QAS Transitin Reviewer Checklist This Checklist is a tl Natinal Registry reviewers use (i) t rganize the apprach t reviewing and analyzing an applicatin and (ii) t bring unifrmity t the prcess amng the varius reviewers. The Statement n Standards fr Cntinuing Prfessinal Educatin (CPE) Prgrams (2012)(Standards) is the ultimate guide fr review and determinatin f acceptability. 1. Prgram falls within ne, r mre, f the CPE subject areas. Standard Ns. 4, 9, and 18 and Field f Study Classificatin Indicate the apprpriate field f study classificatin fr the prgram. If the prgram includes mre than ne field f study, then CPE credit recmmendatins shuld be made accrdingly. Accunting Accunting Auditing Auditing (Gvernmental) (Gvernmental) Administrative Practice Behaviral Ethics Business Law Business Management & Organizatin Cmmunicatins Cmputer Science Ecnmics Finance Management Advisry Marketing Mathematics Persnal Develpment Svc Persnnel/HR Prductin Regulatry Ethics Scial Envirnment f Business Specialized Knwledge & Applicatins Statistics Taxes 2. Develp prgrams specifically fr instructinal use. Standards fr CPE Prgram Develpment, Standard N. 8-07. Was the material designed specifically fr instructinal use? Is the curse based n prfessinal literature, IRS publicatins r reference material? All materials are chesive and reflect a well-planned design frm start t finish. An Overview f Tpics (Table f Cntents): The curse includes a table f cntent that prvide rganizatinal structure fr the prgram. 1
Instructins: Participants are prvided clear instructins in regarding the curse cmpnents (i.e., existence f definitin f key terms/ glssary; ability t find infrmatin quickly/ index; etc.) Participants are prvided with clear expectatins (i.e., expectatins fr learning and hw this learning will be accmplished) Learning Objectives: Learning bjectives have been clearly defined and included within the curse material fr each significant learning activity. Ability t Find Infrmatin Quickly (Index/Wrd Search): The curse includes an alphabetical index r wrd search functin that allws participants t reference specific infrmatin within the curse. The Definitin f Key Terms (Glssary): The curse cntains a glssary r clearly defines all key wrds within the curse material. 3. Clearly defines learning bjectives and demnstrate a clear plan f study with materials that are specifically develped fr instructinal use in a self-study envirnment. Standards fr CPE Prgram Develpment, Standard Ns. 2. Learning bjectives clearly articulate the knwledge, skills and abilities that can be achieved by participants. Learning bjectives are relevant fr the learning activity. Prgram is develped in a manner cnsistent with the learning bjectives. 2
4. Require prgram spnsr t be qualified in the subject matter. Standards fr CPE Prgram Develpment, Standard N. 4-01. Accrding t the bigraphy, authr is qualified in the subject matter. Accrding t the bigraphy, authr is qualified in self-study instructinal methds. 5. Use materials that are well-written, current, technically accurate, and free f grammatical errrs. Standards fr CPE Prgram Develpment, Standard Ns. 4 and 5 All review questins and examinatin questins are technically accurate. All instructinal materials have been reviewed and are grammatically crrect. The reviewer is independent f the curse develpment team. Accrding t the bigraphy, the reviewer r authr/develper is a CPA, tax attrney, r IRS Enrlled Agent has been invlved in the develpment f the prgram (either as authr/sme r reviewer). (Fr Accunting, Auditing, Taxes curses nly) Curse reviewed by subject matter expert every ne t tw years Curse publicatin/revisin/review date included in curse material. 6. Elicit participant respnses t tests fr understanding f material, ffer evaluative feedback t incrrect respnses, and prvide reinfrcement feedback t crrect respnses. Standards fr CPE Prgram Develpment, Standard N. 8-01, 8-02 and 8-03. The curse cntains at least three review questins per CPE credit. Review questins have been incrprated after each significant learning activity. The curse cntains evaluative feedback fr each incrrect answer chice. (Nt required if rank rder, matching questins, r simulatins) Evaluative feedback indicates why the specific answer chice is incrrect. 3
The curse cntains reinfrcement feedback Reinfrcement feedback indicates why the specific answer is crrect. Review questins test fr understanding f the curse material. Are the questins taken wrd fr wrd frm the curse material? Review questins fcus n the knwledge, skills, and abilities articulated in the learning bjectives? Review questins fllw established educatinal guidelines. Examples: Plausible distracters Negative wrding f questins Incmplete statements in the stem Plar ppsites Length r precisin f crrect answer Questins include clues t crrect answer Pattern created in crrect answer chice All f abve & Bth A and B used apprpriately Nne f abve used apprpriately Use f specific determiners Wrds r phrases prvide clue t answer Independence f questins Apprpriate number f distracters 7. Prgram prvides evidence f satisfactry cmpletin f each prgram. Standards fr CPE Prgram Develpment, Standard N. 8. The final examinatin cntains at least five questins/scred respnses per CPE credit. The final examinatin des nt cntain duplicate review questins (except when recall is the learning strategy). The final examinatin excluded True/False questins. The wrding fr the examinatin questins has been changed significantly frm the review questins and feedback t insure that the examinatin is assessing understanding. 4
Were final examinatin questins taken wrd fr wrd frm the curse material? D questins fcus n specific and imprtant infrmatin frm the curse rather than general r cmmn knwledge? Final examinatin cnfirms that the learning bjectives have been achieved. Final examinatin questins fllw established educatinal guidelines Examples: Plausible distracters Negative wrding f questins Incmplete statements in the stem Plar ppsites Length r precisin f crrect answer Questins include clues t crrect answer Pattern created in crrect answer chice All f abve & Bth A and B used apprpriately Nne f abve used apprpriately Use f specific determiners Wrds r phrases prvide clue t answer Independence f questins Apprpriate number f distracters Participants are required t pass the final examinatin with a minimum f 70% and the requirement is clearly indicated t participants. Is feedback is prvided n the examinatin? Are participants are allwed t retake the examinatin? If feedback is prvided, des the curse draw frm a test bank? If yes, is the test bank f sufficient size t minimize the verlap f test questins? If n, is feedback prvided nly if the participant successful passes the exam? Participants are required t cmplete the final examinatin within ne year f the date f purchase and the requirement is clearly indicated t participants. 5
8. Grant CPE credits based n a methdlgy prvided fr in the Standards. Standards fr CPE Prgram Measurement, Standard N. 14. Methd 1 Pilt Test CPE credits fr the curse have been based n the representative cmpletin time f at least three qualified individuals representing the intended audience f the prgrams. If CPAs were nt included, wh was the intended audience fr the curse? All results appear t represent a reasnable assessment f the cmpletin time (nte: large variances in results shuld be investigated r disregarded) Pilt testers pssess the apprpriate level f knwledge (Nte: Pilt testers shuld have the same level f knwledge as the intended curse participants. i.e.. a pilt tester with extensive knwledge in the subject shuld nt pilt test a basic curse) All pilt testers are independent f the authr and curse reviewers. Methd 2 Wrd Cunt Frmula CPE credits have been based n the prescribed wrd cunt frmula: [(# f wrds/180) + actual audi/vide duratin time + (# f questins * 1.85)]/50 = CPE credit Supplemental material been excluded frm the wrd cunt? Archived Grup Internet Based Prgram The CPE credits have been based n the CPE credits awarded t the riginal presentatin. As an alternative, the archived grup internet prgram can be pilt tested and fllw the pilt testing requirements. 6