History and Evolution of Continuing Education
– Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education founded in 1878
– Institute of Continuing Education of Cambridge University dates to 1873
– Chautauqua Institution, founded in 1874, was an educational experiment in out-of-school learning
– Harvard University established the Lowell Institute in 1835 to provide free public lectures
– Cornell University offered university-based continuing education in the 1870s
– The University of Wisconsin-Extension has a long history of providing extension services
– The Wisconsin Idea brought the concept of continuing education to the community
Delivery Methods of Continuing Education
– Traditional types of classroom lectures and laboratories
– Heavy use of distance education, including independent study and online education
– Utilization of videotaped material and broadcast programming
– Distance learning has dominated the field of continuing education
– Various methods of delivery cater to different learning preferences and schedules
– The Office of Distance Learning at the University of Florida offers online continuing education courses
Professional Development and Continuing Education
– Professional continuing education issues certificates or continuing education units (CEUs)
– Licensing bodies in fields like teaching and healthcare impose continuing education requirements
– Requirements encourage professionals to expand knowledge and stay updated
– CEUs can be obtained through college coursework, extension courses, or conferences
– The International Association for Continuing Education & Training sets the standard of ten contact hours equaling one CEU
Impact of Recession on Continuing Education
– Recession has influenced the views of prospective continuing education students
– Survey results show that the value of education has risen due to the recession
– The state of the economy has affected plans to pursue continuing education for many
– Economic factors play a role in decision-making regarding further education
– Flexibility and adaptability in the labor market are crucial for the future of work
Institutions and Associations in Continuing Education
– The University Professional and Continuing Education Association is a professional organization for continuing education practitioners
– The International Association for Continuing Education & Training is a global association dedicated to promoting excellence in continuing education
– The Association for Continuing Higher Education focuses on advancing continuing education in higher education institutions
– The American Association for Adult and Continuing Education advocates for adult and continuing education policies and practices
– The Canadian Association for University Continuing Education promotes and supports continuing education in Canadian universities Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuing_education
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Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada.
Recognized forms of post-secondary learning activities within the domain include: degree credit courses by non-traditional students, non-degree career training, college remediation, workforce training, and formal personal enrichment courses (both on-campus and online).
General continuing education is similar to adult education, at least in being intended for adult learners, especially those beyond traditional undergraduate college or university age.
Frequently, in the United States and Canada continuing education courses are delivered through a division or school of continuing education of a college or university known sometimes as the university extension or extension school. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development argued, however, that continuing education should be "'fully integrated into institutional life rather than being often regarded as a separate and distinctive operation employing different staff' if it is to feed into mainstream programmes and be given the due recognition deserved by this type of provision".
Georgetown University, Michigan State University, and the University of Denver have benefited from non-credit programs as it relates to strengthening partnerships with corporations and government agencies, helping to inform and shape the curriculum for degree programs, and generating revenue to support the academic enterprise.
