ConEd FAQ

1. What are my ConEd requirements as an OAA member?
2. What is CORE learning?
3. What is Self-Directed learning?
4. What types of educational activities can be reported as CORE learning?
5. What types of educational activities can be reported as Self-Directed learning?
6. How do I report CORE learning activities?
7. How do I report Self-Directed learning activities?
8. Reporting points retroactively.
9. Reporting AIA learning credits under the OAA ConEd program.
10. How many learning hours can be carried over to the next Cycle?
11. How many learning hours can be transferred from CORE learning to Self-Directed learning?
12. How many learning hours can be transferred from Self-Directed learning to CORE learning?
13. How do I collect CORE learning hours if I reside outside Ontario?
14. What if I do not complete the requirements for the ConEd Cycle?
15. What if I complete the requirements of the ConEd cycle after the deadline?
16. What if I am unable to fufill the ConEd requirements due to illness or exceptional circumstances?
17. What is a Transcript Audit?

1. What are my ConEd requirements as an OAA member?

The OAA Continuing Education (ConEd) Program is operated on a two-year Cycle basis. The reporting period runs from January 1 to December 31 biennially. The following chart outlines the number of learning hours OAA member have to collect during the two year ConEd Cycle.



	CORE hours	Self-Directed hours
LICENSED ARCHITECTS	15 Hours	55 Hours
NON-PRACTISING ARCHITECTS	0 Hours	35 Hours
LICENSED TECHNOLOGIST OAA	7 Hours	28 Hours
TECHNOLOGIST OAAAS	4 Hours	11 Hours




2. What is CORE learning?

CORE learning provides a fundamental level of knowledge relevant to the practice of architecture and addresses current and emerging needs that are essential to maintain the confidence of clients, the government and to serve and protect the public interest. CORE learning is courses/activities that members choose on their own that are related to their professional practice, and meet the following requirements:

1) Offered by Pre-Approved Providers AND addresses one of the CORE topics

OR

2) Listed on the CORE Opportunities page of the OAA website.

If the activity does not meet the criteria outlined above, members have the option to seek recognition or equivalency for learning activities completed during the ConEd Cycle. In order to have a course assessed for CORE eligibility, a member must submit the Member Request for Equivalency Form to the OAA for consideration.

3. What is Self-Directed learning?

Self-Directed learning is courses/activities that members choose on their own that are related to their professional practice which allow architects to develop areas of special expertise, and to learn more about subjects of professional interest. OAA approval of Self-Directed learning is not available. The OAA does not undertake to accredit or pre-approve programs offered by public groups or organizations as Self-Directed learning, and does not permit the use the OAA name or logo. It is the responsibility of the individual OAA member to determine the appropriateness of a program and its applicability as Self-Directed learning.

4. What types of educational activities can be reported as CORE learning?

The following categories of educational activities are eligible for CORE learning hours under the OAA Continuing Education Program in Cycle Five:
· Conferences/Trade Shows – 15 hours maximum per cycle
· Courses/Workshops – 15 hours maximum per cycle
· Distance Education modules – 15 hours maximum per cycle
· Practical Research – 10 hours maximum per cycle
· Presentations & Teaching – 10 hours maximum per cycle
· Professional Writing – 10 hours maximum per cycle
· Scholarly Research – 15 hours maximum per cycle

The content of the activities listed above must address one of the CORE topics approved by Council for Cycle Five. For individual activity descriptions please visit CORE Activities Allocation Chart.

5. What types of educational activities can be reported as Self-Directed learning?

The following categories of educational activities are eligible for Self-Directed learning hours under the OAA Continuing Education Program in Cycle Five:
· Committee Meetings – 25 hours maximum per cycle
· Conferences/Trade Shows – 15 hours maximum per cycle
· Courses/Workshops – 55 hours maximum per cycle
· Discussion Groups – 25 hours maximum per cycle
· OAA Council -30 hours maximum per cycle
· OAA Standing Committees – 30 hours maximum per cycle
· Mentoring – 30 hours maximum per cycle
· Practical Research – 25 hours maximum per cycle
· Presentations & Teaching – 30 hours maximum per cycle
· Professional Tour – 15 hours maximum per cycle
· Professional Writing – 30 hours maximum per cycle
· Reading – 15 hours maximum per cycle
· Scholarly Research – 55 hours maximum per cycle

For individual activity descriptions please visit Self-Directed Activities Allocation Chart.

