Becoming a Member

Certified Members are admitted to the Association after the Assessment Committee has reviewed and confirmed that the supporting evidence an applicant has submitted satisfies the conditions for certification, and clearly demonstrates that the individual in question has acquired the competencies set out in the ACCP-CAID Instructional Design Competencies (IDC’s). IDC’s English. IDC’s French.

By becoming a ACCP-CAID Member, an instructional designer is awarded professional certification by the Association, and acknowledgement by their peers of the quality of their practice.  Once an applicant has received confirmation that their membership in ACCP-CAID has been approved and certification awarded, and after having paid their membership fee, they are recognized as a “Certified Instructional Designer” and awarded the right to use the post-nominal formula “ACCP-CAID Member.”

There are three pathways to become a member, each involving a different evaluation process:

  • Training option: this method consists of submitting proof of formal training that demonstrates that you have acquired the necessary competencies outlined in the Instructional Design Competencies document.
  • Experience option: this method consists of demonstrating application of the competencies directly through a portfolio of examples.
  • Education and/or Training obtained Outside of Canada: this method requires a proof of education and/or an experiential portfolio with detailed references for verification.

Any pathway to certification requires you complete an application form and documentation package that you email to evaluation@accp-caid.org and pay the non-refundable application and assessment fee through the Member Sign up form. Upon receiving both, your portfolio will be assessed and you will be contacted after the process is completed.

Our goal is complete all assessments within 30 days of receiving the full application: the email and the payment..

The Training application pathway is for individuals holding graduate-level credentials in instructional design (or related field), whose formal education demonstrates that they have acquired the competencies set out in ACCP-CAID’s Instructional Design Competencies, and who can demonstrate that they satisfy ACCP-CAID’s experience requirements.

To apply for Membership through this pathway follow the steps below:

  1. Download and complete the application form.
  2. Upon completion of the form, submit it and the required documents for assessment to evaluation@accp-caid.org
  3. Pay the non-refundable application and assessment fee through the Membership Sign up area on the website.

The Experience pathway is for individuals who demonstrate the competencies through years of experience of work as an ID. To apply for Membership though this pathway follow the steps below:

  1. Download and complete the application form
  2. Upon completion of the form, send it and the required documentation to evaluation@accp-caid.org.
  3. Pay the non-refundable application and assessment fee through the Membership Sign Up page on the website.

As an exception, the Canadian Association of Instructional Designers recognizes the Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP) certification issued by the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL), formerly the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD), with skill demonstration in Designing Learning Experiences.  Individuals who are current certified members in good standing of the Institute of Performance and Learning, with the CTDP designation, are considered by the Association to have satisfied ACCP-CAID’s educational requirements for certification. 

The skill demonstration portion of the individual’s CTDP certification must  be in Designing Learning Experiences.  CTDP designations received via skill demonstration in either Assessing Performance Needs or Facilitating learning will not be accepted.  Further, the CTP designation will not be considered as satisfying ACCP-CAID’s educational requirements for certified membership.  Individuals will need to submit proof that they have maintained their CTDP designation and I4PL membership in good standing, in addition to satisfying the Experience conditions below (including a minimum of 5 years of professional practice in the field of instructional design).

Training acquired outside Canada will be considered. However, you must provide a description of the institution and all relevant information that can help us determine the nature, level and objectives of the training. You must also provide specific references, such as the institution’s URL, the title of the program, and, ideally, the name of a person responsible for the training. All documents must either be submitted in French or English or accompanied by a translation in French or English.

To apply follow the steps below:

  1. Download and complete the application form
  2. Upon completion of the form, send iit and the required documents to evaluation@accp-caid.org
  3. Pay the non-refundable application and assessment fee through the Membership Sign up page of the website.

Click here to go to the
Applicant sign up and payment form after you’ve completed your package