> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:48 -0400 "Ed Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com> wrote: > > I do not assume that there is a necessary linkage between continuing education credits and recertification exams. > The RPT certification and recertification is/would be a category in itself. > Continuing education credits as a voluntary demonstration of efforts to expand and maintain lifelong learning can be another category. > The Passport to Exellence program had no bearing on RPT status. > Ed > Ed, The starting point of this discussion was an attempt to find ways to enhance the RPT certification so that it would have more credibility and visibility in institutional hiring. The above is just a "feel good" idea, that might spark some initial interest, but will very likely peter out - because there are no real incentives or enhancements involved. The Passport to Excellence program petered out - partly because of administrative problems, and mostly due to lack of interest. Personally I find the idea of handing out "gold stars" to adults (whatever shape or form they might take) in a continuing-education-for-its-own-sake scheme pretty - well - insulting. And it probably is not a very good motivator - it wasn't for testing, when the RPT program amounted to nothing more than a big "gold star", and it won't be with continuing education either. This is the sort of thing that denigrates rather than enhances our professional standing. These sort of internal "beauty contest" tests and quizzes might massage some egos, but they won't do much to improve our professional standing (or, I suspect, the pursuit of continuing education among our members). Continuing education requirements for maintaining the RPT certification can have a major positive effect on its credibility and marketability. Without this sort of tie-in -well, frankly speaking, there are more advantageous ways of using the resources and energies of this organization than developing and maintaining an administrative apparatus whose sole purpose is to hand out "gold stars". Israel Stein
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