Spring 2007
Confused About CEUs?
The Minnesota Quality Rating System Pilot
Sharing the Wisdom of Many Voices Conference
PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES::
Contact: Professional Development Coordinator
651-290-9704 ext. 200
Not by Chance:
Contact: Professional Development Coordinator
651-290-9704 ext. 200
Ounce Scale MN Child Care Project
Contact: Mary Scott
651-433-2182
Sharing the Wisdom of
Many Voices Conference
Contact: Julie Wasiluk
651-290-9704 ext. 119
Contact: Cory Woosley
651-746-4024
Confused About CEUs?
You are not alone! Many child care providers ask for them, and some trainings and conferences offer them, but there are still many questions out there about CEUs. As a trainer, you've probably either been asked these questions or you may have asked them yourself. The following Q & A is designed to provide answers to some of the most common questions about CEUs, and to provide links to sites with more information.
Q: What is a CEU?
A: The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) was created by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) as a measurement of continuing education. According to IACET ( www.iacet.org ) one CEU is equal to ten contact hours (a contact hour is defined as one 60 minute clock hour ) of participation in organized continuing education/training experience under responsible, qualified direction and instruction.
Q: Are CEUs the same as In-service hours?
A: NO! An in-service hour is equivalent to a clock hour. In other words, if someone attends a training from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm , they spent 6 clock hours participating in that training. If they are receiving an in-service certificate, their certificate should say “6 in-service hours”. If they were receiving a CEU certificate, their certificate should say “ .6 CEUs”. Remember, in order to issue one CEU, the training needs to be equal to 10 clock hours.
Q: Are there other differences between CEUs and In-service or clock hours?
A: YES! According to the International Association of Continuing Education and Training ( www.iacet.org ), the following organizational and educational criteria should be met in order for CEUs to be issued:
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Organization: The provider must have an identifiable continuing education or training unit or group with assigned responsibility for administering continuing education units through learning programs conducted during training sessions, workshops, concurrent sessions, events, or conferences.
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Responsibility and Control: The provider, through its continuing education or training unit, ensures that IACET criteria are followed.
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System for Awarding the CEU: The provider has a system in place to identify learners who meet requirements for satisfactory completion. The provider maintains a complete, permanent (at least 7 years) record of each learner's participation, and can provide a copy of that record upon request.
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Learning Environmental and Support Systems: A learning environment and support services, appropriate to the continuing education or training goals and learning outcomes, are provided.
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Needs Identification: Each learning program is planned in response to the identified needs of a target audience.
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Learning Outcomes: The provider has clear and concise written statements of intended learning outcomes (e.g., behavioral or performance objectives) based on identified needs for each learning program.
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Planning, and Instructional Personnel: Qualified personnel are involved in planning and conducting each learning program.
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Content and Instructional Methods: Content and instructional methods are appropriate for the learning outcomes of each learning program.
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Assessment of Learning Outcomes: Procedures established during learning program planning are used to assess achievement of the learning outcomes.
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Post-Program Evaluation: Each learning program is evaluated.
Q: Why do child care providers want CEUs?
A: Most child care providers want CEUs so they can renew their CDA Credential. The CDA Credential is a national credential awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington D.C. ( www.cdacouncil.org ). Every five years, someone who has earned their CDA must demonstrate to the Council that they have continued their education with either 4.5 CEUs or 3 college credits documented. The Council strongly recommends that the CEUs used to renew the CDA follow the same criteria issued by IACET (www.iacet.org).
Q: Can anyone issue a CEU?
A: Technically speaking – yes. The CEU is in the public domain. Any organization can offer the traditional CEU. Unfortunately, there are organizations which award the CEU which do not adhere to the standards developed by the IACET. This has led to consumer misunderstanding and distrust of the value of the CEU. To alleviate this misunderstanding, and to provide child care providers with acceptable CEUs that can be used for CDA renewal, it is critical that both the organization that is issuing the CEUs, and the course that is being offered for CEUs, meet the criteria set by IACET ( www.iacet.org ).
Q: Why doesn't CCR&R offer more classes for CEUs?
A: CCR&R only issues CEUs if the class meets the educational criteria required by the Council for Professional Recognition for CDA renewal ( www.cdacouncil.org ) . Currently, with the exception of the Eager-to-Learn online courses, an d a few, multi-session (series-based) face to face trainings, most training offered by CCR&R are single-event (one time only), short workshops which do not meet all of the IACET criteria. In some cases, a CCR&R will work with a college so that the college issues the CEUs for a longer training or conference. The college is then responsible for ensuring that the class or conference meets the criteria, usually by adding additional documented learning activities. As the CCR&R system begins to deliver more high-level, multi-session classes, CCR&R will be able to issue more CEUs that meet IACET criteria.
Q: Does child care licensing accept CEUs?
A: Child care providers and programs should always check with their individual licensor regarding what training will be accepted for licensing.
Q: Are CEUs the same as college credit or can they be used to obtain college credit?
A: CEUs are NOT college credit. Depending on the individual college and educational criteria that was met to receive the CEU, a person may be able to use their CEUs towards obtaining college credit via a portfolio or credit for prior learning system. A person should always check with their college regarding their policies for issuing credit for prior learning.