CPE Activity Packet - Guidance and Resource Materials
The following information is provided to you as a guide to developing a dynamic and educationally effective CPE activity.
CPE Mission and Goals
All LPA approved CPE activities must support the CPE Mission and Goals.
Mission
The CPE mission of the Louisiana Pharmacists Association is to provide ethical, evidence-based continuing education activities. Continuing Education activities are designed for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, and performance behaviors that will expand or enhance practice competencies.
Goals
- Develop activities that utilize teaching methods that are engaging and assist pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to expand their knowledge and enhance their skills.
- Seek expertise in the field to deliver the highest quality education using evidence-based facts with application to true practice situations.
- Increase the number of pharmacy technician specific educational activities.
- Assess Louisiana licensed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians yearly to identify learning and practice gaps and plan activities to try to lessen those gaps.
- Provide activities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians within the state of Louisiana to meet requirements for re-licensure and recertification.
- Build a culture of learning to encourage pharmacists and technicians to move toward self-directed, life-long learning.
Activity Types Defined
Knowledge-Based CPE - Recall of facts, Transmit Knowledge, Cognitive Learning, Theoretical Emphasis
These CPE activities should be designed to acquire factual knowledge, based on evidence as accepted by health care professionals. In addition, the activity should strive to fill specific knowledge gaps about a particular topic or practice. Learning assessments for knowledge-based activities may include quizzes, pre- and post-surveys/tests, group discussion, and fill-in activities. For a more comprehensive review of learning assessment examples, please click here.
Application-Based CPE - Apply Learned Information, Affective Learning, Limited Practical Emphasis
These CPE activities should be designed to apply information learned. These activities should require multiple thought steps to apply the learned knowledge to practical and real-life situations. Learning assessments for application-based activities may include case studies (individual or small groups), hands on workshop activities, simulations, or role playing. For a more comprehensive review of learning assessment examples, please click here.
Developing Learning Objectives
Activity learning objectives should be S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-Focused, Time-Focused). They should be appropriate for the activity type (knowledge- or application-based) and coincide with learning assessment activities. When developing objectives, ask the questions:
- What is the knowledge gap(s) that this activity will address?
- What should the target audience be able to accomplish at the end of the activity?
- How are they going to accomplish it in the time alotted?
- How will this accomplishment be measured?
Also when developing objectives, remember that they should describe the learner outcome, and not the instructor's methods of presenting the material. Each objective should only contain one action verb. LPA promotes Bloom's Taxonomy model for appropriate and measurable verbs (actions) that can be observed to assess the participant's learning. Following are examples of appropriate verbs for activity types.
- Knowledge-based CPE
- Knowledge-type verbs: define, describe, repeat, list, record, label, outline, recognize, select, identify
- Comprehension-type verbs: convert, distinguish, explain, summarize, translate, intrepret
- Application-based CPE
- Application-type verbs: apply, change, compute, demonstrate, operate, prepare, solve, produce, modify, employ, practice
- Analysis-type verbs: analyze, contrast, diagram, distinguish, illustrate, outline, separate, compare, diagram, calculate, debate
- Synthesis-type verbs: categorize, combine, compile, design, organize, reconstruct, revise, plan, modify
- Evaluation-type verbs: appraise, conclude, contrast, critique, justify, evaluate, interpret
As a reminder, if both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are the target audience, they must have separate and distinct objectives.
Active Learning Techniques
LPA requires the use of active learning techniques in all CPE activities. Active learning encourages the participants to process and apply knowledge gained during the activity. Active participation requires them to listen, talk and reflect, thereby enhancing attention, comprehension, and retention. During a traditional lecture, participants' attention often wanes, and drastically decreases after the first 10 minutes. Traditional lectures also create a passive learning environment while active participation requires the audience to assume a parcipatory role.
Some recommendations when including active learning techniques:
- Select techniques that you, as the faculty, feel comfortable
- Develop a goal for the technique and determine when in the activity the technique will occur
- Determine what preparation and resources that you (and LPA) will require to effectively use the technique
- Develop a plan for the technique, and collect feedback after implentation
- Use the feedback to improve the technique for future activities
Examples of active learning techniques:
- Knowledge-based CPE
- Small and large group discussions
- Audience response systems (LPA may provide for certain planned seminars or conventions. Please contact LPA to confirm if it will be offered at the time you are presenting.)
- Audience response cards (Download Template. Upon request, LPA can aid in producing in multiple, distinguishable colors.)
- Pre- and Post- tests (Upon request, LPA may assist with distributing tests by electronic survey prior to and/or following an activity.)
- Interactive Games
- Fill-in or matching questions and answers
- Application-based CPE
- Role-play
- Simulations
- Case-Studies (approached individually or with a small group)
- Application or Practice exercises
- Problem-solving scenarios
Educational Material
LPA must approve all educational material prior to the date of the activity. Educational material includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- PowerPoint presentations
- Videos
- Case-Studies
- Role-Play / Simulation scripts
- Handouts
Take-home handouts or resources should be available to participants. This will help ensure the continued reflection and retention of the knowledge and/or skills learned during the activity. These materials should also be submitted for approval.
Visual Aids Tips
- Keep visuals simple - one idea should be conveyed per visual
- Use as outlines for content
- Use as a reminder to keep yourself focused
- Place points in order of importance
- Use bullets rather than letters or numbers (except for audience response questions)
- Do not use all caps - hard to read
- Use graphics instead of text whenever possible (i.e. graphs, charts)
- Use easy to read fonts and colors
- Text slide tips: no more than 6-7 lines of text per slide; no more than 6-7 words per line; no more than 5 words in a title
Handout / Resources Tips
- Focus on reproducing graphics (charts, tables, etc) that are difficult to copy during the activity
- Provide bibliography or reference list if you refer to specific studies or publications
Learning Assessment Techniques
LPA requires the use of appropriate learning assessment techniques for each activity.
- Knowledge-based CPE
- Memory Matrix - a 2-dimensional diagram, divided into rows and columns, to organize information and illustrate relationships. This technique assesses the ability to recall content and display skill in organizing information.
- The Minute Paper - a quick way to collect written feedback on participant learning. Faculty poses a question and the participants are given 1-2 minutes to write a response. Responses may be collected so faculty and CPE staff can assess the learning.
- The Muddiest Point - the most highly efficient technique to find what participants find least clear or most confusing on the topic.
- Background Knowledge Probe - a pre-test. This is usually followed by a post-test, as well.
- Application-based CPE
- Defining a Features Matrix - categorizes concepts according to the presence or absence of important defining features. This allows participants to distinguish similar concepts.
- Pro and Con Grid - an analysis of pros and cons, costs and benefits, or advantages and disadvantages of a topic. This forces participants to identify two sides to the issue in question.
- Problem Recognition Tasks - presenting a few examples of common problem types and participants identify the type of problem each example presents.
- Directed Paraphrasing - participant translates information into terms they will understand. This assesses the learners' ability to summarize and restate important information and concepts.
- Application Cards - used after participants have heard an important principle, theory, or procedure. Faculty then hands out index cards and asks the participants to write down at least one possible, real-world application.
Click here for more information about each of these techniques, as provided by ACPE.
Technology Tools
The following technology tools are available and may be used to enhance your activity. LPA does not have any commerical interest in any of these tools. Unless otherwise noted, LPA does not have an account or license to share - faculty must create their own account or purchase the rights to the software where applicable.
- Video Tools
- Presentation Design Tools
- Survey Tools
- Blogging / Social Media Tools
- Conferencing Tools
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