Revised January, 2012

To See the Original 2007 Plan With 2010 Assessment Click Here
To See the Revised 2010 Plan Click Here

CORE VALUES

Growth

We value transformational learning that positively impacts individuals and organizations and is sustained by ongoing reflection and assessment activities designed to produce measurable improvement.

Community

We value the synergy and strength generated via collaboration and communication with colleagues from a diverse array of disciplines, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives working together to elevate learning across many contexts.

Performance

We value increasing and consistent production of high quality results developed through enriched learning environments built upon the dedication and integrity of the individuals involved and utilizing research-based practices supported by clear criteria and measurable outcomes.

VISION

The Academy of Process Educators is a recognized leader driving transformational change in academia guided by the principles of Process Education.

MISSION

The Academy drives transformational change in education by generating, disseminating, and archiving research based on Process Education principles through:

the advancement of scholarship in teaching and learning,

advocacy on key educational issues, 

building an Academy research program,

the professional development of educators, and

coaching and mentoring.

The Academy engages, supports, and collaborates with a community of educators by:

delivering an annual conference,

producing a selective, peer-reviewed journal, 

offering annual professional development event(s) for members (internationally, nationally and locally),

modeling key elements of Process Education, and

facilitating members’ participation in other professional venues.

STRATEGIC GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Goal 1 – Build an academy research program.

Objectives:

1. On an annual basis, publish the International Journal of Process Education (IJPE) as a forum for members and external educators to present new theory and research relevant to process education.
2. Maintain a Board of Editors who will collaborate to continually improve the quality of the review process for the journal.
3. Continually improve the IJPE website to assure clarity and effectiveness of editor instructions and procedures for authors, including format information, reviewer criteria and standards, and timelines.
4. Collaborate with submitting authors through mentoring and technical editing on a timely basis to assure quality of published articles.
5.  Disseminate IJPE issues through the Academy website and make articles available through scholarly databases.
6. Collaborate annually in identifying new research projects that are significant for increasing the quality of measures and outcomes relevant to process educators’ practice, including one project seeking external funding.

Goal 2 – To hold an annual conference that meets quality standards set by the Academy Board.

Objectives:

1. Identify a location for the annual conference that will support the program and be logistically attractive for attendees.
2. Establish a timely, substantive theme for each annual conference that will provide a focus for keynote speakers and presenters.
3. Publish a call-for-papers and recruit appropriate keynote speakers and presenters to produce a robust and professionally valuable program.
4. Recruit members to assist with roles and tasks required for planning, collaborating with local hosts, recruiting participants, preparing the conference notebook, running the conference, and preparing the proceedings.
5. Recruit, annually, an increasing number of Academy members and host institution stakeholders to the conference.
6. Annually identify and implement 2 to 4 conference activities that advance the mission of the Academy.

Goal 3 – Provide a professional forum for communication and collaboration among members.

Objectives:

1. Provide an annual program of Academy activities for faculty development and renewal that is approved by the Board at the mid-year meeting and disseminated via newsletter, including the annual conference, a mid-year meeting, monthly Board meetings, Academy institutes, local section events, online activities, research projects, and collaboration around conference and journal papers.
2. Measure Academy member participation in the annual program of events.
3. Create and annually update a member expertise directory.
4. Create infrastructure to support local chapters.
5. Establish an effective online collaboration environment.

Goal 4 - Maintain an effective leadership team in place to guide operations.

Objectives:

1. Nominate a slate of qualified members each year as required by current by-laws.
2.  Expand the credibility of the Board and appointed roles by recruiting new individuals into positions of leadership.
3. Elaborate roles and responsibilities of each position beyond the descriptions in the by-laws; add at least 4 new roles and responsibilities annually.
4.  Develop measures to assess the effectiveness of the leadership provided by the Board. 

Goal 5 – Review and update the strategic plan on a consistent basis.

Objectives:

1. Develop a transparent system for assessment of strategic plan on an annual basis by identifying 10 objectives as priorities each year.
2. Maintain official records of each meeting and event as a basis for assessing the success of the strategic plan.
3. Assess progress on strategic plan and update at least annually, e.g., at the mid-year meeting.

Goal 6 - Recruit, engage, support, and renew Academy members.

Objectives:

1. Maintain a functional and attractive PE Academy website.
2. Increase the Academy membership by at least 30% per year and retain at least 80% of the membership base from one year to the next."
3. Provide mentoring for all new Academy members.
4. Establish networks among members to facilitate communication at the faculty, staff, and administration levels of institutions where members are employed, especially where local chapters exist.
5. Define what it means to be a member of the Academy.
6. Articulate and publicize membership benefits through the Academy website, mailing, and other appropriate venues.

Goal  7 – Maintain the financial independence of the academy.

Objectives:

1. Annually, prepare a five-year estimate of financial requirements by forecasting the Academy’s needs and projects.
2. Using reports by the Treasurer and Finance Officer, prepare an annual budget and revenue plan and keep the Board apprised of bank account status.
3. Maintain the 501(c)3, IRS, and NY Charitable status of the Academy by annually e-filing the appropriate 990 report and the New York State form “char500” each year. (The Academy is incorporated in the state of New York.)
4. Continually pursue sources of revenue from membership dues, the Academy website “store,” conference registration fees, and other Academy products and tools.
5. Increase non-conference revenue by at least 50%.

