Professional Certification Programs Research Articles

Teacher Leadership Development: The Role of Professional Certification Programs

The past few decades have seen a growing interest in teacher leadership development worldwide. However, there is a need for more empirical research to understand how professional certification programs make teachers leaders, what roles teacher leaders play and what challenges they encounter. This study addresses these questions by examining the perceptions of eight professionally certified teachers working at a Government College in Bangladesh. As a qualitative study, participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling, and a self-developed semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect the data. Data were then analyzed thematically. The findings reveal that professional certification programs significantly contribute to making teachers as leaders, enhancing their pedagogical, professional, research, and collaborative skills compared to their prior positions. In addition, these professionally certified teacher leaders motivate students for better careers and organize seminars, symposiums, and workshops to improve their achievement, inspire colleagues to pursue higher degrees, exchange innovative teaching approaches with them for their professional development, and work on academic committees and research cells, provide valuable insights for overall college improvement. However, the study found that professionally certified teachers face challenges such as a top-down leadership approach, a lack of collaborative college culture, external political pressure, limited financial incentives for pursuing degrees, and a lack of desirable postings to complete the professional certification programs. In contrast to previous literature, the study did not find a lack of time among the professionally certified teachers to perform leadership roles. This study sheds new light on developing teacher leadership through professional certification programs and providing insights for principals and policymakers on how certified teachers contribute to overall college improvement. Future research should focus on the impact of teacher professional certifications on student achievement, colleagues’ professional development, and overall college improvement from students’, colleagues’ and principals’ perspectives.

Insights into Pharmacists' Participation in Professional Certification Programs in Saudi Arabia.

Professional certification programs play a crucial role in helping pharmacists develop specialized skills and establish their expertise in the field. This study explores how pharmacists in Saudi Arabia engage with these programs by examining their levels of awareness, attitudes, and participation. It also identifies the key barriers and motivators that influence their decision to pursue certification. An online survey was conducted among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia to assess participants' knowledge of certification programs, their perceived benefits, the actual participation rates, and their preferences regarding certification areas and assessment methods. Out of 394 participating pharmacists, around 47% had never participated in a professional certification program, and about 27% of our sample were unaware of such programs in Saudi Arabia. Financial constraints and a lack of awareness were noted as the primary barriers to participation. Almost 55% showed an interest in Clinical Pharmacy Specialties certification, while 54% were inclined toward Pharmacy Management and Leadership certifications. A preference for practical assessments in certification programs was suggested by 55% of participants. This study highlights a significant need for increased awareness and accessibility to professional certification programs among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. Addressing participation barriers is vital to foster professional development and meet the healthcare sector's evolving demands in Saudi Arabia.

The Multiple Advantages of Self-Leadership in Higher Education: The Role of Health-Promoting Self-Leadership among Executive MBA Students

The purpose of this conceptual and explorative study is to document the advantages of health-promoting self-leadership practice. Professional certification programs are criticized due to a lack of practice among participants, involvement, and short duration. This study is based on self-leadership practices over several weeks of two executive MBA student classes from spring 2020 and 2021. A preliminary theoretical framework is developed suggesting that health-promoting self-leadership, which includes three orientations, has an impact on self-efficacy, mental fitness, and performance. Two different self-leadership classes with managers from the public and private sectors went through a self-development process as a semester project. The content analyses of 112 student reports unfolded students’ self-development processes and results identified in diaries, notes, tables, training schedules, and reflections. The findings, based on two different samples and aggregated data, support the theoretical framework. Moreover, the processes of self-development and self-leadership seem to be advantageous for almost all managers. The health-promoting self-leadership practice improved managers’ mental and physical fitness, energy balance, self-efficacy beliefs, and performance. These outcomes were achieved through physical activity, self-talk, meditative exercises, reward systems, visualizing, diet programs, and routines. The findings underscore the importance of self-development processes amongst managers, and that health-promoting self-leadership courses should last over several weeks.

