Updated November 2020
Section 7 Professional and Educational Activities
7.1 RESPONSIBILITIES
The Professional and Educational Activities Board (PEAB) recognizes that all segments of our profession require educational preparation in the computing disciplines. In addition, they require lifelong learning and professional engagement within their communities.
The PEAB shall provide leadership in the Computer Society for activities related to the education of a computer-literate population, as well as for the pre-professional and professional activities of practitioners engaged in disciplines such as computer engineering, computer science, information technology, information systems, systems engineering and software engineering.
The PEAB supports these goals by establishing and maintaining programs that address the on-going needs for professional development in areas including relevant bodies of knowledge characterization, best practices, competencies, ethics, performance norms, and terminology. It recommends, evaluates, initiates, and nurtures products and services for practitioners and employers.
7.2 MEMBERSHIP
The PEAB shall be chaired by the vice president for professional and educational activities as provided in the bylaws of the IEEE Computer Society. Voting membership shall consist of the three chairs of the standing committees plus two at-large members. All standing committee chairs and the at-large members are appointed annually by the vice president for professional and educational activities in consultation with the Society president. PEAB membership shall include computing practitioners and computing educators.
In addition, the vice president for professional and educational activities shall appoint liaisons to other appropriate IEEE areas of operation, and shall recommend to the Executive Committee the appointment of Computer Society Representatives to external organizations, such as CSAB, as appropriate. Members of the PEAB shall be members of the Computer Society and shall be encouraged to be members of the IEEE. Members may vote immediately upon appointment.
7.3 STANDING COMMITTEES
The PEAB is composed of the following standing committees. Members of each standing committee shall be appointed annually by the vice president for professional and educational activities in consultation with the standing committee chair.
7.3.1 Professional Education Products Committee
The Professional Education Product Committee (PEAB-PEP) shall work with the IEEE CS marketing staff to develop professional education products identified by customers. The PEAB-PEP will determine the level of quality acceptable for IEEE CS educational materials offered.
Product delivery will be accomplished through utilizing online resources, e-learning courses, distance learning courses, continuing education courses, professional development seminars, and tutorials. This will be accomplished through:
- working with the discipline-specific committees,
- evaluating existing products (internally or externally), or
- collaborating with Global Partners.
The PEAB-PEP shall provide subject matter experts to offer support and technical advice to the Society staff charged with production of courses and other educational products, and with other Society entities as requested.
7.3.2 Curriculum and Accreditation Committee
The Curriculum and Accreditation Committee (PEAB-CA) is responsible for college and university curriculum and accreditation efforts for the PEAB and the IEEE Computer Society. With regard to curriculum, most of these efforts are centered on the development of bodies of knowledge, model curricula and curriculum standards. In this regard, the PEAB-CA Committee appoints various task forces and groups to coordinate specific curriculum efforts as they arise within the computing community.
With regard to accreditation, the PEAB-CA Committee is responsible for managing CSAB (Computer Science Accreditation Board), which represents the IEEE-CS to ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), which is the national leader in engineering and computing accreditation. CSAB represents the IEEE Computer Society on the ABET Board, conducts volunteer recruitment, and assists in training. The PEAB-CA Committee appoints members to the CSAB Board and provides policy and direction to ABET through its engagement with CSAB.
7.3.3 Computer Engineering and Science Disciplines Committee
The Computer Engineering and Science Discipline-specific Committee (PEAB-CESD) shall make recommendations to the PEAB regarding programs that serve the computer and systems engineering and computer science communities. When appropriate, a liaison relationship with relevant technical councils, technical committees, and/or standards committees may be established.
The PEAB-CESD shall provide subject matter experts and offer support and technical advice to the PEAB-CA in curriculum development and accreditation for programs in areas of computer engineering.
7.4 OTHER COMMITTEES
Ad hoc committees may be created by action of the PEAB. These committees will have a defined purpose and will be constituted for no more than 12 months. After 12 months, the ad hoc committee must be re-justified within the PEAB. Unless otherwise provided by the action of the PEAB, the chair and the members of any ad hoc committee shall be appointed annually by the vice president of professional and educational activities and serve at the vice president’s discretion.
