FCS Leader Insights - American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS)


 

"Earning Acceptable PDUs is Easier Than You Think!"

Cynthia M. Smith
Former Chair, Council for Certification

The Council for Certification is committed to the continued growth and development of the AAFCS Certification Program. As such, one of the primary outcomes established for 2000 is to increase the number of professionals Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences through planned marketing efforts to retain, reclaim, and recruit program participants.

The Council is proud that historically (over the last 10 years) approximately one-third of the AAFCS members have maintained their certification, as compared to 10% of members in most other certification programs nationwide. On an average, over the last 5 years, the AAFCS Certification Program has retained 90% of its professional participants. However, the 90% retention rate is slowly dwindling, and for a variety of reasons, including retirements, low number of new participants, and yearly lapses leading to revocations.

When revocation letters are mailed from the Office of Certification, surveys are mailed with each in an attempt to understand the reason(s) precipitating the lapse in certification. Invariably, of those returning the survey, one of the prevalent reasons given includes "the inability to earn the required PDUs" because of time constraints or lack of professional development opportunities in the area.

Certified professionals, earning 75 PDUs over a 3-year period is quite easy. Realizing the different backgrounds, locations, and involvements of the potential pool of certified professionals, a myriad of acceptable avenues were outlined early in the development of the program to ensure that CFCS professionals would be able to maintain their certification status... easily.

So, why are some finding it difficult to earn the required PDUs? Perhaps, it is because many may not be aware of the variety of acceptable activities through which PDUs can be earned. Are you aware that PDUs can be earned for academic courses, competitive educational fellowships, continuing education, design competitions, educational travel, juried exhibitions, exhibits, professional meetings/in-service programs/workshops, poster sessions and curriculum showcases, post baccalaureate internships, all sorts of publications, and preapproved (by the Office of Certification) self studies? Details concerning each of these ways of earning PDUs are outlined at length in the CFCS publication, Maintaining Certification. The information following is a simple summary of the details elaborated on in the publication.

For a complete list of PDU opportunities please click here.

As revealed by this listing, earning acceptable PDUs is easier than you think! As active professionals serving individuals and families from many perspectives, the array of acceptable activities indeed provide for individualization and breadth consistent with the mission of Family and Consumer Sciences. Review the acceptable activities.

Earning Professional Development Units
Acceptable activities for earning PDUs include the following:

    • ACADEMIC COURSES
    • COMPETITIVE EDUCATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DESIGN COMPETITIONS
    • EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL
    • EXHIBITIONS
    • EXHIBITS
    • LEADERSHIP
    • PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS, IN-SERVICE PROGRAMS, AND WORKSHOPS
    • POSTER SESSIONS AND CURRICULUM SHOWCASES
    • POST- BACCALAUREATE INTERNSHIPS
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • BOOKS
    • JOURNAL ARTICLES
    • RESEARCH ARTICLES
    • EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
    • COMPUTER PROGRAMS/SOFTWARE
    • TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS
    • ABSTRACTS
    • INFORMATIONAL ARTICLES
    • BOOK REVIEWS

SAMPLE PDU ACTIVITIES

Workshops

06/15/06-06/18/06

American Dietetics Association
Infant Nutrition

5.0


Presentations

10/17/06

Marshall County Teachers Association
Presenter: Effective Classroom Management

4.0


Self-Studies

08/01/06-08/28/06

Nutrition Dimensions
Self-Study: Diet, Emotions & Behavior

7.0


Publications

9/01/06

National Council of Family Relations,
Journal of Marriage and the Family, Fall edition
Co-author - Research Article - "The Changing Family"

5.0

10/15/06

The Orlando Sentinel
Single Author - Informational Article - "Financial Considerations When Purchasing a New Home"

2.0

06/1/07

The Berkeley Publishing Group
Single Author: Raising a Teenager in Uncertain Times

45.0


Academic Courses

09/04/06-12/15/06

Green University
Computer Technology and Applications

45.0


Design Competitions

05/16/06

International Textile and Apparel Association
2nd place - Design Competition - "Sleepwear for Physically Challenged Infants"