BEING EFFECTIVE IN CPE Elements of effective practice in CPE:Elements of effective practice in CPE: –Ethical dimensions of practice –Concepts of professionals both as learners and participants –Institutional context of practice –Approaches to program development and evaluation

The elements are interrelatedThe elements are interrelated What constitutes effective practice? The answers will provide the criteria to evaluate and improve CPEWhat constitutes effective practice? The answers will provide the criteria to evaluate and improve CPE

Continuing Educators as Professionals  Critical viewpoint offers the most accurate understanding of professional practice  Should be the foundation for effectiveness  Continuing educators make choices about the nature of the problem to be solved as well as how to solve it  They rarely apply principles  There is a need to be aware of the range of choices

Understanding Effective Practice  CPE educators’ practice must be rooted in ethical, contextual, and epistemological bases  Ethical Basis of Practice:  Education must be based on ideals, what is right and what is wrong  Therefore, practice can be judged as effective only with respect to a particular ethical framework

 Sometimes CPE educators unaware that they make ethical choices because they choose technical language to describe practice  Professions have differing ethical frameworks  Ethical understanding is central and important criterion by which decisions are made

 Contextual Basis of Practice:  CPE educators practice in context of varying personalities, shifting expectations, conflicting goals and limited resources  Effective practice must be judged by what is best in a given set of circumstances  Need to understand why educators do what they do when they do it  The primary context is institutional setting (providers of CPE)  Guidelines can be used as criteria of effective practice and must be based on actual situation

 Epistemological Basis of Practice:  A study of how people know/learn something  How CPE practitioners learn how to practice CPE  What kind of knowledge needed in order to be effective  Technical rationality not adequate to explain effective practice in CPE  Declarative knowledge also not enough  Appropriate epistemology needed for educators to practice in unique, uncertain and changing contexts of CPE practice

 Reflection-in-action is the right epistemology  Educators need to construct the situation to make it solvable  For example, TNA. According to declarative knowledge or technical rationality, you just apply the theory but, situation is indeterminate. So educators must make it determinate, one in which he is relatively certain about the correct course of action. Past experience in the repertoire of practical knowledge is used to make sense of current situation and to act

The interrelationship of elements in effective practice of CPE Effective practice in CPE means making the best judgment in a specific contest and for a specified ethical framework Effective practice in CPE means making the best judgment in a specific contest and for a specified ethical framework

Improving Practice of CPE  Technical Rationality, Declarative Knowledge, and Knowing-In-Action provides basis for Reflection-In-Action 1.We must also reflect on our RIA to find out how we become expert so that we can use it again and to teach others 2.Practice can also be improved by participating in formal CPE program using experientially based methods (case studies, simulations, role plays, etc)

3.Educators see themselves as researchers of their own practice. Must do experiments 4.Researcher of CPE (academicians) also have a role to play in improving practice More research needed All the knowledge can be shared with other educators, researchers, and students in CPE in writings, presentation in meetings, workshops, seminars, or classrooms teaching