Reshaping Librarianship as a Career through Professional Certification

Compared to other professionals, librarians in Indonesia are less recognized as belonging to a profession. Rather than information professionals, librarians in Indonesia are seen as technical, clerical, and administrative staff. This paper discusses the implementation of a professional certification program to build and strengthen librarianship as a professional career in Indonesia. A questionnaire survey was administered to 60 library stakeholders to determine their perceptions of professional library certification. The study finds that the certification strategically reshapes librarians' professionalism by assessing their competencies. Through accreditation, professional librarians' competencies are measured and accounted for by performing specific library tasks that will affect library services.

CED PORTAL WEBSITE

Abstract-. The Continuing Education Department (CED) is committed to advancing lifelong learning and professional development by providing a wide range of high-quality, accessible educational programs for adults and professionals. These offerings include professional development courses, certification programs, workshops, seminars, community education, and online learning, all designed to enhance skills, promote personal growth, and foster community engagement. Through these initiatives, the CED aims to improve employability, support career advancement, and contribute to community development, ensuring that individuals and communities are equipped to adapt to evolving industry trends and achieve their personal and professional goals. Index Term: HTML; CSS; JavaScript; Bootstrap; PHP; UI; Web Application.

Enhancing hypertension detection and control through a hypertension certification program for pharmacists: A cluster randomized trial (The RxPATH Study).

We designed an online educational program for primary care health care providers, the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP), based upon its 2020 guidelines. The objective was to determine the effect of the HC-PCP, taken by pharmacists, on systolic blood pressure (BP) in patients with poorly controlled hypertension. Stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (unit of randomization was the pharmacy). Patients with poorly controlled hypertension (BP >140/90 mmHg or >130/80 mmHg [diabetes]) in community pharmacies in Alberta, Canada, were recruited by their pharmacist. Pharmacists completed the HC-PCP program, then provided care to their patients with poorly controlled hypertension according to what they learned in the course. Pharmacists were given a copy of the Hypertension Canada guidelines and provided their usual care to their patients prior to undertaking the HC-PCP later. The primary outcome was a difference in change in systolic BP at 3 months between groups, while the secondary outcome was patient satisfaction with using the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. We enrolled 890 patients from 59 pharmacies (including 104 pharmacists). Using a linear mixed-effect model with BP reduction as the dependent variable and independent variables of treatment allocation, baseline BP, site effect and patient effect, the intervention was associated with a 4.76 mmHg (95% confidence interval, 2.02-7.50, p < 0.0001) systolic BP reduction at 3 months. Patient satisfaction with using the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire was high at 75.9 (/90). Most educational programs are not evaluated at the patient care level. The HC-PCP taken by pharmacists resulted in a 4.76 mmHg systolic BP reduction in their patients over 3 months. This would have major implications for public health, reducing heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.

Transforming Computer Network Learning: The Role of Animation Media in Developing Students' Understanding of Abstract Material

The Malaysian Polytechnic's job is to supply the nation with semi-skilled labor to meet its demands. Numerous study programs, such as the Sequence Systems Diploma program, whose material is integrated with the CISCO professional certification program, have been established for this aim. This effort is in response to industry demand for skilled labor. However, based on examination decisions made by students, it was discovered that there might be shortcomings in the way this subject—which has a lot of abstract content—is taught, which could affect how well students do. This working paper proposes a transformation towards the use of new media such as animation, which has been proven through the study to be effective in depicting abstract lesson content to students. In this regard, a pilot study has been conducted among the teaching staff of this subject to identify the problems being faced. The results of a pilot study carried out in the form of interviews found that teaching staff actually faced problems in understanding students' abstract content in the form of lectures alone. This is because creating a workforce that is semi-skilled, competent, and capable of competing in the more demanding workplace of today requires a precise grasp of the contents of this abstract knowledge.

