We planned an accredited CE activity designed to change performance, but we are thinking about changing course. Can we measure changes in competence instead?
Go back to the first step--did you identify professional practice gaps that showed your learners need education that will lead to changes in their competence, or changes in their performance? You'll need to align your activity outcomes with whatever you initially set out to change. As always, start with outcomes in mind.
We're planning an activity on a subject that our learners don't know about. Why do we need to measure a change in their "competence" on the subject, if they need "knowledge"?
Gained knowledge is valuable, but if there is no indication it is being applied or put into practice, it doesn't result in measurable changes. ACCME requires providers to develop education designed to create changes in competence, performance or patient outcomes, with a change in competence as the minimum requirement. Remember, knowledge gets to the learner question of "do they know it?" Competence gets to the learner question of "Can they apply it?"
