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Keeping PATH
Intl. members updated about the accreditation process
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Trek to Accrediting
the PATH Intl. Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Certification
August
25, 2016
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In
our ongoing efforts to communicate with you about the PATH Intl.
steady course toward applying for National Commission for
Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation of the PATH Intl.
Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor Certification, we are
introducing a regular eNews communication. This is another way for
the association to keep you apprised of the process, completed
tasks and next steps. It is also integral to the association's
commitment to remain open to feedback, ensuring that all voices are
heard during the process. One of the most impressive
characteristics of PATH Intl. membership is the level of passion
and dedication members have for the association. As we undertake
this accreditation process, the board, staff and consultants are
especially grateful for the level of member support, encouragement
and engagement.
As more items on the to-do list are checked off or
approach completion, a special Trek to Accreditation eNews will be
sent on a regular basis to communicate developments specific to this
project. Additionally, we have dedicated a page on pathintl.org
that will now host all the latest information about the
process.(Also see the home page quick link on the left-Accrediting
the PATH Intl. TRI Certification) For additional information on this
accreditation process, please contact Jeff Kelling, PATH Intl. Programs and Education
Manager.
History
In response to a call from the PATH Intl. membership to elevate the
professionalism of PATH Intl. credentials and the equine-assisted
activities and therapies (EAAT) industry in general, PATH Intl. is
pursuing third-party accreditation from NCCA of the Registered
Therapeutic Riding Certification. This pursuit is part of the
strategic plan, and the continued support of the PATH Intl.
membership is vital piece to the success of this effort.
A Synopsis of the
Recently Completed Job Task Analysis
What Is a Job Task Analysis (JTA)
Similar to the task analysis taught to PATH Intl. instructor candidates,
the purpose of a job task analysis is to break down a job into the
detailed components or elements required to perform that job. In
this case, the goal was to determine the basic duties of a
therapeutic riding instructor via professional statistical
analysis. Clarifying the current job duties of the registered level
instructor is essential to PATH Intl. developing accurate
assessments that measure candidates' aptitude of the knowledge,
skills and abilities required to be a safe and effective therapeutic
riding instructor to best serve their participants.
Why Did PATH Intl. Conduct a Job
Task Analysis (JTA)?
NCCA standard 10 requires that a *psychometrically
sound JTA is conducted periodically to identify the foundational
knowledge, skills and abilities candidates must demonstrate to
successfully earn certification. PATH Intl. last conducted a JTA
for a registered therapeutic riding instructor in the early '90s;
therefore, the current JTA was imperative, not only a critical step
toward accreditation of our certification(s), but also in order to
capture information about how the job duties of the entry-level therapeutic
riding instructor have evolved. To comply with NCCA requirements,
PATH Intl. contracted Alpine Testing Solutions to conduct a formal
JTA. This effort was supported by a volunteer group of PATH Intl.
Certified Instructors designated as subject matter experts
representative of the PATH Intl. membership.
The subject matter experts for the JTA were:
Job Task Analysis Results
Under the direction of Alpine Testing Solutions, the
subject matter experts developed a survey that was sent to 6,158
PATH Intl. Certified Professionals regarding key knowledge, skills,
and abilities of entry-level therapeutic riding instructors.
Results were received from 1172certified instructors, a 20.5%
response. A minimum response rate of 5% is required to
psychometrically* validate the data. This survey validated five
categories under which the job tasks of the entry-level therapeutic
riding instructor fall:
Job Tasks Identified
from Survey Results
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Equine Handling
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Assessing
soundness, managing equine behavior, identifying equine anatomy
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Participant and
Volunteer Management
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Managing of
participant issues and volunteers, implementing effective
teaching techniques
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Lesson Management
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Assessing
participant suitability for activities, writing lesson plans,
tracking participant
progress, fitting equipment to equine and participant
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Risk Management
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Conducting safety
checks, performing croup mounts and dismounts with participants,
teaching participant balanced body alignment, responding to
emergencies
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Riding
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Grooming, tacking,
arena etiquette, performing walk, trot/jog and canter/lope
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Per the survey
results, the percentage of daily tasks attributed to these
categories are:
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Equine Handling
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14.9%
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Participant and Volunteer
Management
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20.6%
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Lesson Management
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24.3%
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Risk Management
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21.9%
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Riding
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18.3%
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What Do the Job Task Analysis
Results Mean?
The
above table indicates the amount of time a PATH Intl. Registered
Therapeutic Riding Instructor spends in each of the areas. We know
from these results that all of these areas are important and the
corresponding skills must be assessed by some method. Based on our
work with Alpine Testing and NCCA, we know that the
industry-accepted best practices for the required assessments
include: practical testing, sitting for an online exam,
apprenticeship, establishing required and acceptable prerequisites,
etc.
PATH
Intl. will be engaging a workgroup of new subject matter experts to
determine the best way to assess candidate aptitude of the registered
instructor criteria. PATH Intl. is confident that this workgroup
will be dutifully mindful in establishing appropriate prerequisites
and a relevant assessment.
Watch for future updates and a call for workgroup
members!
Until next time, thank you for your hard work and
dedication to EAAT and the mission and vision of your
association--PATH Intl.
*Psychometrics: The science and technology of mental
measurement, including psychology, behavioral science, education,
statistics and information technology.
Psychometrician: A practitioner of psychometrics; an individual who
normally holds a doctoral degree in measurement or a discipline of
psychology (such as educational or industrial/organizational
psychology) who can understand, apply and describe the science and
technology of mental measurement.
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