Examining industry expectations for content knowledge in mechatronics across career and professional certificate programs

Technological advancements, ever-evolving necessary skillsets, and an aging workforce have all contributed to a growing labor crisis wherein there are not enough qualified candidates available to fill vacant jobs in the manufacturing sector – in essence, a skilled labor shortage. Certificate programs (earned independently in a two-year college, while working in industry, or concurrently with an undergraduate degree) in hybrid fields like mechatronics provide a conduit for producing qualified candidates that ideally are equipped with the skills required by industry. However, it is important to gauge what industry expects from such graduates; in other words, pragmatically, what do they expect these students to know after completing a given certificate? The current study surveyed a range of mechatronics industry professionals on their expectations for content knowledge on a list of relevant skills for two different certificate programs in mechatronics (i.e., career pathway (two-year) and professional (four-year) certificates). Results showed that expectations differed for the two certificates on certain topics, especially related to feedback and control systems. It is hoped that these findings will enable the subsequent development and refinement of certificate programs to best ensure that students are mastering the critical requisite skills to be successful in their manufacturing careers.

PS-BPP04-9: THE RXPATH RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF THE HYPERTENSION CANADA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: A NOVEL IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR HYPERTENSION GUIDELINES

The uptake of clinical practice guidelines into practice is poor for many chronic conditions, including hypertension. We designed a guidelines-based educational program for primary care clinicians, the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP, www.hypertension.ca/professional-certification-program). It consists of four online modules, an online prospective patient registry, and expert evaluations of the blood pressure measurement technique and case management by the learner. We then evaluated its impact on patient level outcomes. Objective: The objective of RxPATH was to determine the effect of the HC-PCP for pharmacists on systolic blood pressure reduction in patients with poorly controlled hypertension. Design and Methods: Design: Stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (unit of randomization was the pharmacy). Setting: Community pharmacies in Alberta, Canada Population: Pharmacists with prescriptive authority volunteered to participate. We enrolled patients with poorly controlled hypertension (BP &gt; 140/90mmHg or &gt; 130/80mmHg in those with diabetes), identified by their pharmacist. Intervention: Pharmacists were enrolled in the HC-PCP. They then provided this care to their patients with poorly controlled hypertension. Control: Pharmacists were given a copy of the Hypertension Canada Guidelines and provided usual care to their patients prior to undertaking the HC-PCP. Outcomes: The primary outcome was difference in change in systolic blood pressure between intervention and control groups at 3 months. We also evaluated patient satisfaction using the Consultant Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ). Results: We enrolled 890 patients from 61 pharmacies (104 pharmacists). Mean age was 61.6 (SD 14.1) years, 46% were female, 35.5% had diabetes, and mean baseline BP was 152.4 (SD 13.8)/87.0 (SD 10.6)mmHg. Change in systolic BP was 9.9 (SD 16.5) for the intervention group, compared to 9.9 (SD 16.2) mmHg in the control group, p = 0.29. Patient satisfaction using the CSQ was high at 76 (of 90 maximum). Conclusions: Most educational programs do not get evaluated at the patient level. RxPATH demonstrated that the HC-PCP intervention did not result in a greater reduction in systolic BP compared to control. While both groups did have clinically meaningful reductions in BP, possible reasons for lack of a difference with the intervention include: COVID-19 staffing/workload issues in pharmacies, selection bias for pharmacists interested in hypertension/contamination of usual care group, and short follow-up duration. Feedback on the HC-PCP from pharmacists was positive, patient satisfaction was high, and we plan to make this program widely available to primary care providers.

An Overview of Competency Development Through Formal Education and Professional Certification Program to Increase the Capacity of BPK

The Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia plays an essential role in ensuring accountability and responsibility for state finance audits. Therefore, auditors must always maintain their competence through continuous professional development. This study describes the competency development program focusing on formal degree education and professional certification for BPK employees. Furthermore, this study measures the adequateness of such a program compared to the allocation in competency development planning, as well as advantages and challenges according to employee perceptions. This study uses secondary data from the 2016-2020 Competency Development Activity Report, the 2019 BPK Peer Review Report, and a questionnaire study. The result shows that BPK has actualized competency development through formal degree education and professional certification program. However, the actualization of competency development with professional certification in 2016-2020 has not yet fully met the allocation stipulated in BPK's Human Capital Development Plan. Employees' perception shows high interest in competency development through formal degree education programs and professional certifications. However, these interests are met with several challenges. One of the challenges that arise involves career advancement and inclusiveness of competency development for all employees, including non-auditor and non-accounting employees. This study suggested further research on conducting a more comprehensive evaluation to ensure that implementing competency development contributes to BPK's capacity.