6. How do I report CORE learning activities?

1. Go to www.oaa.on.ca
2. Go to “Continuing Education” page
3. Go to “Reporting Hours – Transcripts” (last link on the left navigation bar)
4. Enter your username and password

Your username is your license number, plus your first initial of your first name, plus your last name (e.g. 1234MSmith). If you need further assistance please e-mail Andrew Fuller at: andrewf@oaa.on.ca.
5. Go to "Add Entry"
6. Enter the following information: title, type, provider, hours, date (mm/dd/yyyy)
7. Save

All activities, both CORE and Self-Directed, including OAA Conference Sessions, should be uploaded by OAA members to their web-based transcript. The OAA will no longer be recording any hours on OAA members’ transcripts (effective January 1, 2008).


7. How do I report Self-Directed learning activities?

1. Go to www.oaa.on.ca
2. Go to “Continuing Education” page
3. Go to “Reporting Hours – Transcripts” (last link on the left navigation bar)
4. Enter your username and password

Your username is your license number, plus your first initial of your first name, plus your last name (e.g. 1234MSmith). If you need further assistance please e-mail Andrew Fuller at: andrewf@oaa.on.ca.
5. Scroll down to the Self-Directed portion of your transcript
6. Go to "Add Entry"
7. Enter the following information: title, type, provider, hours, date (mm/dd/yyyy)
8. Save

All activities, both CORE and Self-Directed, including OAA Conference Sessions, should be uploaded by OAA members to their web-based transcript. The OAA will no longer be recording any hours on OAA members’ transcripts (effective January 1, 2008).


8. Reporting points retroactively

In accordance with the OAA’s Continuing Education policy, newly licensed members who are subject to the Continuing Education Program for the first time may report retroactively up to 12 months of learning activities on their individual transcript for the current Cycle.

9. Reporting AIA learning credits under the OAA ConEd program

Continuing Education programs approved by American Institute of Architects under the categories of Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) and Sustainable Design (SD) can be reported as CORE learning under the OAA ConEd Program. If the course is approved by AIA but not designated as HSW or SD please report it as Self-Directed learning.

10. How many learning hours can be carried over to the next Cycle?

The following chart outlines the number of learning hours OAA members can carry over to the next reporting ConEd Cycle.



	CORE	Self-Directed
LICENSED ARCHITECTS	8 Hours	8 Hours
NON-PRACTISING ARCHITECTS	8 hours	8 Hours
LICENSED TECHNOLOGIST	4 Hours	7 Hours
TECHNOLOGIST OAAAS	none	none


11. How many learning hours can be transferred from CORE learning to Self-Directed learning?

Unlimited number of CORE learning hours can be transferred to the Self-Directed portion of your transcript. If you are deficient in Self-Directed category you can report CORE activities as Self-Directed learning.

12. How many learning hours can be transferred from Self-Directed learning to CORE learning?

None. Self-Directed learning hours cannot be transferred to the CORE portion of your transcript. Self-Directed learning activities cannot be reported as CORE learning.

13. How do I collect CORE learning hours if I reside outside Ontario?

You may report the following as CORE learning:
· Learning activities approved as CORE by other Provincial Architectural Associations
· Learning activities approved as CORE by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC)
· AIA learning credits which fall under the Health, Safety and Welfare category (HSW) and Sustainable Design (SD) category.

CORE learning can be gained complete via distance education modules and therefore there is no requirement for a member to travel to attend a CORE learning session.

Please note as well that OAA members have the option to seek recognition or equivalency for learning activities completed during the ConEd Cycle. In order to have a course assessed for CORE hours eligibility, a member must submit a Member Request for Equivalency Form to the OAA for consideration.

14. What if I do not complete the requirements for the ConEd Cycle?

Please refer to the OAA Complaints and Discipline Process arising out of Non-Compliance with the OAA's Continuing Education Program.


15.What if I complete the requirements for the ConEd Cycle after the Cycle deadline?
If an OAA member completes his/her ConEd requirements late (after the December 31 deadline) they will be considered non-complaint with the requirements of the Continuing Education Program. Please refer to the Compliance and Discipline process. If there are some exceptional circumstances which have prevented OAA member from completing the ConEd requirements those circumstances should be made known to the Continuing Education Coordinator immediately.


16. What if I am unable to fulfil my ConEd requirements due to illness or exceptional circumstances

If there are some exceptional circumstances which have prevented OAA member from completing the ConEd requirements those circumstances should be made known to the Continuing Education Coordinator immediately. OAA members can avail themselves to the OAA Leave Policy which may allow relief of some portion of their ConEd

17. What is Transcript Audit?

In order to ensure accuracy of reporting Continuing Education activities as well as relevance of reported activities OAA Council has implemented a Transcript Audit. It will be in effect at the close of Cycle Five (December 31, 2009). For more information, please refer to the Transcript Audit Process.