MIAMI UNIVERSITY LOCAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (MULPDC)

Philosophy 

It is the responsibility of all Miami University staff members who hold professional licenses in the teaching profession or related fields to be updating and continually examining their own professional development. The Miami University Local Professional Development Committee (MULPDC) will support Miami community members who need a local organization to recognize and legitimate their efforts toward professional development that leads to the continuation of licensure and certification. The MULPDC is a flexible, professional organization oriented towards the needs of a talented, diverse pool of practitioners interested in maintaining their professional status in fields related to their current work and necessary for their continued personal and professional growth across careers and institutions.

Purpose

The purpose of the MULPDC is to review professional development activities completed by full and part-time educators and staff within the University that are to be used for the renewal of certificates and licenses. The MULPDC does not issue certificates or licenses; that authority is solely reserved for the Ohio Department of Education. Therefore, MULPDC will:

• Plan, promote, and facilitate the connection between an effective and efficient professional educator IPDP and state license renewal standards;
• Determine whether professional development activities meet the requirement for licensure renewal;
• Validate the skills and knowledge gained through educator professional development by the approval and issuance of Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CEUs are approved units in established educational experiences, educational programs, and seminars not offered for semester hour

Criteria for coursework or professional development activities

The following guidelines describe the criteria by which MULPDC will judge the merits and values for professional development activities conducted by its members toward continuing licensing and certification. First, the Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) should reflect the mission of Miami University and its manifestation in the life and work of the applicant.  Second, the professional development experiences planned and taken by the applicant should help to foster the purpose of Miami University, the field of study, and the practice of the discipline in the field.

1.   Taking a college course to fulfill continuing licensure or certification requirements.

The MULPDC recognizes that many members will pursue coursework in higher education in order to renew or transition a license or certificate. It should be noted that any person seeking renewal can communicate directly with the state by submitting forms, fees, and transcripts through the renewal and transitional licensure processes

(see www.ode.state.oh.us for more information).  If a Miamian intends to fulfill their professional development by taking courses, they do not have to have an affiliation with the MULPDC.

For the applicant’s information, coursework should be in education or in a content area directly related to the individual’s teaching field or other related professional field. The course must be taken through an accredited college or other approved post-secondary educational institution. The Ohio Department of Education will be the final arbiter regarding the acceptance or non-acceptance of coursework for license or certificate renewal.

2.   Taking or teaching a seminar/workshop through a Professional Development Provider to fulfill continuing licensure or certification requirements.

Teaching a seminar/workshop or teaching an adult vocational technical course or college course or professional presentation can be submitted to MULPDC.

10 clock hours of contact = 1.0 CEU

According to our guidelines, a course syllabus or copy of the presentation of the seminar or workshop must be turned in for credit to be granted.

3.   Participating in a Self or Group-Directed Education Project to fulfill continuing licensure or certification requirements.

A Self or Group-directed educational project that applies educational skills and knowledge towards the development of a final product such as in curriculum development or grant writing, or other related work experience, qualifies for CEUs.

10 clock hours = 1.0 CEU

Writing an official course of study/curriculum or serving on a formal committee organized by an educational agency or organization qualify. A written grant need not be awarded to receive CEUs (however, it must be submitted for review to a funder). A copy of the final product or report of the project; a copy of the grant proposal and documentation of clock hours for planning and preparation; and a statement of verification by a supervisor must be submitted to the MULPDC to be considered for credit in this category.

4.  Participating in a School District or Agency to fulfill continuing licensure or certification requirements.

CEU credit will be considered when an applicant participates as a peer coach; mentor; agency volunteer; cooperating teacher or supervisor for student teachers; presenter at a professional conference; presenter at a professional workshop; presenter at a professional institute.

10 clock Hours = 1.0 CEU

According to our guidelines, each experience must be documented with items such as agendas for meetings, conference schedules or proceedings, copies of registrations, etc.

Relationship Between the MULPDC and The Professions in Education

The MULPDC strives to recognize activities engaged in by its members that advance the goals and mission of the university and wider educational community.

Personal/professional goals of the members should be tied to Miami University’s goals and student learning in the university or wider community and focus on one or more of the following areas:

• Curriculum/content knowledge
• Pedagogical and professional skills
• Family partnerships and development
• Community Partnerships
• Leadership

Composition and selection of the membership of the MULPDC

The MULPDC consists of three members housed professionally in positions in the College of Education, Health & Society (EHS). 

Operational Procedures

The member applicants must submit an Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) to the MULPDC. The development of the Individual Professional Development Plan is a process that allows educators to plan and prepare for the recertification/licensure process by setting goals, identifying objectives, predicting outcomes, analyzing educational strategies and evaluating current practice. The MULPDC is responsible for determining whether the professional development activities that an educator proposes for meeting the educator licenses standards promulgated by the State Board of Education reflect the IPDP. In essence, the MULPDC reviews the professional development activities proposed by members and makes the appropriate recommendation.

The candidate’s IPDP is to submitted simultaneously with all documented activities.

The pieces of documentation that are to be submitted in one (1) pdf are:

• A Cover Memo to the committee noting the date of the request, name of the applicant, and a short description of the materials attached
• The IPDP
• The Cover Sheet
• A Copy of the Professional Development Activities Log Sheet for each of the items requested for review (for example, a log sheet for each course taught, etc.)
• Supporting materials for each activity request such as a syllabus

The MULPDC typically addresses cases for licensure renewal that require the equivalent of CEUs that match the requirement of 6 university graduate credit hours.  That equivalent is 18 CEUs.  One CEU is constituted by 10 hours of contact time.

We ask that those submitting credit requests for college level courses taught as Professional Development claim 50 hours of contact time or 5 CEUs for each 3-hour course taught.  Over time, we have settled on this formula and most members submit four course sections taught (for 3 hours each, they don’t have to be different course numbers/titles) for 20 CEUs to clear the typical threshold of 18 CEUs.

If the MULPDC declines to award credit for submitted requests, applicants may appeal for a re-consideration by the committee. This appeal must be made in writing before the end of the semester in which the request was made.

Email questions to and/or submit all documentation for your request as noted above to Tom Poetter, MULPDC Chair, at poettets@miamioh.edu.