Screen-Based Simulation as a Novel Recertification Tool for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

BackgroundCertified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) recertify through the Continued Professional Certification (CPC) Program. Screen-based simulation (SBS) is broadly accessible and should be considered as a recertification option. MethodsUsing the modified Delphi method, eight CRNAs with simulation expertise evaluated the usability and utility of a SBS. ResultsEighty percent of modified System Usability Scale items reached consensus and established content validity (ICC=0.674) while 87.5% of utility survey items reached consensus with ICC=0.805, indicating good reliability. ConclusionsTechnological aptitude may impact usability yet SBS may be a viable adjunct to the CPC Program. Future SBS exploration for recertification is warranted.

Implementation of Learning Innovations to Improve Teacher Competence in Professional Certificate Programs for In-Service Teachers

Implementation of Learning Innovations to Improve Teacher Competence in Professional Certificate Programs for In-Service Teachers

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CERTIFIED SECURITY PROFESSIONAL (CSP) CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IN HARNESSING LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL SECURITY

This study is a qualitative research using a descriptive analysis approach to analyze the importance of acquiring the Certified Security Professional (CSP) Certification Program in harnessing leadership capabilities among security professionals in the field of industrial security management. It was participated by purposively selected five (5) security professionals who are CSP holder – participants. Thematic analysis was used to interpret and analyzed the gathered data. The study revealed that CSP Certification program adds value to the leadership potentials among security professionals. It provides knowledge, guiding principles and standards in industrial security management. CSP title is advantageous and gives an edge to aspiring security professionals. It contributes credibility to former military/police and government officers as they seek opportunities in the corporate world. As educators, CSP Certification program serves as continuing professional education that shapes educational leadership.

Longitudinal assessment: A strategy to improve continuing professional certification.

Healthcare certification organizations carefully balance a commitment to bring value to their membership through programs that support lifelong learning and professional growth, while protecting the public by ensuring competent certified practitioners. These certifying bodies are challenged with remaining current with their maintenance of certification programs while keeping pace with the growing breadth of knowledge, industry standards and guidelines, innovative advances, and rapid technological gains in testing and assessment. Within the context of process innovation, the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) evaluated the current landscape of Longitudinal Assessment (LA) as a potential strategy for the assessment of core knowledge as part of their Continued Professional Certification Program for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. This manuscript details the evaluation of LA using a Logic Model as the tool to scaffold inquiry, a review of LA literature, an environmental scan of current LA programs with identification of LA program elements available, and the results of a LA feasibility study. The findings substantiate that continued professional certification which incorporates a LA strategy can augment lifelong learning, but is not an assessment strategy that can be implemented without thoughtful planning, customization and continuous maintenance.

Massive open online courses for professional certificate programs? Perspectives on professional learners’ longitudinal participation patterns

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been integrated into higher education systems as an option for delivering online professional degree and certificate programs; however, concerns about whether employed professionals actively participate in MOOCs remain unresolved. Some researchers have described learners’ employment as the major cause of attrition from MOOCs, but research has not addressed how employed learners interact with MOOCs over time. Understanding employed professionals’ trajectory of participation patterns across course time is thus essential to improving the effectiveness of MOOCs. This study investigated the log data of learner participation to explore how attrition occurs in a professional MOOC, focusing on whether students’ employment status was associated with learner participation. The results revealed learners’ longitudinal participation patterns and confirmed the impact of sustained engagement on course performance. The study also found that employed learners were more likely than their peers without jobs to become cramming learners with initially infrequent engagement in a course but investing intensive time at the end for certificates. We discuss practical implications for designing and facilitating large-scale professional degree and certificate programs in higher education institutions.&#x0D; Implications for practice or policy:&#x0D; &#x0D; Educators can apply MOOCs with a lower weekly workload and a slower pace to support employees’ professional development.&#x0D; Educators should develop professional learners’ interests in the course topic to avoid only cramming for the course certificates.&#x0D; Educators may consider longitudinal patterns of learner participation when assessing learner performance.&#x0D;

