At Knowledge Is Now, we believe the instructor is the single most important variable in any continuing education experience. An instructor shapes not only what therapists learn, but how they apply it with children and families.
That’s why we choose instructors with a combination of scholarly rigor, practical experience, excellent teaching practice, and a demonstrated commitment to collaboration and learner empowerment. Evidence from healthcare education shows that programs centered on adult learning principles and experienced educators produce deeper, more usable learning for practitioners (Davis et al., 1999; Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2020).
1) Aligned with KIN Values: Lifelong Learning, Evidence-Informed Practice, Relationships, Empowerment
We start with values alignment. Does a prospective instructor demonstrate a genuine commitment to lifelong learning and translating current evidence into practical strategies? Accreditation bodies and CE standards stress that continuing education must be evidence-informed and up-to-date (Moore, Green, & Gallis, 2009). Instructors who model continuous learning help keep content current and credible.
We find instructor perspective on relationships to be equally important. Instructors must care deeply about relationships — with learners, interdisciplinary colleagues, and families. Relationship-centered approaches in health care improve patient/family outcomes (Bennett & Gadlin, 2012; Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016) and should be modeled in how we teach clinicians to interact and collaborate. We prioritize educators who explicitly value teamwork, family-centered care, and respectful co-learning.
2) Strategic Fit: Content, Audience, and Future goals
Beyond view of relationships, we ask ourselves whether the instructor advances KIN’s strategic content and audience goals.
For example: Will this person deliver material that serves SLPs, OTs, PTs, and clinic/home-health leaders? Do their topics support KIN’s upcoming initiatives (e.g., interdisciplinary panels, early-career support, or specialized AAC/GLP content)?
A strong strategic fit means the instructor’s expertise multiplies our impact rather than creating single offerings. Industry guidance for CE providers recommends choosing instructors whose expertise maps tightly to identified learner needs and licensure requirements.
3) Track Record: Effective Teaching + Learner Outcomes
KIN wants instructors who teach well, ‘not only who know a lot’.
We look for documented history of effective adult education: participant evaluations, examples of curriculum design, learning objectives tied to practice changes, and evidence of follow-up impact when available. Research shows that professional development rooted in clear objectives, active learning, and follow-up support produces meaningful practice change (Moore et al., 2009; Institute for Healthcare Improvement, n.d.). We prefer instructors who can show concrete learner outcomes instead of high participant ratings.
4) Pedagogy & Design: Active, Relevant, and Practical Learning
Adult learners are practical and pressed for time. KIN favors instructors who use active strategies (case studies, problem-based learning, simulations, small-group reflection) and who design sessions with clear, workplace-relevant objectives. This aligns with adult learning and health-education evidence that relevance, reflection, and interactive practice lead to better retention and transfer to clinical care (Knowles et al., 2020; Davis et al., 1999).
5) Interprofessional and Collaborative Experience
Pediatric care is inherently interdisciplinary. We prioritize instructors who have worked across professions and can teach in ways that support collaborative practice. Research consistently links interprofessional training to improved team communication and patient outcomes; our CE should reflect and advance that reality (Interprofessional Education Collaborative, 2016; Bennett & Gadlin, 2012).
6) Practical Logistics & Compliance
We confirm that instructors are current in their clinical credentials and able to meet CE accreditation requirements (timing, disclosure, documented learning objectives, conflicts of interest). Many provider standards remind us that qualified instructors must be current in the subject matter and competent in instructional methods and technology. KIN insists on this to protect learners and ensure CE credit applicability.
Knowledge Is Now Selection Process
Nomination & Vetting: nominations from faculty networks, previous KIN instructors, or open calls. We check CVs, recent presentations, and disclosures.
Values & Strategic Screen: values alignment, topic fit, target audience fit.
Teaching Evidence: request teaching evaluations, sample slide decks, or recorded presentations. We review emphasis on active learning and clinical applicability.
Interview/Demo: a short interview and/or 10–15 minute demo to assess verbal clarity, engagement, and tone.
Accreditation & Compliance Check: confirmation of licensure, COI disclosures, and documentation needed for CE approval.
Onboarding & Learner Design Support: we collaborate with instructors on learning objectives, activities, and evaluation plans so the course fits KIN’s instructional standards.
Why KIN’s Selection Process Benefits Clinicians and Children
When instructors are chosen for values alignment, evidence-based content, strong teaching abilities and collaborative orientation, therapists get learning experiences that are usable the next day. That leads to safer, more effective care for kids and clearer confidence for providers. Knowledge Is Now’s selection criteria are built to deliver just that.
Our hope is to build mutually beneficial partnerships with our instructors. Any content you share through us remains yours, and you are welcome to teach it elsewhere. That being said, we love the idea of being a home base learning platform for instructors who are interested in updating their content regularly and collaborating with us around packages and learning pathways that pediatric professionals appreciate.
Check out some of the opportunities and benefits of being a KIN Instructor Partner!
- Live Courses – Hourly Rate / Speaker Fee
- Recorded Webinars – Royalties Based on Purchases
- Curated Course Packages – Learning Pathways | Unique Set of Courses
- Promo Support – KIN Annual Education Plan | Email | Social Media | KINnection
- Logistics Support – CEU/CCU Approvals, Registration, Zoom
- Content Ownership – You Own Your Content
- Content Quality – Reviewed Annually for Potential Updates
- KIN Community Events – Pediatric Virtual Conference | Regional Summits
Interested in teaching with us? Please fill out our instructor interest form today!
References
Bennett, L. M., & Gadlin, H. (2012). Collaboration and team science: From theory to practice. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 60(5), 768–775. https://doi.org/10.2310/JIM.0b013e318250871d
Davis, D., O’Brien, M. A., Freemantle, N., Wolf, F. M., Mazmanian, P., & Taylor-Vaisey, A. (1999). Impact of formal continuing medical education: Do conferences, workshops, rounds, and other traditional continuing education activities change physician behavior or health care outcomes? JAMA, 282(9), 867–874. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.9.867
Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Science of improvement: How to improve. Retrieved from https://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/HowtoImprove/ScienceofImprovementHowtoImprove.aspx
Interprofessional Education Collaborative. (2016). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: 2016 update. Washington, DC: Interprofessional Education Collaborative.
Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2020). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (9th ed.). Routledge.
Moore, D. E., Green, J. S., & Gallis, H. A. (2009). Achieving desired results and improved outcomes: Integrating planning and assessment throughout learning activities. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 29(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1002/chp.20001
