Education, Training, Certification
Overview
Any emerging field needs a process of training and developing newcomers. With elearning, this is somewhat difficult...after all, elearning is a combination of various disciplines - IT, education, distance learning, knowledge management, etc. Until recently, anyone with a strong background in those fields (particularly IT or instructional design) became an "elearning expert" by default. While this is true of any new field, broader, more focused (can training be both broader and more focused?!?), more integrated education and training is needed to raise the standards and professionalism of elearning to the next level.
To succeed in elearning (in any area - designing, teaching, managing, supporting), an individual must possess at least a functional understanding of how the various components of elearning work. Several schools are now beginning to offer more holistic, balanced training (i.e. training that spans IT, design, educational theory)...much to the future benefit of our industry.
| Elearning implementation failures and high student drop outs can be directly linked to lack of training and education. Often project leaders, designers, and instructors enter the field without consideration for the uniqueness of elearning. Competency, after all, is a product of education, experience, and reflection. |
Resources
Get Educated
"GetEducated.com’s Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools:
Education & Library Science 2003 is a free 50-page, downloadable guide
to the best accredited, education related, distance learning graduate
schools operating in the USA today."
Visit their site map
for additional information/resources and guides.
Active
Learning in Virtual Environments (ALIVE)
"ALIVE Online is a professional development program that will teach
you the skills you need to be a successful online facilitator. ALIVE Online
has been developed based on validated curriculum from seasoned online
instructors. The curriculum incorporates seven levels of learning developed
to meet the needs of instructors who are interested in or already teaching
online."
Master
of Educational Technology U of BC
"The content will appeal to university teachers, college instructors,
adult educators, primary and secondary school teachers, instructional
designers, program administrators, educational decision-makers, and others
concerned with managing, designing or teaching technology-based courses."
Master
of Distance Education
"The MDE program is designed in an online format for working adults
who want to complete their degree without interrupting their careers.
The 36 credit-hour-degree program consists of 7 core courses and 4 elective
courses, with a further requirement of a final project."
VCC
Certificate in eLearning Instruction
"This certificate program builds on your foundation of professional
preparation in instructor education and on your professional experience
as an educator."
Capella
School of Education
"The Capella School of Education offers accredited, online degree
and certificate programs that allow adult learners to enhance their teaching
skills and pursue new opportunities in their fields."
Certified
Elearning Professional (CELP)
"The Certified e-Learning Professional (CeLP) is the leading certification
programme for e-Learning professionals. Based on over two years' experience
of setting the standards for the e-Learning industry in the UK and the
success of our Online Trainer and Online Tutor certification schemes,
this represents the most comprehensive certification programme for e-Learning
professionals in the world."
World
Wide Learn
"Online certificate programs and training courses for teaching online,
places to teach online, plus learning resources to help you design and
develop online and web based courses."
Links checked April 2005
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