The Importance of Evaluator Training in the ABHES Accreditation Process
A Policy Statement
An integral part of the ABHES accreditation process is on-site evaluation, conducted by peers qualified by education and experience relevant to the review at hand and trained on ABHES standards, policies and procedures, resulting in assessments that enable the Commission to carry out its function in making accreditation determinations.
The importance of the challenge you have undertaken, to serve ABHES as an evaluator, cannot be understated. You are the eyes and ears of the ABHES Commission. You represent ABHES; not only as an evaluator, but given the grave importance of the evaluation process to accreditation itself, what you say and do and your abilities as an evaluator is reflective of ABHES. Therefore, ABHES is committed to ensuring each evaluator has the necessary background and experience and is thoroughly trained to carry out this important function.
Minimum Qualifications
Team Leaders - (a) at least two years of related education or administrative experience; and (b) previous service on site visits with ABHES or other recognized accrediting agencies
Program Specialists - (a) at least two years of related experience; (b) appropriate educational background, (c) credentialing in the field, as required for employment, (d) evidence of teaching or development of curriculum or service as a practitioner, and (e) evidence of currency in the field through active participation in the profession.
Qualifications to Evaluate Academic Associate Degree Programs
Collectively, the on-site evaluators or evaluator of an Academic Associate degree program must meet the following criteria in order to assure that the resulting evaluation is conducted by those possessing appropriate education and experience:
1. Evidence that the individual holds a credential beyond that being evaluated and possesses the necessary educational and/or experiential background to effectively evaluate the degree is required.
2. A minimum of three years full-time work experience as a teacher or administrator or a combination of teaching and administration in a postsecondary program that awards an academic associate degree, baccalaureate degree or graduate degree, or a minimum of three years full-time work experience in the occupational field to which the degree offered by the program ultimately leads. Work experience and/or education must include proficiency in educational curriculum design and development and instructional methods
Qualifications to Evaluate Programs Offered Through Distance Delivery
For the evaluation of a program, or portion of a program, offered through distance delivery, the evaluator must possess (a) appropriate documented experience with distance education which can include, but not be limited to, teaching distance education, attendance at seminars and conferences related to distance education, and familiarity with ABHES distance education criteria (b) knowledge of the various electronic delivery systems platforms available for distance education (i.e. Blackboard, ECollege, Angel, etc.) and training in at least one of these, and (c) completion of the training program offered by ABHES prior to conducting on-site evaluation visits.
Training Requirements
Minimum training requirements for new evaluators include comprehensive review of current training materials, which may include physical attendance at an evaluator training workshop conducted by ABHES at least twice annually. In addition, all evaluators are directed to the website of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education http://www.acpe-accredit.org/edcenter/sitevisits/ which links to an evaluator training area developed by members of the Association of Specialized Programmatic Accreditors (ASPA), of which ABHES is an active member. The Web site link, Guide to Accreditation, provides general, yet extremely useful information on the role of accreditation site visitors.
Evaluator training for ABHES is combined with participation in the its Evaluator Mentorship Program which pairs new and seasoned evaluators, allowing for in-depth conversation, including time for questions and answers, both before, during, and after the evaluation visit.
In all cases, new evaluators will have the ABHES staff at their sides during initial school visits, to answer questions and direct the evaluator as necessary. The team leader will also be a great source of information and assistance.
Required Materials
New evaluators must submit the following documents prior to serving on an evaluation team:
1. A signed statement agreeing to adhere to the ABHES statement of confidentiality, Disclosure and Recusal Concerning Actions Involving Potential Conflicts of Interest.
2. A completed Evaluator Area of Expertise form.
3. A current resume or vitae which must document all educational and experiential background, particularly that required for the level or type of review, as specified above.
Of utmost importance to ABHES is that it provides the necessary information and tools to its evaluators so that you may accomplish the evaluation task effectively and in accordance with ABHES guidelines.
Thank you for all you do for ABHES!
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Evaluator Training Policy