"What to Include Within a Continuing Education Course...."
April 15, 2023
By Susan Jean Smith
The Continuing Education and Training ( CET) Standard for Instructional Design and Delivery starts with finding out where the gap is for training needs. This is where, for each occupational CEU course may be defined. "What should be included for the Needs Analysis?" Here are some ideas for different occupations.
12 types of continuing education
Here are 12 types of continuing education:
1. Post-secondary degree programs
Post-secondary degree programs are the most applied type of continuing education. Post-secondary degree programs include a range from an associate degrees to amaster's degree.
Susan's Thoughts- "Assessments are process oriented and evaluation is product obtained. Therefore, as an instructional designer, it is important realize the difference in the beginning of creating a CEU course for accrediation. When gaining acknowledgement for passing a CEU course professionally, students must be asessed about their college process of course content. In addition, students must be evaluated about the end product of application of the knowledge obtained."
2. Professional certifications
Professional certifications are another option for vocational education. Earning professional certifications can help you gain promotions within your vocation. Many times you need to pass a qualification test to obtain a certain title or leadership role. It is important to realize that you can list your certifications on your resume'. This can even be done after obtaining any other degree.
Susan's Thoughts- " In using the guidelines for IACET creation for CEU courses, it is still important to note that IACET does view four major aspects of vocational education. These include 1) Organization and Control, 2) Environment and Support, 3) Planning and Support, and 4) Awards and Records. With these factors, vocational education is an type of on site acquirement for occupational knowledge. Therefore, it is very important to include questions of the professionan certification to be "on site," based. Moreover, it is still important to follow each process of course creation-1) Needs Analysis, 2) Learning Outcomes, Content and Instruction, Outcomes Asseessment which is process based; and Evaluation which is product based. For example, questions should range from solving a need in a vocation to 'how to fix or create a product," at the end of the course agenda. "
3. Independent study
Another type of study is thinking outside of the box and creating your own independent study. The independent study may be a comination of two subject areas put together. Independent studies are courses to fit your specific needs and goals. You will need to be working with a certified professional or professor to have them develop an independent study of subjects to complete.
Susan's Thoughts- " This is a very unique situation to take a special individualize CEU course with both assessments and evaluations included. The associate professsor or certified professional needs to be in contact with an instructional designer, to prove the vadality of the independent study. The content of the CEU course will need to follow the guidelines of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training design and delivery. Furthermore, this type of CEU course creation is time consuming and not cost effective when creating a CEU course related to one Independent Study."
4. Professional events
Attending professional events such as conferences, seminars and workshops is another way to obtain certificates of completion. However, as a provider of these " hands on type of trainings," it is important to give the attendees creditable means to obtain CEU credits that work well with the subject areas covered at these type of events. Events can take place through professional organizations and employers.
Susan's Thoughts- " In the past, I have gone to a three or four day conference where CEU courses were offered through an associate university. The leaders of the conference worked with their assoicate university leaders, to create these courses which were related to the educational event function. Therefore, it is important to take careful steps to create CEU accrediation for professional events. It is neccessary to work with event leaders, and be a crediable institution which can gain vital accreditation for a certain course, at an educational professional event. Just remember to include the important steps for -Continuing Education and Training (CET) Standard for Instructional Design and Delivery- for course creation. In addition, I believe that it is important to continue to offer these type of CEU courses for a long time after an attendee was at the professional training event."
5. On-the-job training
You can also strive for on-the-job training or an apprenticeship. On-the-job training happens as an employee. Training on the job can help you learn new skills and knowledge that can be very valuable.
Susan's Thoughts- " It is somewhat rare that CEU Courses are needed for on some types of job training. However, this may be very possible for occupations such as an electrician or a fireman. When it is important to maintain a skill level for an occupation; yes, CEU course accreditation is fundamental. Remember, in this situation, both the assessment and the evaluation of producing a final product are key factors for adequate CEU course measurements."
6. Volunteering
Volunteering is another way to give back to your local community. There are variety of volunteer occasions. These commitments can provide more knowledge about subjects of interest. Volunteering can also be an opportunity to network professionally.
Susan's Thoughts- "In the past, I have been a volunteer coordinator. The program that I was in simply would not have survived without volunteers because it was a - hands on- organization. Therefore, in rare cases does a person need to complete CEU credits to be a volunteer. However, there can be cases such as volunteering for the Red Cross, where a person may have to take a CPR course to remain being a volunteer. As a result, CEU course are sometimes needed for organizations. As an instructional designer, in creating a CEU course, it is critacal to maintain what the organization expects along with the Continuing Education and Training Standard for Instructional Design and Delivery."
