D. Portfolio Materials and Evaluation

Materials to be Included in the Portfolio

1. All admission materials
2. A detailed educational plan (including projected timeline) for Phases I and II.
3. Webinar responses
4. Up to 3 pieces of evidence for each competency (quality is more important than quantity) should be provided. Except for items that are a few sentences in length, hyperlinks should be used in the competency form to link the reader to the specific piece of evidence located in the portfolio.

!The ACPE Certified Educator who is the training educator must review, assess, and approve each competency on assessment forms, with comments, prior to the CEC seeking a formal review. This must occur for Admissions, Phase I, and Phase II.

5. Student materials including weekly reflections/process notes, presentations, video clips, etc.
6. Supervisory vignettes from Phase I and Phase II
7. At least one full IPR/process group video from Phase I and from Phase II. Include a self-evaluation of each one.
8. The theory integration project and presentation
9. Sample final evaluations written by the CEC and their students
10. ACPE Certified Educator evaluations and CEC self-evaluations

*The ACPE Certified Educator and the CEC will each write a formal written evaluation a minimum of every 6 months in both Phase I and Phase II. Both evaluations should focus on the competencies that the CEC is actively pursuing. The final evaluation should be signed and dated by both the CE and CEC and stored as part of the program’s files.

11. Program Evaluations
12. Other items that the CEC deems essential to demonstrating the competencies

The evaluation of the portfolio occurs at multiple points during the Certification process and involves multiple persons.

!All required portfolio materials listed above must be updated and current prior to the scheduling of meetings for Phase I and Phase II assessment of competencies.

A Certification Commissioner is assigned to oversee each aspirant’s process. This oversight is to ensure that once accepted into the Certification process, that the Certified Educator Candidate (CEC) is progressing at an appropriate timeframe and that the various components of the process occur smoothly.

!Please Note: All competency assessment forms are to be uploaded and saved until the conclusion of the CEC’s certification process. This will include any assessment forms where the the aspirant/CEC was not granted completion of a particular phase.

Admissions

The aspirant uploads all required materials into their portfolio a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the interview and grants full access to the participants of the ACPE Admission Interview Team. Then, prior to the interview, the team assesses the aspirant’s materials based on the Competencies for Admission. The form sets forth the behavioral descriptors that are associated with the required competency and serves as the foundation for the decision-making process of the interview team.

Phase I

There are two foci of assessment during Phase I. The first is the Theory Integration Presentation and the second, upon having met all of the required competencies, is the transition from Phase I to Phase II. The Theory Integration Presentation process involves a mentor, who is chosen by the CEC in coordination with the Certification Commission Chair, and the review team, all of whom have participated in training with the Certification Commission. The mentor will determine when the CEC is ready to present to the review team. The mentor and the review team will assess the CEC’s presentation and on behalf of the Certification Commission, will either affirm the presentation or note areas of improvement and the steps to address those areas. While the Theory Integration Presentation is a distinct learning activity, it is also through this process that an aspirant will be demonstrating certain competencies required in Phase I. The mentor and review team will attest to the demonstration of these competencies.

Throughout Phase I, the CEC will be adding materials to the portfolio that will serve as the “evidence” of having demonstrated each competency; i.e. for each required competency, there must be data or artifacts that clearly show how the CEC has met it.

At the end of Phase I, there will be both informal and formal reviews of the CEC’s portfolio. The informal review of the CEC’s portfolio will take place with the CEC’s peer group. The formal review, at which it will be decided that the CEC is ready to move into Phase II, will include the training educator, the Certification Commission Reviewer, and an additional National Faculty representative. This group will review the evidence, data, and artifacts to ensure that the CEC has adequately demonstrated each competency. Following their review, they will provide feedback to the CEC, highlighting areas of accomplishment, and areas for continued focus.

Phase II

Similar to Phase I, the CEC will continue to add evidence to the portfolio that documents how each competency has been attained. The culmination of Phase II is the Integration Interview, which leads to Certification as an ACPE Certified Educator.

The Integration Interview may only be scheduled when the CEC has sufficiently attained all of the required competencies in Phase II as determined by the training educator and verified by Certification Commission Reviewer. By scheduling the Integration Interview, the Certification Commission Reviewer and the training educator are affirming that the CEC is ready to be an ACPE Certified Educator.

The Integration Interview consists of five (5) persons:

1. The training educator
2. The Certification Commission Reviewer
3. The Theory Integration Presentation Mentor
4. A Certification Commissioner who was not part of the CEC’s process (assigned by the ACPE office)
5. A National Faculty Member (chosen by the CEC)

Any concerns about the CEC’s competence that arise from a review of the portfolio shall be addressed in advance of the Integration Interview and may necessitate its postponement. In preparation for the Integration Interview, the team will review the CEC’s materials and will prepare questions for the CEC. During the interview, which will last between 1 ½ – 2 hours, the team will engage the CEC, challenge the CEC with questions, and affirm the CEC’s accomplishments.

At the end of the interview, barring any major issues, the CEC will be an ACPE Certified Educator. The team may provide a professional development plan for the newly Certified Educator to strengthen particular areas. In the rare event that the Integration Interview is terribly unsuccessful, a follow-up assessment will take place to determine the best course of action.