ASTM E2659-09
(Practice)Standard Practice for Certificate Programs
Standard Practice for Certificate Programs
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Certificate programs are typically offered by community colleges and universities, government agencies, employers, independent for-profit training organizations, and professional and trade associations. While quality guidelines do exist for continuing education and training providers in general (for example, ANSI/IACET 1-2007) and for entities offering personnel certification programs (for example, ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024:2003), currently, no quality guidelines exist specifically to aid entities offering certificate programs. This practice aims to change that and has been developed to:
Provide certificate program developers and certificate issuers guidelines for quality program development and administration;
Form the foundation for a recognition or accreditation system or both that enable consumers, employers, government agencies, and others who rely upon a skilled workforce to distinguish between qualified workers and those with fraudulent or less-than-quality credentials;
Assist stakeholders in differentiating between certificate programs from personnel certification; and
Assist stakeholders in differentiating certificate programs from other programs that confer certificates, including but not limited to certificates of attendance or certificates of participation.
Currently, it is challenging to distinguish a certificate earned through the focused learning and assessment offered through a certificate program from one granted through other means. That a certificate is issued is not a distinguishing factor. The word “certificate” is used broadly as a document awarded to designate the attainment or completion of something. An individual might receive a certificate from an education or training provider as verification of attendance at a learning event (often called a certificate of attendance) or receive a certificate as verification of active participation in a learning event’s learning experiences (often called a certificate of participation). The distributio...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice provides guidance to certificate issuers for developing and administering quality certificate programs and to stakeholders for determining the quality of certificate programs.
1.2 This practice includes requirements for both the entity issuing the certificate and requirements for the specific certificate programs for which it issues certificates.
1.3 This practice provides the foundation for the recognition or accreditation or both of a specific entity to issue a specific certificate or certificates to individuals after successful completion of a certificate program.
1.4 This practice does not address guidance pertaining to certification of individuals nor does it address guidance pertaining to education or training programs in general, including those that issue certificates of participation or certificates of attendance.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
An American National Standard
Designation: E2659 – 09
Standard Practice for
Certificate Programs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2659; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This practice provides guidance to certificate issuers for 3.1 Definitions—For the purposes of this practice, the fol-
developing and administering quality certificate programs and lowing apply.
to stakeholders for determining the quality of certificate 3.1.1 appeal, n—written request made to the certificate
programs. issuer by a primary stakeholder for reconsideration of any
1.2 This practice includes requirements for both the entity adverse decision made by the certificate issuer related to the
issuing the certificate and requirements for the specific certifi- certificate program requisites or certificate program process.
cate programs for which it issues certificates. 3.1.2 assessment, n—instrument or method used to measure
1.3 Thispracticeprovidesthefoundationfortherecognition learner attainment of intended learning outcomes (including
or accreditation or both of a specific entity to issue a specific but not limited to oral or written tests, skill demonstrations,
certificate or certificates to individuals after successful comple- portfolios, or work products).
tion of a certificate program. 3.1.3 certificate, n—document (letter, card, or other me-
1.4 This practice does not address guidance pertaining to dium) awarded to certificate holders that designates the suc-
certification of individuals nor does it address guidance per- cessful completion of a certificate program’s requisites.
taining to education or training programs in general, including 3.1.4 certificate holder, n—individual who has been issued
those that issue certificates of participation or certificates of a certificate after successfully meeting a certificate program’s
attendance. requisites.
3.1.5 certificate issuer, n—legal business entity or govern-
2. Referenced Documents
ment agency, or operating unit thereof, that has ultimate
2.1 ANSI/IACET Standard: responsibility for administering a certificate program and
ANSI/IACET 1-2007 Standard for Continuing Education
issuing certificates to individuals successfully meeting certifi-
,
2 3
and Training
cate program requisites.
2.2 ANSI/ISO/IEC Standard: 3.1.6 certificate program, n—nondegree-granting education
ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024:2003 Conformity Assessment—
or training program consisting of (1) a learning event or series
General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification of events designed to educate or train individuals to achieve
,
4 5
of Personnel
specified learning outcomes within a defined scope and (2) a
system designed to ensure individuals receive a certificate only
after verification of successful completion of all program
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E36 on Laboratory
requisites including but not limited to an evaluation of learner
and InspectionAgencyAccreditation and is the direct responsibility of Subcommit-
tee E36.30 on Personnel Certificate Programs. attainment of intended learning outcomes.