7. Research
Research can be a format of of continuing education. If you work in a college like atmosphere, research is valuable. You can choose a research topic that already has a Need Analysis. The next steps would be to follow research proceedures. After completing your research, you can try to publish your work. Reseach is not neccessarily a CEU course that is created; however, a CEU course could be created based on your research.
Susan's Thoughts- " Research needs to have a wait time to have valdality. Strong research maintains strong facts which were investigated. In order to create a CEU course based on research, the research should have citations of sources. Your CEU course should also have crediable sources. In addition, when necessary create a CEU course and be very careful to follow the guidelines for the Continuing Education and Training( CET) Standard for Instructional Design and Delivery. It is most important that every factor involved needs to be correct in creating a research based CEU course."
8. Online courses
Online courses are a very common way to further your education. Often, you can work through online courses at your own pace. There are on demand skills needed to complete online courses. The range of types of online courses are enormous. Therefore, once a number of online course units are completed, there may be the possibility of the need for CEU courses to be devloped in relation to online course completion.
Susan's Thoughts- " Facts and course deliverables can change as fast as technology changes. Therefore, I would say when those changes happen, taking a CEU course really does update a person about current trends and facts. In my situation, taking CEU courses yearly to renew my insurance license is incrediable to my success as an insurance agent. Being up to date is expected in today's world. As an instructional designer, I am mindful to confirm any new information when I would create a CEU course related to an online course. I have to correct with what is in the CEU course to be accrediated. Really, the accreditors are a check and balance function to be truthful with all facts and figures for CEU creation. Again, if you are an instructional designer, like myself, follow the standard for CET for instructional design and delivery."
9. Professional license renewal
You can also complete courses, instructional proceedures, and tests necessary to renew your professional licenses. Many professionals have to take CEU courses to renew their professional license.
Susan's Thoughts- " For serveral years, I have had to take Continuing Education Courses to renew my professional license. In reality, most of those courses were not created to be CEU courses. Instead, the courses that I have taken just were already accredited and accepted to take to be able to renew my professional license. As an instructional designer, just make sure that you are including steps for 1) Need Analysis, 2) Learning Outcomes, 3)Content Instruction, Assessment ( processes), and Evaluation (product). Most of all, be a professional instructional designer and include using educational theories and instructional design models to create CEU courses to be accredited.
10. Language learning
Learning a language is another continuing education option. This option is its own type of continuing education. Continuing Education Units can always be needed to learn or upscale any language to be taught. Obtaining CEUs for language learning is being resourceful and can be noted on resumes'.
Susan's Thoughts- " Most programs that are used in instructional design do have language translators to click on and change the language. However, I believe that the bi-lingual instructional designers have better knowledge to create CEU courses for language learning. This is a valuable market and would be interesting to know more about. I suggest that accrditation for Language Learning CEU courses is valuable with IACET because IACET is an international organization."
11. Continuing education unit courses
A continuing education unit (CEU) is a credit unit that equals 10 hours of a certification programming. As a result, CEU courses are the basis for professionals who need licenses or certifications.
Susan's Thoughts- "Work with your advisor at IACET to created CEU courses that add to the accediation of your organization. Most of all, remember that creating the correct pathways to CEU accreditaiton involves more than maintaining the CET Standard for Instructional Design and Delivery. It also included your organzational aspects that are acceptiable to IACET. This is the other side of the requirements to maintain accrediation for your organization. Please look below.
12. Extension courses that institutions provide for the public. You can take extension courses to work on your personal knowledge.
Susan's Thoughts- " I have known people who just like to learn something new and have enrolled in extension courses. I imagine that Extension Courses commonly do not need CEU type of courses because another type of course will be offered, as an extension course that closely is related to the orginal course. Nevertheless, it may be possible that the extension courses need to be accredited. Therefore, if you are an instructional designer, you may have the opportunity to design a course that is a continuing education course. When this happens, it would be important to follow the CET Standard for Instrutional Design and Delivery.
References
Indeed Editorial Staff. (2023, February 16). 12 types of continuing education | indeed.com. 12 Types of Continuing Education. Retrieved April 16, 2023, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/types-of-continuing-education
IACET- International Association for Continuing Education and Training. (n.d.). The value and benefits of the IACET accreditation. The Value and Benefits of the IACET Accreditation. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://iacet.org/ce-t-accreditation/accredited-provider-benefits/
