Teach Now. Learn How.

Can you hold your learners’ attention so powerfully that they are interested in more?  Would you like to engage your learners and inspire practice change?  Are you interested in making the good education that you develop and deliver even better?

This website, developed by the Committee on Continuing Medical Education (COCME), offers resources for CME/CPD planners, faculty, and authors looking for guidance when preparing and delivering high-quality Continuing Education content.

More About the COCME

Best Practices Guide to Teaching and Learning

The materials below consist of best practices for teaching and learning based on format.
In-Person Events Online Learning Modules Webinars Workshops Written Materials

Presentation Structure

Beginning: Set the Stage

  • Start with a case scenario, clinical vignette, video, or news story to grab their attention.
  • Present a compelling reason on how the information they are about to learn will...
  • Let them know what's new, what's hot, how it fits into their job and benefits both of them personally and their patients
  • Tell them what they will be able to do with what they are learning
  • Include objectives that will help the learner understand what will be covered in the content and how skills, knowledge and attitudes (i.e. communication skills, systems-based practice, minimizing bias, ect.) may be improved.

Middle: Keep Them Engaged

  • Cover 3-5 objectives per hour of content/credit - less material is easier to understand
  • Help the learner understand the material (use case scenarios, clinical vignettes, analogies, metaphors, outlines, diagrams, demonstrations, mnemonics, videos, ect.)
  • Add short 1-3 minute pauses to allow participants to reflect and/or process the information (i.e. questions, pauses, self-reflection, think-pair,share, observation with critique, ect.)
  • Chunk your material in short segments so that it is easier for the learner to digest.
  • Use visual materials to enhance learning (graphs, diagrams, slides, handouts, videos, pictures).

End: Inspire Practice Change

  • Highlight quality improvement opportunities to put into practice what was learned. (Or ask participants to think about how they might improve the care they provide).
  • Include activities/exercises/quizzes as learning tools to practice what has been taught
  • Include or discuss practice change ideas/pearls. Encourage learners to commit to change (written commitment to change, use of reflective questions, discussions on what one will do differently in practice, ect.)
  • Provide resources, links, memory joggers, job aids, and/or other practice tools to help the learner apply what they have learned.
  • Summarize before ending the learning activity. Include a thorough summary of topics that were addressed, key take-away information that met the objectives.
  • Demonstrate quick wins - one small change can lead to another and create a snowball effect.

Educational Resources

Tip sheets, EDI resources and articles to enhance your educational training.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions regarding CME, the COCME, AAP credits and CME/CPD awards.

Accreditation Information and Resources

Learn about accredited CME activities offered by the AAP.

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