Current edition approved April 1, 2009. Published April 2009. DOI: 10.1520/
3.1.7 certificate program process, n—all activities by which
E2659-09.
the certificate issuer establishes that a person fulfills specified
Available from the International Association for Continuing Education and
requisites to earn the certificate, including but not limited to
Training, 1760 Old Meadow Rd., Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102.
TheANSI/IACET 1-2007 Standard for Continuing Education and Training is a
prerequisites (if applicable), completion of a learning event or
valuable document with detailed guidance for all providers of continuing education
events, evaluation of learner attainment of intended learning
and training. It provides a descriptive framework to assist organizations in adhering
outcomes, and the certificate decision.
to quality practices for all types of continuing education and training programs. In
3.1.8 certificate program plan, n—documented plan by
contrast, this Practice for Certificate Programs outlines a framework of quality for
one specific type of program, the certificate program.
which the certificate issuer develops and administers the
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St.,
certificate program, including the essential elements of analy-
4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org.
sis, program design, development, implementation, and evalu-
The ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024:2003 Conformity Assessment—General Require-
ment for Bodies Operating Certification of Personnel serves as a valuable Standard ation.
document providing a framework of quality for personnel certification programs. In
contrast, this Standard Practice for Certificate Programs serves as a framework of
quality for certificate programs.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E2659 – 09
3.1.9 certificate program requisites, n—specific require- 3.1.25 stakeholder, n—any person, group, or organization
ments of the certificate program that certificate holders shall with an interest in, or who may be affected by, the certificate
meet before being issued the certificate including but not program.
limited to the essential element of the evaluation of individual 3.1.26 term of validity, n—length of time for which the
attainment of intended learning outcomes. issued certificate is considered valid.
3.1.10 certificate program scope, n—specific range of com- 3.1.27 training and education industry generally accepted
practices, n—those practices that are regularly defined and
petencies, procedures, actions, or processes covered by a
certificate program. cited in the training and education industry professional
literature and standards.
3.1.11 complaint, n—request, other than an appeal, made to
a certificate issuer for corrective action relating to the activities
4. Significance and Use
of that issuer or regarding its certificate holders.
4.1 Certificate programs are typically offered by community
3.1.12 confidentiality, n—ability to ensure that information
colleges and universities, government agencies, employers,
is accessible only to those authorized to have access.
independent for-profit training organizations, and professional
3.1.13 criterion-referenced method, n—approach to deter-
and trade associations. While quality guidelines do exist for
mining a passing standard for an assessment based on subject
continuing education and training providers in general (for
matter expert-identified performance standards and not based
example, ANSI/IACET 1-2007) and for entities offering per-
on the performance of other students.
sonnel certification programs (for example, ANSI/ISO/IEC
3.1.14 designation, n—title or trademarked label that a
17024:2003), currently, no quality guidelines exist specifically
certificate holder is granted to use.
to aid entities offering certificate programs. This practice aims
3.1.15 designation acronym, n—abbreviated title, usually
to change that and has been developed to:
the acronym form of the designation, which a certificate holder
4.1.1 Provide certificate program developers and certificate
is granted to use.
issuersguidelinesforqualityprogramdevelopmentandadmin-
3.1.16 document control, n—process addressing how docu-
istration;
ments are created, approved, revised and reapproved, and
4.1.2 Form the foundation for a recognition or accreditation
distributed and how obsolete document use is prevented.
system or both that enable consumers, employers, government
3.1.17 intended learning outcomes, n—statement of what
agencies, and others who rely upon a skilled workforce to
learners are expected to know or be able to do as a result of the
distinguish between qualified workers and those with fraudu-
certificate program’s learning event or program (recognizing
lent or less-than-quality credentials;
that actual learning outcomes may or may not be those
4.1.3 Assist stakeholders in differentiating between certifi-
intended).
cate programs from personnel certification; and
3.1.18 internal audit, n—first-party review of the certificate
4.1.4 Assist stakeholders in differentiating certificate pro-
issuer’s policies and procedures to ensure adherence to this
grams from other programs that confer certificates, including
practice’s requirements.
but not limited to certificates of attendance or certificates of
3.1.19 learning event, n—combination of learning experi-
participation.
encesdesignedtoassessalearner’sunderstandingofcontentor
4.2 Currently, it is challenging to distinguish a certificate
his/her ability to perform a skill or set of skills that satisfies a
earned through the focused learning and assessment offered
set of learning objectives/outcomes. This event can be accom-
through a certificate program from one granted through other
plished by any media sufficient to achieve the learning out-
means.That a certificate is issued is not a distinguishing factor.