Benchmarking Study on Continuing Certification in Healthcare and Allied Health Fields: Program Variables, Commonalities, and Trends

Background Continuing certification refers to the requirements that promote lifelong learning, maintain the currency of professional knowledge, and promote patient safety. The rationale for requiring continuing certification is based on the degradation of the fundamental knowledge and skills required for certification over time. In 2018, the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) conducted a benchmarking study to collect and assess key continuing education variables from certifying organizations representing healthcare and allied health fields. Purpose The aims of the study were (a) to assess whether the model used for the NBCRNA’s continuing professional certification program is supported by evidence and (b) to address questions and concerns about the program’s validity. Methods The NBCRNA partnered with a credentialing organization consulting firm to gather information on continuing certification practices from the websites of 269 accredited healthcare organizations and 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Results Of the 269 allied health and nursing professional certifying organization websites that were studied, 58% certify allied health professionals, 26% registered nurses, and 8% advanced practice registered nurses. Certification was not required for the professions served by 64% of the credentialing programs. The most common certification cycles were 3 to 4 years (36%) and 5 to 6 years (35%). Ninety-seven percent of programs offered continuing education hours followed by re-examination as an option for recertification (52%). Fifty percent of programs offered multiple pathways for maintaining certification. A majority of ABMS member boards have transitioned to longitudinal assessments to assess the knowledge, judgment, and skills of their diplomates. Conclusion Analysis of the data revealed commonalities and trends across a wide spectrum of certifying organizations that can be used to guide the modification of existing and development of new continuing certification programs. Continuing certification refers to the requirements that promote lifelong learning, maintain the currency of professional knowledge, and promote patient safety. The rationale for requiring continuing certification is based on the degradation of the fundamental knowledge and skills required for certification over time. In 2018, the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) conducted a benchmarking study to collect and assess key continuing education variables from certifying organizations representing healthcare and allied health fields. The aims of the study were (a) to assess whether the model used for the NBCRNA’s continuing professional certification program is supported by evidence and (b) to address questions and concerns about the program’s validity. The NBCRNA partnered with a credentialing organization consulting firm to gather information on continuing certification practices from the websites of 269 accredited healthcare organizations and 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Of the 269 allied health and nursing professional certifying organization websites that were studied, 58% certify allied health professionals, 26% registered nurses, and 8% advanced practice registered nurses. Certification was not required for the professions served by 64% of the credentialing programs. The most common certification cycles were 3 to 4 years (36%) and 5 to 6 years (35%). Ninety-seven percent of programs offered continuing education hours followed by re-examination as an option for recertification (52%). Fifty percent of programs offered multiple pathways for maintaining certification. A majority of ABMS member boards have transitioned to longitudinal assessments to assess the knowledge, judgment, and skills of their diplomates. Analysis of the data revealed commonalities and trends across a wide spectrum of certifying organizations that can be used to guide the modification of existing and development of new continuing certification programs.

Assessment of the educational competencies for the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP) designed for implementation of hypertension guidelines into primary care.

Background:The uptake of clinical practice guidelines into practice is limited for many chronic conditions, including hypertension. The aim of this study was to ascertain the importance of the educational competencies for the development of the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP) among frontline, primary care professionals (e.g., pharmacists, physicians, nurses).Methods:A group of hypertension experts developed 15 competencies believed to be important for primary care professionals to master when providing hypertension management. These competencies were surveyed for consensus by frontline clinicians through the Hypertension Canada e-newsletter in 2018. Clinicians were asked to rank the importance of each competency for a primary care provider to acquire when undertaking a certification in hypertension management, using a Likert scale from 1 (not important) to 5 (very important).Results:A total of 121 clinicians responded to the survey. Of these, 38% were pharmacists, 31.4% were registered nurses, 10.7% were physicians and 7% were nurse practitioners. There was at least 1 respondent from each Canadian province and territory, except for the Northwest Territories. All 15 competencies received a mean rank of at least 4. The competency with the highest ranking was Competency 6: Ability to screen and identify hypertension (mean 4.83 [0.04]). The competencies with the lowest average ranks were Competency 1: Demonstrates a sound knowledge of the epidemiology of hypertension (mean 4.07 [0.85]) and Competency 5: Demonstrates an understanding of the validation process for blood pressure devices (mean 4.15 [0.08]).Conclusions:Clinicians generally ranked all 15 competencies to be of high importance for a provider who is certified in hypertension management to possess. These competencies and the current Hypertension Canada guidelines were used as the foundation for the development of an education program called the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2021;154:xx-xx.

