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Home-Study Conundrum

Here's a topic that's been hotly-debated among many educators. Please join in by visiting my blog at http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/tech-talk/2009/08/14/home-study-conundrum/#comment-514. I've posted some 'teaser' comments by Art Riggs and Tom Myers on this controversial subject. Also check out the insightful comments by Whitney Lowe @ http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=7523&catid=251&title=home-study-ce-conundrum

Here's a sample of my contribution after several years of kicking this subject around with the above mentioned educators. Don't like to write on political issues...feel my time is better spent focusing on the stuff I love. But we've decided this issue needs finally needs to be addressed:

In 2007, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) surprised many in the massage and bodywork community with this announcement: Videos of any type could no longer be included in home-study and online courses unless NCBTMB approved instructors offer one-day workshops to monitor and test home-study participants on the techniques presented in the videos. Furthermore, home-study reading material was restricted from displaying photos or diagrams of hands-on techniques without a one-day testing seminar. Bottom line: Continuing education credits could only be granted upon successful completion of the home-study program in addition to the one-day supervised workshop if any hands-on techniques were displayed in the material.

Since 1999, the Freedom From Pain Institute® had been an NCBTMB approved provider. Over the years, participant evaluations have enthusiastically confirmed our view that high-quality reading and video programs provide a much needed service to the community. We’ve found that well-designed home-study programs often spark a passion that encourages students to further enhance their skills by attending live presentations…if their physical and/or financial condition permits. (The rest of this article appears in the links listed above.)

Please state your case and make it a fun dialogue...thx...ERIK

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Comment by Erik Dalton on August 27, 2009 at 12:02pm: Read the entire home-study article posted today by Tom Myers by visiting:

http://www.massageprofessionals.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2887274%3ABlogPost%3A13103&page=3#comment-2887274_Comment_15936

I posted a comment about point he made about the lack of testing in live CE workshops.

Comment by Erik Dalton on August 27, 2009 at 9:29am: My mistake...my office manager tells me the courses were purchased from E-Bay ...not Amazon.

Comment by Erik Dalton on August 27, 2009 at 8:13am: Yep...we had that happen in 1998 and began keeping strict computer records of therapists who've purchased our home-study courses. Regrettably, those who purchased my copyrighted material on Amazon got caught 'holding the bag' when they submitted their fake test. My office manager cound they had no record of this person purchasing from us and were declined. We contacted Amazon and they put us in touch (indirectly) with the thief who was reproducing the material. I had my attorney write a nice letter alerting them of copyright infringment policies and punishment.
Due to increased pressure from Hollywood record and movie studios, copyright infringment has become a very serious crime.

Thx for the comment...

Comment by Jagruti on August 27, 2009 at 8:03am: However, we have many in our industry TAKING the work of others and then selling it as CEU's, with no TRUE experienced guidance.

This can happen because of a loop hole in the publishing world and has been taken advantage of by some who supply CEU's to our profession.

Gayle McDonald's HEALING HANDS/Oncology Massage training is a perfect example.

Gayle is in no way involved, has given no permission, yet HER work is being offered online and homestudy by others who have NEVER even studied with Gayle! The inference is there that Gayle is involved!

This is just one of many, many examples.
Let me be clear, this is NOT everyone! There are many truly ethical CEU's online and homestudy that have at the helm the originator of the work or qualified instructors overseeing.

Any thoughts/feelings?

Comment by Erik Dalton on August 26, 2009 at 7:01am: Great report Susan....thx for the heads-up on that little jewel of info...

Comment by Erik Dalton on August 26, 2009 at 6:35am: Hey Rudy and Mike:

Thanks for the kind words but let's give credit to other fine presenters like Art Riggs, David Kent, James Waslaski, Til Luchaun, and Whitney Lowe (who has a new volume soon to be released). All these dedicated therapists have spent years honing their skills and present their passion for the work in book and video format. We're all just trying to continue to grow and advance this wonderful industry we've been blessed to represent.

Comment by Susan G. Salvo on August 26, 2009 at 6:28am: Hey Erik,

Ck out Bloom’s taxonomy web 2.0 (also called Bloom’s digital taxonomy).

It may help you when you appeal the home-study issue (hint hint).

My professor calls online learning “learning on-demand,” “just-in-time learning,” and “mobile learning.”

He also stated that research indicates it is better to learn in short bursts rather than long hours sitting in a classroom.

Comment by Mike Hinkle on August 25, 2009 at 10:09pm: They should be a part of any serious therapist's library!

Comment by Rudy Munoz on August 25, 2009 at 10:00pm: I keep a small library of specific videos in my clinic and view one or two a day to keep me in the loop with some of the techniques I've learned in the past from seminars I've attended. Sometimes you get a bit rusty when you don't use certain techniques. I've found that going over them again will cement my hands on work again. Thanks to teachers like Erik Dalton and Tom Meyers I can always go to my videos to rehash a critical situation that may arise with one of my patients. Just going over it before they arrive means the difference between leaving better than they came and leaving without any outcome, if you get my drift here.

Comment by Erik Dalton on August 24, 2009 at 3:31pm: If you haven't read Art Rigg's article on the Home-Study Resource page of massage mags website, need to check it out. Here's another interesting New York Times tidbit about this very contoversial issue:
http://www.massagemag.com/News/massage-news.php?id=7605&catid=252&title=us-department-of-education-releases-new-research-finding-online-education-more-effective-than-traditional-face-to-face-education