It’s a blend of both.
The ACSM course features necessary theoretical knowledge and concepts that will help you better understand how Agile originated and why it has become such a powerful methodology for building and creating new products.
There are also new tools and techniques that are introduced which will help you overcome the challenges you currently face as well as to help you become a better practitioner within your working environment.
That said, there is a great deal of practical elements too.
Many of the people you attend the course with have been in the same trenches as you and their shared stories help to provide a context for the learning you will receive.
The Advanced Certified Scrum Master course is designed to help you build on your knowledge and skills as a Certified Scrum Master and help you straddle the roles of Scrum Master and Agile coach within your organisation.
There will be theoretical elements that deal with coaching and facilitation but there are also practice elements that help embed the learning and give you a feel for how to actively facilitate.
Throughout the Advanced Certified Scrum Master course there are opportunities for you to take the lead as a Scrum Master and facilitate exercises and simulations. The trainer will be actively watching for that kind of initiative to validate your skills as an Advanced Scrum Master.
Many people bring their past and current working challenges to the course seeking answers and solutions to those problems. As we work through those elements, the answers and war stories provided gives you insights into how to solve these challenges in your own environment.
As part of the group work you will be doing, you will be exposed to challenges and stories from other people that will help you in your own practice as a Scrum Master.
As part of my own ACSM course, I often share my own war stories to help provide context and actionable advice that delegates can take away and use in their own practice.
So, in summary, the ACSM course is a blend of both practical and theoretical elements.
If you are interested in levelling up your career as a Scrum Master, visit our Advanced Certified Scrum Master course page as well as the Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master course page.
If you are interested in mentoring and coaching to help accelerate your career as a Scrum Master and Agile coach, visit our Agile Coaching Academy page.