Goal  8 – Establish a system of local Academy chapters.

Objectives:

1. Encourage institutions to start local chapters, especially those with institutional memberships.
2. Raise the expectation that local chapters will organize their own sessions in Academy conferences.
3. Establish an annual local chapter event plan, including 1-3 professional development events and 4 locally sponsored happenings (systems such as peer coaching, programs such as mentoring, a Process Education Celebration day, common project days, assessment days, etc.).
4. Build a local chapter leadership structure with members filling at least the roles of documenter, facilitator, and programming director; expect chapter leadership representation at the annual PE Academy meeting.
5. Encourage at least one paper submission from chapter members to IJPE annually and a chapter contribution to each PE Academy newsletter.
6. For each local chapter, produce an annual report, documenting how the chapter has supported members' journeys, supported the PE Academy, and contributed people and activities to the annual conference.
7. Seek to recruit additional institutions in the surrounding region to join the local chapter to strengthen collaboration and diversity.
8. Model Process Education with all activities.

APPENDICES

Appendix A

DEFINITION OF PROCESS EDUCATION

Process Education is a performance-based philosophy of education which integrates many different educational theories, processes, and tools in emphasizing the continuous development of learning skills through the use of assessment principles in order to produce learner self-development. 

DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS EDUCATION

Growth Environment:  Process Education uses best practices informed by research and assessment to create learning environments that produce holistic transformational experiences. In these environments people feel safe, engaged, and challenged. These environments produce strong communities of diverse individuals which respect the perspectives, values, and beliefs of others while fostering important relationships.

Purposeful Design: The activities are learner-centered, collaborative, and often team and community based. Future performance is improved by strengthening targeted learning skills through the use of high performance expectations, a variety of assessment practices, and timely feedback. The development of learning skills is integrated with knowledge and reflective practice on learning to produce high levels of knowledge. These activities align under a strong design structure which communicates (maybe “establishes” instead) clear outcomes and performance criteria, and which employs assessment as well as evaluation.  In educational settings, courses support program design; program assessment is the key to continuous quality improvement of student learning and growth.

Educator: The educator facilitates learning experiences with the mindset of a mentor, constantly helping learners to increase their ability to accurately self-assess and mentor their own growth in these targeted performance areas. Consistent with this approach, the educator also uses every experience to promote his or her own development. Additionally, the educator maintains a research mindset and employs action research to produce new knowledge that can improve learning and growth. (Do we know what “action research” means?)

Organization: The broader institutional structure implementing Process Education continually and systematically supports professional growth through assessment, mentoring, and professional development. The organizational members constantly initiate projects, teams, and activities that improve quality in all dimensions of processes, systems, structures, and policies.

Contexts: Process Education is applicable throughout life, advancing the quality of individual and community life, from formal educational settings to home schooling, and within the home, in businesses, government, and community organizations.

Results: People become more independent, self-directed, and knowledgeable, and thus stronger performers. Ultimately the practice of Process Education produces life-long learners who habitually assess and improve their own performance.

Appendix B

GLOSSARY OF STRATEGIC PLANNING TERMS

Objective: A specific, measurable outcome that helps to fulfill one or more of the Goals of the Organization, consistent with the vision and values.  (Objectives are typically shorter term than goals and are part of operational plans.  An Objective is specific, measurable, quantifiable and data-driven interim step toward achievement of a goal, emphasizing results within a specific timeframe.)

Mission: A formal statement describing what the organization does, consistent with the organization’s Vision and Values. (It should also be consistent with the vision and values of the stakeholder groups.)

Stakeholder: A group that would benefit from the organization’s strategic planning. (Key groups include students, faculty, alumni, administrators, industry leaders, etc.)

Strategic Goal: A general end toward which the organization directs its efforts. (Goals clarify the Mission, provide direction, but do not state how to get there. Goals focus on the most important customer needs, products, and services … broadly stated. Strategic Goals focus on aspects of the organization: students, academic programs, personnel, the community, and college policies.)

Strategic Issue: Critical situation that requires action to ensure accomplishment of the Vision and Mission of the organization.

Strategic Plan: Actions required to successfully achieve the organization's targeted outcomes --- to accomplish its mission over a time frame, typically 5 years, identifying the Vision, Values, Mission and Goals of the College/University to be accomplished. (Objectives are incorporated as part of the implementation process.)

Strategic Planning: A structured, informed and participative process that results in decisions and actions, which position the entire College/University or unit for success in the present and future.

SWOT Analysis (pronounced swat): Definition of an organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that impact its success, describing where the organization is now.

Values: An organization's basic beliefs -- the underlying principles, which are the basis for the Organization's, Mission, strategies, plans, and actions.

Vision: A statement of the mental picture of what the organization should be in the future. (It may be written in the present tense describing a future state. It typically gives a picture of the future direction of the organization, consistent with the values, goals, and objectives of the stakeholders.)