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How To Earn Professional Certification Online
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Business New Haven
11/12/2001
By: Lori Green
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Distance learning is proving to be one of the more viable technologies of the New Economy. The reason why its popularity continues to grow is simple: Distance learning is a medium that gives users access to vocational training and professional development credentials they need to advance their careers.
Online education has particular value for people who live far from colleges and universities. It also appeals to suburban road-warriors convinced that they spend too much of their life on Connecticut's clogged highways.
More courses and entire programs are becoming available for 100-percent online delivery. E-learners range from high-school graduates seeking vocational training to surgeons seeking re-certification in their surgical specialty. Institutions of higher education and national professional and trade associations have begun to offer Web-based training or refresher programs that can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
“People want to learn on-demand,” is the mantra of on-line educators. The Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium (CDLC), was funded as a technical resource center by the General Assembly, the CDLC acts as a clearinghouse and focal point for institutions seeking to offer academic courses or certificate programs online. Workforce Development Grants from the state are administered by CDLC and extended to colleges and universities so they can meet the labor needs of employers more quickly.
For example, because there's a growing need for corrections officers in Connecticut, Tunxis Community College in Farmington now offers its entire Criminal Justice/Corrections certificate program online with the help of CDLC.
Online certificate programs take the same amount of time to complete as their classroom equivalents, at least one year. Costs of online education vary with the sponsoring institution but are often lower than tuition fees for traditional programs. Financial aid is available for matriculated online students, and the degree-granting college or university determines eligibility.
Many academic text publishers are beginning to publish content in Web-based formats, so instead of paying $75 for a textbook, you'll pay the same amount for an online textbook that is designed for maximum interactivity among students and between students and faculty.
Distance education is not for everyone, although recent surveys show that student satisfaction is high. Online courses require that you log on regularly, but most do not require students to be online at particular times. Various times are set for chat sessions or conferences with the instructor. If you are working toward a degree, you must check with an advisor at the institution offering the degree to make sure they will transfer the credits you earn from another institution and apply them toward your degree. It's ultimately up to the degree-granting institution to decide which courses will transfer and how they will be counted toward credit requirements.
Connecticut is just one of many states offering a growing menu of online courses and credentialing programs. There are nearly 23 online B.A. and M.A. degree programs now offered by community colleges and universities throughout the state. Certification programs also abound. These include certifications in areas such as fiber optics, manufacturing leadership, data-mining, early childhood administration and occupational safety and health. Educational institutions likewise benefit from online offerings because they are able offer specialized programs such as these to a much wider market.
If you're a nurse who has not practiced nursing for some time, you can complete the required re-certification process by taking Charter Oak State College's Nursing Refresher Course. The clinical component of the program is done on-site in a hospital setting, but all other requirements can be met by passing the online course.
Because resources from all across the state are pulled together to support the online programs, the certificate in fiber optics, for example, can be obtained almost exclusively online with the assistance of lab sites “on the ground.” Most online courses offered by community colleges are geared toward professional development. The manufacturing leadership program offered by Naugatuck Valley Community College is designed for shop foremen and other decision-makers.
While online learning may seem like a fun and novel way to obtain professional credentials, it's not for everyone. Self-discipline, high motivation and perseverance are all critical to the successful completion of an online degree or certificate.
Your best bet is to familiarize yourself with the entire scope of what will be expected of you in the electronic classroom before you register for an online learning program. Last but not least, you'll need to check to see that your computer system is up to the task. The basics include an up-to-date Web browser, e-mail address and certain hardware specs. CDLC, for example, operates a Web-based technical help desk that can help you determine if your home or office PC can accommodate e-learning applications, including asynchronous (real-time) conference chats. Security software, such as firewalls and anti-virus apps, also need to be checked to make sure they won't conflict with online course modules or conferencing functions.
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