Criteria for the evaluation of future CPD (Continuing Professional Development) activities.

Until now, the evaluation of my learning activities was unorganized, probably subconscious, with vague and unclear criteria. Objecting to this vagueness, I decided to set some specific and “tangible” criteria that will allow me in the future, to evaluate the impacts of a CPD activity and focus mostly on the changes the activity can bring to my personal/professional development.

Criterion A: The birth of something new.

According to this criterion, a CPD activity is “of value” when due to its influence, I manage to transform my ideas, conceptions, and theories into innovative and unexpected creations (publish an original article, create a piece of art, design a pioneering object, etc). Consequently, a valuable CPD activity must encourage the crossing of personal boundaries and limitations, the overcoming of several stereotypical ideas and assumptions, the departure from parental systems to new ones, etc.

Criterion B: The impacts on professional practice   

According to this criterion, a CPD activity is “of value” when it can be applied to the actual conditions of my professional practice and can affect it positively. Besides, when knowledge remains inactive and useless for a long time, soon starts to decline and become redundant. On contrary, when knowledge finds application to real problems and manages to differentiate established practices (improving professional practice), then remains fresh, progressive and constantly updated.

Criterion C: The Continuity

            According to the third criterion, a CPD activity is “of value”, when it manages to open up new possibilities and learning directions, to strengthen initiative for further discovering, to promote growth, to arouse curiosity, etc. In other words, a valuable CPD activity connects previous with future learning experiences and orients them towards personal/professional development.

 Criterion D:  Enjoyment

According to this last criterion, a learning activity, apart from useful and productive must also be enjoyable, encouraging, pleasurable, etc. On contrary, when a CPD activity causes me stress, anxiety and disappointment has “little value” while will affect negatively my enthusiasm for further learning.

            The following table presents an attempt to evaluate several CPD activities according to the four abovementioned criteria.

	Criteria A Creativity and Originality	Criteria B Applicability in professional practice	Criteria C Continuity	Criteria D Enjoyment
Past activity: 3DS Max	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Past activity Artistic workshop	Yes	Indirect	Yes	Yes
Future activity Seminar in modern art	No	No	Unknown	No