GBlist:

[Bruce Sullivan <sullivan@oikos.com>]

From: "Lowther, Thomas" <TLowther@aia.org>
To: "'Kristian Kicinski'" <kkicinski@robertsonsherwood.com>,
        "Maine, Bruce"
	 <bmaine@hdrinc.com>
Cc: "'BigGreen'" <biggreen@forum.oikos.com>,
        "'greenbuilding@crest.org'"
	 <greenbuilding@crest.org>,
        "'AIA'" <rivy@mcgraw-hill.com>,
        "'HealthyBuildingNetwork@egroups.com'"
	 <HealthyBuildingNetwork@egroups.com>,
        "Holton, Beverly"
	 <bholton@aia.org>,
        "Mort L. Levy FAIA (E-mail)" <levyarch@swbell.net>,
        "Henderson, Brenda" <BHenderson@aia.org>,
        "Schmidt, Terri"
	 <TSchmidt@aia.org>,
        "'rivy@mcgraw-hill.com'" <rivy@mcgraw-hill.com>
Subject: RE: Big Green: AIA Credits
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 09:59:37 -0400
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Kristian Kicinski, Assoc. AIA
Associate Director
AIA Southwestern Oregon

Your opinions have been noted.  The AIA appreciates the efforts of
Architectural Record, AIA Texas Society(TSA), the Architectural 
Woodworking
Institute (AWI), Construction Specification Institute (CSI), the National
Concrete and Masonry Association (NCMA), and select other CES Providers 
who
are writing educational articles in their journals. As a life-long 
educator
in adult education (not an architect), I agree that this is not 
necessarily
the best way to teach. Keep in mind however, many of our members do not 
have
easy access to traditional educational events, Southwestern Oregon is a 
case
in point. This approach provides one avenue for those architects to obtain
continuing education in an easy and cost effective manner. While it has 
its
own limitations it does provide a valuable avenue to exposing construction
industry professionals to many of the issues and materials that need to be
reviewed and studied.  Now with more and more states requiring mandatory
continuing education (MCE) alternative access to a variety of educational
programs becomes all the more important. As the Associate Director to AIA
Southwestern Oregon you have to be aware of the new MCE requirement that 
the
State Licensing Board has placed on the architects in Oregon.  I'm sure
that your chapter will provide all of the education and HSW hours that 
your
state requires. What will be difficult for you to address are all of the
various needs and interest of each member while meeting the MCE
requirements.  The articles of Architectural Record and other CES 
Providers
provide an opportunity for some of those with diverse interest that you 
have
difficulty meeting.

While you and other's may find the article method of education a joke, 
many
others have written  thanking the providers for offering alternatives to 
the
meaningless brown bag lunches and chapter meetings of their professional
interest.  Good education is good education no matter how it is taught, be
that at a chapter meeting, a brown bag lunch, an education article, the
Internet, or a educational Tele-conference. There are different methods of
learning and each of us has their own way to learn best.  The AIA/CES
overall goal is to assist each CES Provider to offer the best education 
they
can through whichever media is available to them.

In response to Mr. Maine's comments, yes the Vinyl Institute is an AIA/CES
Provider and so are other industry representatives with opposing points of
view. While I may not agree with everything the Vinyl Institute presents, 
I
will defend their right to say it. We have audited several Vinyl Institute
education programs as well as other CES Providers who are their 
competitors.
We have found very different point of views presented in each instance.  
As
long as each group limits their presentations to their views and does not
bash their competitor, or present false information, or try to sell their
product during the educational event, or break the law, then they will be
allowed the equal opportunity to be a CES Provider. 

In order for architects and engineers to make intelligent decisions about
how best to design a building they need to have as much education and
information on what materials are available and how that material 
performs.
I will put may trust in the architects and engineers who are studying the
issues to make the best educated and informed decisions they can.

Thom Lowther, Ed.S.
Director AIA/CES
202/626-7478
http://www.e-architect.com >Continuing Ed
CES Transcripts, CES Programs, MCE requirements and more...

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