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Abbreviated Standards
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
ASE Training Managers Council (ATMC)
STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITING PROVIDERS OF
CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION
Introduction
ASE Accredited providers of continuing automotive service education consists of educational activities, offered by accredited institutions and organizations, which maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance that an automotive service technician uses to serve clients, the public, and the automotive industry. The content of the program is that body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted as within the curriculum of accredited programs of automotive service technology, as well as new knowledge required to service emerging automotive technologies.
The National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and its industry education partner, the ASE Training Managers Council (ATMC), conduct a voluntary accreditation program for institutions and organizations providing continuing automotive service education. By evaluating and accrediting an institution or organization whose program of continuing automotive service education substantially complies with these Standards, the ASE seeks to improve the quality of continuing education and enable automotive service technicians to identify those continuing education programs that are accredited and thus meet these standards of quality.
ASE is a non-profit organization, established in 1972 by the automotive industry in response to the need to improve the competence of automotive technicians. ASE's mission is to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service in the United States through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive repair technicians.
ATMC is a 501 (c) (6) non-profit entity founded in 1984, restructured as a member of the ASE Industry Education Alliance in 2009, and dedicated to the advancement of training and professional development within the automotive service industry.
ASE recognizes that it is important for automotive service technicians to participate in continuing education throughout their careers. Such education should be tailored to the learning needs of individual technicians. Hence, providers of accredited training should take into consideration the needs and interests of potential participants in planning their educational activities.
ASE has identified certain elements of organization, structure and method which appear to contribute significantly to the development of high quality continuing automotive service education. These elements are presented here as the Standards for ASE Accreditation of Providers of Continuing Automotive Service Education. The Standards are made up of those requirements which an institution or organization must substantially meet to become accredited as a provider of continuing automotive service education. The Standards should prove valuable as a resource for automotive service technicians in planning their own continuing education and for providers designing accredited activities.
ASE will review the Standards on a continuing basis and will modify them as knowledge and experience dictate.
It is important to note that ASE does not accredit individual training activities. It does accredit institutions and organizations for their overall programs.
STANDARDS FOR ASE ACCREDITATION OF PROVIDER OF CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION
STANDARD 1.0
THE PROVIDER SHALL HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT OF ITS CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION MISSION, FORMALLY APPROVED BY AN APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY.
The Mission Statement shall:
1.1 Describe the goals of the overall program of continuing automotive service education in a concise manner
1.2 Indicate the scope of the content of the continuing automotive service education effort
1.3 Identify the target audience
1.4 Describe the types of activities and services provided
1.5 Be made available to all continuing automotive service education program staff and students
STANDARD 2.0
THE PROVIDER SHALL DEFINE AND USE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFYING AND ANALYZING THE CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS.
The Provider shall:
2.1 Describe the procedures used to identify continuing automotive service education needs
2.2 Announce the needs identified by the above procedures
2.3 Indicate how needs assessment is used in planning each educational activity
STANDARD 3.0
THE PROVIDER SHALL HAVE EXPLICIT OBJECTIVES FOR EACH ACCREDITED ACTIVITY.
The Provider shall:
3.1 Show that there is a link between the defined needs and the stated objectives for each activity
3.2 Announce the audience for whom the activity is designed and list any pretesting or other prerequisites for prospective participants
3.3 State the expected learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and/or behaviors
3.4 Make the objectives of learning activities known to prospective participants and instructors
STANDARD 4.0
THE PROVIDER SHALL DESIGN, WHEN APPROPRIATE, AND IMPLEMENT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES CONSISTENT IN CONTENT AND METHOD WITH THE STATED OBJECTIVES.
The Provider shall:
4.1 Design, when appropriate, and implement educational activities responsive to the characteristics of prospective participants, such as knowledge levels, work experience, and preferred learning styles
4.2 Support educational activities with materials, supplies, tools, equipment, and safety provisions sufficient to achieve the defined objectives
4.3 Use sound instructional methods and competent instructors
4.4 Show examples of the use of systematic planning procedures
4.5 Make educational content, methods of activities, and character of facilities known to prospective participants
4.6 Make available a catalog of the provider's continuing automotive service education offerings
STANDARD 5.0
THE PROVIDER SHALL EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS OVERALL CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAM AND OF ITS COMPONENT ACTIVITIES AND USE THIS INFORMATION IN ITS ACCREDITATION PLANNING.
The Provider shall:
5.1 Periodically review and record whether the provider's continuing automotive service education mission is being achieved by its overall program
5.2 Show that activity evaluations assess:
5.2.1 The extent to which educational objectives have been met
5.2.2 The quality and effectiveness of the instructional process
5.2.3 Participants' and employers' perception of enhanced work effectiveness
5.3 Use evaluation methods which are appropriate and consistent in scope with the educational activity
5.4 Demonstrate that evaluation data are used in planning future continuing automotive service education activities
STANDARD 6.0
THE PROVIDER SHALL SHOW EVIDENCE THAT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND OTHER NECESSARY RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AND USED EFFECTIVELY TO FULFILL ITS CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION MISSION.
The Provider shall:
6.1 Have an organizational structure for the administration of continuing automotive service education, designating a committee, or a person with an advisory committee, with the responsibility for continuing education, and delineating its authority
6.2 Identify responsible individuals who will maintain continuity of administration
6.3 Have an internal review and control procedure, including budget control practices, to ensure effective use of resources in fulfilling the continuing education mission
6.4 Provide appropriate facilities for continuing education programs
6.5 Assure that commercial supporters of educational activities are identified, and that commercially supported activities are primarily educational, not promotional
6.6 Provide a mechanism to record, and when requested by the participant or an appropriate authority, to verify participation
STANDARD 7.0
PROVIDERS THAT OFFER STAND-ALONE SELF STUDY MATERIALS MUST PLAN AND DELIVER THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITATION OF PROVIDERS OF CONTINUING AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EDUCATION.
The Provider shall:
7.1 Design and/or use stand-alone self study materials that are within the scope of the provider's overall Mission Statement
7.2 Base stand-alone self study materials on identified continuing education needs of target groups of participants
7.3 Develop explicit objectives for each item of self study material and communicate them to prospective participants
7.4 Choose media or a combination of media that is consistent in content and method with the stated objectives
7.5 Incorporate in each unit of self study an evaluation of the participant's achievement of the objectives of the unit
7.6 Evaluate each unit of self study material at least once every three years, or more frequently if indicated by new technical developments. Demonstrate that findings from the evaluation process are used to revise, update or plan future versions of the self study materials
7.7 State for potential users of the stand alone self-study material, information they need to decide whether or not to use the material
7.8 Provide a mechanism to record, and when requested by the participant or an appropriate authority, to verify participation
7.9 Document how ASE CEUs are calculated and monitored for each training activity for which ASE CEUs will be granted