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College members who finished one of approximately 200 Additional Qualification (AQ) courses after June 29, 2001 can count on four credits of the 14 that they are required to complete within a five-year cycle for the government-mandated Professional Learning Program (PLP). The College’s Professional Learning Committee took a first step in establishing the scale of credits at its meeting on January 21, when it dealt with issues of multiple and retroactive credits for the PLP. Courses are submitted for approval for PLP credit by providers who have already been approved by the committee. The committee also determined at its meeting which core areas are covered by each AQ, including the Principal’s Qualification Program. The list of AQs, with the core areas they cover, are listed on the College web site at www.oct.ca ‹ PLP ‹ AQ Credits along with all courses approved by the committee so far. The committee did not assign a credit value to one program, the Supervisory Officer’s Qualification Program, which will be decided at a future meeting. All College members are eligible to earn Additional Basic Qualification/Additional Qualification credits for courses finished on or after June 30, 2001. TWO FOR SUMMER INSTITUTES Other professional learning activities will be eligible for multiple credits. Three and four-day institutes or conferences, curriculum writing, Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) sessions, a research project, or the development and delivery of a Professional Learning Program course will all be eligible for two or more PLP credits. One or two-day conferences, training sessions, symposiums or workshops will all be eligible for one credit. The credit assigned to a specific course, and whether or not it covers a core area, will be decided during the approval process. These are not the only activities, however, that will be eligible for PLP credits. OTHER ACTIVITIES "The list of activities that the committee will consider for credit is not limited to what has now been approved," said Rick Chambers, manager of the College’s PLP unit. "These decisions were made based on the applications the committee has so far received. But providers should seek approval for whatever activities they think will fit the program. "Providers might find it useful to look at the Professional Learning Framework for the Teaching Profession for the College’s perspective on what constitutes professional learning for teachers," said Chambers. The framework is available on the College’s web site. The committee has also established a number of principles to help guide course providers in preparing their course applications. Generally, approval will be given to courses that reflect the College’s standards of practice and ethical standards, enhance student learning and achievement and contain a formal assessment mechanism appropriate for adult learning. Courses must also clearly reflect the Ontario educational context. "Our members can be confident that wherever the provider is located, any courses they offer for PLP credit will reflect College members’ professional needs," said Chambers. |
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