2007 Annual Reports for Boards and Committees

Continuing Education Committee

Continuing Education Committee: Jeffrey M. Rankin, DMH (Chair); Sally Oakes Edman, PhD; David S. Glenwick, PhD; Rodney K. Goodyear, PhD; William A. MacGillivray, PhD; Robert J. Maiden, PhD; Greg Neimeyer, PhD; Joanne Peeler, PhD; Nadine Revheim, PhD; Elizabeth Swenson, PhD, JD; W. Louise Warren, PhD; Douglas M. Wear, PhD; John E. Williams, PhD; Mark Zelig, PhD. 

Staff Liaison: Karen Kanefield

Continuing Education in Psychology Activities at the 2007 APA Convention in San Francisco

• The Continuing Education Committee reviewed 153 workshop proposals and, of these, 71 workshops were presented at the 2007 convention in San Francisco.  A total of 1077 individuals enrolled for these workshops.  Evaluation data from workshop participants continue to reflect a high level of satisfaction with the quality and value of these programs.  There were four preconvention workshops also held. 

• 178 general convention sessions were offered for CE credit at the 2007 Annual Convention and approximately 625 individuals completed the follow-up materials to request CE credit for their attendance.  We anticipate offering 175 CE sessions at the 2008 convention in Boston.

Sponsor Approval System

During 2007, the Continuing Education Committee reviewed a total of 239 applications from organizations seeking approval as sponsors of continuing education for psychologists.

• 90 were new applications of which 12 were denied and 4 were deferred.
• As of December 31, 2007, 780 organizations were listed as APA-approved sponsors of continuing education for psychologists.
• CEC reviewed 33 applications for one-time course approval.
• A roundtable for approved sponsors was held at the 2007 APA Convention in San Francisco and was attended by representatives from approximately 35 sponsors.
• The Committee hosted a session entitled “Continuing Education and the APA: Issues, Innovations and Realities in Professional Learning” at the August 2007 APA Annual Convention.  The session was chaired by CE Committee members Jeff Rankin, DMH (chair) and Greg Neimeyer, PhD.  The invited panelists were Jo Linder-Crow, PhD, Director, California Psychological Association and Melvin Rogers, PhD, Past Chair, Pennsylvania Psychological Association. 
• The Committee disseminated a web-based survey to all sponsors in June and received a total of 248 responses.  Responses to the survey were discussed at the Committee’s September 2007 meeting, and the Committee will be developing methods for obtaining ongoing feedback from sponsors on a variety of topics.
• The Committee had a policy retreat in advance of its September 2007 meeting, during which it conducted a comprehensive review of the Standards and Criteria Manual, which has now been in use for two years.  As a result of this review, the Committee is recommending a change to Criterion D.1.2.  This proposed revision is currently out for a 90-day public comment period.  Feedback will be reviewed by the Committee at its March 2008 meeting.  Assuming that no major changes are made, this proposed revision will then be sent to the Board of Educational Affairs for review.  This proposed revision will ultimately require approval by the Council of Representatives.
• As a follow-up to its November 2006 meeting, members of the Continuing Education Committee and the Committee for the Advancement of Professional Practice, along with staff members from the Education and Practice Directorates, met during the Spring 2007 consolidated meetings to discuss issues related to acceptable program content for CE credit.  CEC members shared the documents developed during its September 2006 and March 2007 meetings.  These documents are now part of the Sponsor Approval System application form to provide additional guidance to sponsors and applicants. 

Continuing Education in Psychology Independent Study Programs

Approximately 89 APA book/journals and DVD-based independent study programs are currently offered. 

In addition, the APA Online Academy currently hosts 7 programs.  These programs are a blend of multimedia presentations with downloadable PowerPoint slides.

Continuing Education Committee Chairs

Jeffrey Rankin, DMH served as Chair for 2007, and Sally Oakes Edman, PhD served as Vice-Chair.  At the October 2007 meeting, the Committee selected Dr. Edman to serve as Chair for 2008.  Douglas Wear, PhD will serve as Vice-Chair.

CEC Composition

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