THE HYPERTENSION CANADA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: A NOVEL IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR HYPERTENSION GUIDELINES

Objective: The uptake of clinical practice guidelines into practice is poor for many chronic conditions, including hypertension. What is missing is an implementation strategy for incorporating guidelines into primary care practice. Herein, we describe the development of the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP), a novel approach to guidelines implementation. Design and method: First, we identified 15 competencies believed to be important for primary care professionals to master when providing hypertension care. These competencies were surveyed for consensus by front-line clinicians through the Hypertension Canada e-newsletter. Clinicians were asked to rank the importance (on a Likert scale from 1 = not important to 5 = very important) of each competency for a primary care provider when undertaking a certification in hypertension management. Results: A total of 121 clinicians responded to the survey. Of these, 38% were pharmacists, 31.4% were registered nurses, 10.7% were physicians, and 7% were nurse practitioners. There was at least one respondent from each Canadian province and territory, except for the Northwest Territories. All 15 competencies received a mean rank of at least 4. The competencies with the lowest rank was “Demonstrates a sound knowledge of the epidemiology of hypertension” (mean 4.07 (SD 0.85)) and the highest was “Ability to screen and identify hypertension” (mean 4.83 (SD 0.04)). We then used these competencies to develop an online certification program, the HC-PCP. Some features include regular quizzes, submission of a video outlining the learner's blood pressure measurement technique, and submission of 3 patient cases for expert review. The program was launched recently: www.hypertension.ca/professional-certification-program/. Conclusions: We have developed a novel online hypertension certification program based upon the Hypertension Canada guidelines. The HC-PCP has been launched to pharmacists first, and is also being tested in a stepped wedge randomized trial called RxPATH (www.epicore.ualberta.ca/home/rxpath/).

Self-Leadership: A Four Decade Review of the Literature and Trainings

This paper reviews the fourth decade of self-leadership research. Two previous reviews of self-leadership from 2006 and 2010 are summarized, and the paper applies categories from those reviews to examine recent research in the field. This paper also covers new topics and trends in self-leadership research. In previous review articles, new theoretical models for extending self-leadership models were proposed. Therefore, this paper continues that tradition by proposing a new model—the Meta-Performance Model—that offers self-leadership as a skillset for enhancing the individual performance of leaders who seek improvement through professional certification programs. Self-leadership and professional certification programs are often treated as a stand alone topics. However, this paper contends professionals would benefit from combining self-leadership training with other professional improvement programs.

A Study on the GIS Professional (GISP) Certification Program in the U.S.

This study examines the characteristics of the members in the most popular Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Professional (GISP) certification program in the United States as well as the spatial patterns of the certified GISPs. The results show that the majority of GISPs (97.3%) are located in urban areas. About 75% of the GISPs are male. Among all the GISPs, 3971 GISPs (43.3%) play a managerial role, while 4983 individuals (54.5%) assume a non-administrative role. Among the GISPs with a non-administrative role, 348 GISPs (7%) fall within the GIS Developer group, 3392 GISPs (68%) belong to the GIS Analyst group, and 1243 GISPs (25%) play other roles. Additionally, in our analysis of spatial patterns, we identified two hotspots and two coldspots. The first hotspot is centered around Idaho and Wyoming, while the second hotspot includes Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland. One coldspot is along Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana in the central U.S., while the other coldspot includes states such as Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York on the east coast. The information presented in this study can help GIS educators and practitioners develop a better understanding of the current state of this certification program in the U.S and shed light on how to further improve the GISP certification program.