CPE Is Broke; Let's Fix It (1998)

Inspired by a vision of future, a new approach to continuing education stresses outcomes rather than inputs and gets results. Somewhere along way, mandatory CPE for CPAs ceased to be associated with learning. CPE became hours get to keep my license; learning became do to survive. Current CPE is input-based; learning is output-evident. Confronted with necessity to meet regulatory measurement (how many hours?), classification (was it technical or nontechnical?) and appropriateness (what counts?), CPAs have focused on compliance rather than competency. In order to fix CPE, number-one priority must be learning process itself. real issues are fundamental and compelling: * What do today's CPAs know and what will they need to know in future? * How do CPAs gain professional knowledge they need for day-to-day achievement? * How can they acquire knowledge, skills and abilities they will need to prosper in years ahead? * What can be done to help them achieve their goals? CPAs who participated in CPA Vision Project identified continuing education and lifelong learning as core values essential for professional survival during next 15 or so years. Therefore, we need to provide adequate opportunities for CPAs to obtain knowledge, skills and abilities they will need in future using most effective and efficient methods possible. If technology affords opportunities that did not exist just a few years ago, we should exploit those changes and applaud improvements. When traditional learning methods are appropriate, we must reevaluate course contents for relevance and be diligent in making revisions or adding new topics to established curricula. From past experiences and observations, it seems clear CPAs benefit from direction in developing and following lifelong learning plans. Such plans must be dynamic, realistic and an integral part of every professional's career planning. In summary, there must be a concerted effort to seek regulatory approval of both traditional and nontraditional methods through which CPAs can improve and demonstrate improvements in their professional competencies. THE LEARNING PROCESS Jack Stack, author of Great Game of Business, attacked what he called the training myth in August 1998 issue of Inc. He observed: We think people won't learn unless you take them off job, sit them down and put them through a step-by-step instruction program. Stack cited a study conducted by Center for Workforce Development that said up to 70% of what employees know about their jobs was learned informally from people they work with. He illustrated his point: I can tell you all there is to know about bass fishing. You can read every fishing magazine, study every fishing book and watch [a fishing show] on Saturday morning [television]. But it won't mean much until you go out on a lake and start throwing a lure Is Stack's point applicable to CPAs? Can CPAs increase their competence through informal learning experiences and on-the-job activities? quick answer is yes; most frequent response is yes, but ... * If you don't count hours, what will you count? * Isn't there a risk that some experiences will be double counted for compliance purposes? * What if somebody cheats? right answer is that CPE is about being constantly competent. And competent professionals both acquire and demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities in a multiplicity of ways. INPUTS-BASED OR OUTPUT-EVIDENT? KPMG Peat Marwick LLP offered following observation to AICPA CPE standards subcommittee following release of subcommittee's 1996 exposure draft, Report on CPE Outcomes Assessment: The term `education' is more open to notion of input measurement than term `learning. …