme developed by ALT to enable people whose work involves Learning Technology to have their professional experience and capabilities assessed by peers. Full details of CMALT can be found at www.alt.ac.uk/cmalt. CMALT holders are entitled to use the post-nominal letters 'CMALT.'
Why does ALT not use terms like e-learning when describing CMALT?
ALT believes that as e-learning becomes embedded as a normal part of most learners' experience, the term will fall into disuse. In contrast, we are confident that the term 'Learning Technology' (i.e. the broad range of communication, information and related technologies that can be used to support learning, teaching, and assessment) will remain an acknowledged field of study, research and practice.
Do employers typically pay for an individual to register for CMALT?
There is no clear pattern, but employers may pay if they wish. Employers who normally pay for the costs of work-related examination fees or Continued Professional Development more broadly are likely to look favourably on paying for the CMALT registration fee. There are also a variety of initiatives which support CMALT candidates. To find more information about current initiatives and eligibility criteria, please go to www/alt.ac.uk/cmalt.
Is a a discount offered for group registrations?
Yes. Groups of five or more candidates from the same organisation receive a discount of 10% per individual registration fee. Groups of ten or more receive a 20% discount.
How much does CMALT registration and Certified Membership cost?
Candidates will pay an initial registration fee. This covers registration and the first year of certified membership once accredited. Once you are awarded the certificate, certified membership will be added to your account. Each year thereafter the certified membership renewal fee will be payable annually.
Will my certificate ever expire?
Certificates are currently valid for three years (see example CMALT certificate), at the end of which you will be required to do a review to your existing portfolio. ALT will get in touch regarding this process.
Can I still be involved after I've retired?
Yes. Retired Certified Members will not be required to update their portfolio every three years. Retired Certified Members may continue to act as assessors for a period of at least three years after retirement.
Does ALT allow exemptions for other qualifications towards CMALT?
Currently ALT does not allow any exemptions towards CMALT. However, if you have Learning Technology related qualifications, you are encouraged to make reference to these in your submission, since in most cases these will be relevant to your submission.
Is CMALT internationally recognised?
No, but there is increasing recognition in some parts of the world, especially Australasia. We would expect that possession of it would nevertheless be of interest to non-UK employers.
Can someone who obtains CMALT and then goes to work abroad still retain CMALT status?
Yes. Holding CMALT is not dependent to where in the world you are based. We do have a large number of CMALT holders outside the UK.
Use of large language models (LLM) or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools
We encourage candidates to write their portfolio in their own words, however, candidates may use large language models or AI tools (such as ChatGPT) to support the writing process. Where such tools have been used, a candidate must acknowledge that use in their contextual statement, bibliography/references or in the subsection(s) it has been used.
Use that has not been acknowledged will result in referral or failure.
How can I find out more?
Any other questions relating to CMALT not answered here?
Please browse the webpages about CMALT, read the CMALT prospectus or send an email to cmalt@alt.ac.uk.