EducationFor Providers

August 28, 2012 –

IN THIS ISSUE

1. What’s New in AIA CES?

2. Developing AIA CES Presentations: The 5 Mandatory Slides

3. Provider Training Resources

4. Course Reviewer’s Corner

5. Monthly Provider Tips and Reminders

6. CES Calendar of Events

7. Media Scan

What’s New in AIA CES?

A Provider Checklist

By Ramiro Solórzano, Assoc. AIA
Manager, CES Provider Audits

Having a Provider Checklist is a way to ensure that everyone involved in your organization has a good basis for instruction. This checklist of 10 things will guide you as a Provider.

• Provider delegates a Primary Point of Contact and a Secondary Point of Contact. The POCs are current. The POCs signed a Quality Assurance statement. POC submits Provider’s annual invoice.

• Primary or Secondary Point of Contact register courses online at least 5 days prior to offering and advertising.

• Primary or Secondary Point of Contact is responsible for collecting and submitting AIA member credits via the CES Discovery System within 10 business days of course completion.

• Provider maintains active files and records including participant attendance for a minimum of six years.

See the Full Checklist

Developing AIA CES Presentations: The 5 Mandatory Slides

By Kristen Albertsen, Consultant, CES Provider Training

This month I’d like to take a moment to highlight an aspect of course development that many providers find mundane or so automatic as to not warrant mention: the importance of AIA CES’s mandatory quality assurance presentation slides, and other slides we recommend for clear and coherent presentations. All providers know and use AIA CES’s four mandatory slides: AIA CES Best Practice slide, Course Description slide, Learning Objectives slide (all at the beginning of the presentation, in that order) and Conclusion / Questions slide (at the end of your CES presentation, and on or after which you may include company contact and product information). To these, we’ve recently added a fifth mandatory slide, which the vast majority of providers use intuitively anyway: a Title slide. On this Title slide (the very first slide of the course), we require the provider name and number, the title of the course, and the date the course is offered (if applicable). A sixth slide, a Copyright slide, is optional, and if used should be inserted after the Best Practice slide (and may include your company logo).

These slides are mandatory because in addition to conveying essential course information and your pledge to abide by AIA CES best practices, they act as bookmarks for your course, clearly delineating the academic content from any promotional or company material that may follow. Of course, some providers, such as those offering a workshop or tour, may not use presentations; in this case the information in the mandatory slides must be distributed to attendees in a handout.

Learn More

Series: Continuing Education Instructional Formats

One important element to being a CES Provider is how to introduce content to architects and approach varying learning styles and needs. Course formats and instructional design are always evolving based on new technology and research to enhance the educational experience of the adult learner. As a way to introduce the various educational structures, this three part series will discuss the advantages of formal, informal, and social learning and their implementation in your own course development for architects.

Informal Learning Offers Interactivity and Flexibility for Continuing Education

The way people work and interact in an office setting is an ever-evolving process with the emergence of new technologies and managing styles. Recognizing and embracing change in the workplace is essential to harnessing the motivations and talents of employees to increase performance. In the same way, as an AIA CES Provider, evaluating and adapting continuing education methods to current practices is important to the success of your programs as well as AIA member satisfaction. Determining the learning needs of both the adult learner and architectural professional can be a balancing act and innovative approaches to education must be implemented to ensure courses are useful and enriching.

Learn More

AIA CES Provider Survey

Last year, the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA CES) conducted research to ensure that it was meeting the needs of current and future Providers. The insight gathered from the project allowed us to reassess core components of the CES program and make changes to improve the value and service provided to participants like you. We are interested in hearing how our efforts have impacted your experience with the AIA CES program. Please take a few moments to participate in this important research project as it will be extremely beneficial in helping us meet the needs of our Providers. Thank you!

Quality Assurance Assistance for Providers

AIA CES Quality Assurance Audit is designed to identify and promote honest, efficient, effective and fully accountable CES Providers. The program helps Providers accomplish their objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve their effectiveness in the areas of content development and delivery, administration, and promotion.

Let us review your courses and materials to ensure a violation does not hinder or suspend your AIA CES Approved Provider status. If you would like to request a voluntary constructive review, please direct inquiries to the Manager of CES Provider Audits ramirosolorzano@aia.org.

Learn More

Media Scan

Architect
HOK’s Design for Amtrak’s Union Station Master Plan

AIArchitect
Julie Eizenberg, AIA: Elevating Everyday Architecture

The Atlantic Cities
What Your Skyline Says About Your City

Course Reviewer’s Corner

By Michael F. Tamara, Assoc. AIA

Future Course Content Webinars: Thanks for Your Feedback!

In last month’s Course Reviewer’s Corner, I solicited feedback from Providers on the direction of future advanced webinars that hone in on specific areas of interest where help is needed or clarification is desired. This month, I would like to thank those who provided insight as to what they would like to see discussed more in depth.

The two most popular topics were how to write good learning objectives, and more discussion of the nuances of the credit designations. With that in mind, I will be developing two webinars over the next several months to meet these needs.

The first will focus on how to take course content and create an approval submission from scratch, looking specifically at how to write a good course description and learning objectives. A systematic process will be outlined, and then several diverse examples will be worked out. Worksheets will be included so webinar participants can get hands-on practice if desired.

Learn More

Monthly Provider Tips and Reminders

• Providers, we have updated all information and links in the Provider Manual to reflect any changes to CES policies and procedures. Refer to the manual for all questions CES related.

• You will be receiving your 2013 Provider invoice in early September. You may pay your invoice via email by contacting AIAMemberCareCES@aia.org or by calling 1-800-242-3837, option 3.

• The AIA Continuing Education team is in the process of deactivating courses from the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 effective September 24. Please read the following instructions on how to run the Course Deactivation Report in Discovery. This report will generate a list of your courses that are eligible for deactivation.

• AIA members who are on audit review of their continuing education requirements for 2011 have been notified. Members on audit must meet the AIA's continuing education requirement (18 LU/8 HSW/4 SD) by September 30, 2012.

CES Calendar of Events

Upcoming Workshops and Webinars

As a Provider, we welcome you to join us for one of our upcoming face-to-face trainings or online webinars. The workshops are an excellent one-stop shop for provider related information. These workshops will cover an overview of CES policies and procedures, CES Discovery Training, tips for developing learning objectives and effective PowerPoints. The webinars will also review resources to continue to educate yourself and your presenters on using the CES Discovery system.

Workshops:

September 5 – Boston Society of Architects
October 23 – AIA Arizona
November 29 – AIA Columbus

Webinars:

September 11, 2 p.m. Eastern – How to Submit Attendance in CES Discovery

October 18, 2 p.m. Eastern – How to Pull Reports in CES Discovery