comes, including but not limited to, classroom instruction,
The word “certificate” is used broadly as a document awarded
distance-learning course, blended-learning activities, confer-
to designate the attainment or completion of something. An
ences, and satellite transmissions. ANSI/IACET 1-2007
individual might receive a certificate from an education or
3.1.20 learning experience, n—single instance of learning
training provider as verification of attendance at a learning
obtained during a learning event that demonstrates a specific
event (often called a certificate of attendance) or receive a
learning objective or learning outcome. This could include
certificate as verification of active participation in a learning
solving a problem, completing a case study, completing a quiz,
event’s learning experiences (often called a certificate of
or applying a skill. ANSI/IACET 1-2007
participation). The distribution of a certificate, however, does
3.1.21 oversight committee, n—group of the certificate pro-
not indicate that the education or training program completed
gram’s primary stakeholders formed to develop, monitor, and
was a certificate program. In a certificate program, an indi-
approve the certificate program plan.
vidual participates in a learning event or series of events
3.1.22 primary stakeholders, n—persons, groups, and/or
designed to assist him or her in achieving specified learning
organizations for which the certificate program is targeted or
outcomes within a defined scope; the individual receives a
for which intended outcomes are directed or both.
certificateonlyafterverificationofsuccessfulcompletionofall
3.1.23 privacy, n—ability of individuals to control access to
programrequisitesincludingbutnotlimitedtoanevaluationof
themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal learner attainment of intended learning outcomes.
themselves selectively.
4.3 It is also important to distinguish certificate programs
3.1.24 records control, n—process addressing which and from the certification of individuals. Certification is a process
how records are kept, by whom, for how long, and how they through which a nongovernmental entity grants a time-limited
are disposed. recognition to an individual after verifying that he or she has
E2659 – 09
met established criteria for proficiency or competency, usually 5.2.2 Thecertificateissuershallhavesufficientandqualified
through an eligibility application and assessment. While certi- personnel to conduct certificate program activities properly.
fication eligibility criteria may specify a certain type or amount
5.2.2.1 The certificate issuer shall define the qualifications
of education or training, the learning event(s) are not typically
for personnel involved in certificate program activities.
provided by the certifying body. Instead, the certifying body
5.2.2.2 Personnel shall be qualified for their assigned roles
verifies education or training and experience obtained else-
on the basis of appropriate education, training, and/or experi-
where through an application process and administers a stan-
ence.
dardized assessment of current proficiency or competency.
5.2.2.3 The certificate issuer shall evaluate on an ongoing
4.4 In contrast, in a certificate program the learning event(s)
basis the qualifications of personnel to perform assigned roles.
and the assessment(s) are both developed and administered by
Training and development plans shall be implemented where
the certificate issuer, and there is an essential link between
deficiencies are found.
them. That is, the learning event(s) are designed to help
5.2.3 The certificate issuer shall demonstrate responsible
participants achieve learning outcomes and the assessment is
financial management and have sufficient financial resources to
designed to evaluate the learners’attainment of those intended
conduct certificate program activities properly.
learning outcomes.
5.2.3.1 Formal financial reports shall provide evidence of
4.5 Also, certifications have ongoing requirements for
financial stability.
maintaining proficiency/competency and can be revoked for
(1) Where certificate programs are one element of a
not meeting these ongoing requirements. In contrast, certifi-
certificate issuer’s activities, the certificate program finances
cates do not have ongoing maintenance or renewal require-
shall be a clear and identifiable component of overall reports.
ments and therefore, cannot be revoked.
5.2.3.2 Written procedures shall exist for proper financial
controls.
5. Requirements for Certificate Issuers
5.2.4 The certificate issuer shall demonstrate responsible
5.1 Organizational Structure and Administration—The cer-
and timely communications to primary stakeholders of the
tificate issuer shall be structured and administered in such a
certificate program.
waythatconfidenceisgiventostakeholdersofitsauthorityand
5.2.4.1 The certificate issuer shall publish (or make avail-
qualifications to issue the certificate.
able to primary stakeholders) the following information in
5.1.1 The certificate issuer shall be, or reside within, a legal
advance of the program:
business entity or governmental agency.
(1) Certificate program purpose, scope, and intended learn-
5.1.2 The certificate issuer shall be an appropriate and
ing outcomes;
qualified issuer of the certificate.
(2) Description of the requisites to earn the certificate;
5.1.2.1 The certificate program’s purpose, scope, and in-
(3) Special requirements for participation, if app
...
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