Online Continuing Education Classes Explained

Hundreds of thousands of teenagers, adults, and professionals are going back to school to further their education. Many of them are choosing online classes and online degree programs. Not every course or program is the same, but many of them have similar characteristics. Whether you are a professional completing your required continuing education training or a student looking to complete a master's degree online; there is a program available for you. Today we are going to talk about what to expect in an online course and how they can benefit you.

Most professionals have to complete a certain amount of continuing education every 1-2 years. Online classes are very popular for full-time working adults. They are easier to complete and very flexible. Depending on the school, asynchronous courses are usually the preferred method of online classes. Asynchronous means the student does not have to be online at a specific time. They can log in and complete their work whenever they want. Industries including insurance, legal, nursing, and real estate, all require continuing education classes. You can log in, read the textbooks, and then take an exam. That is your typical course when it comes to completing your education online.

Mandated High Stakes Testing

Special Education and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) are related in several ways. Due to the requirements established in the 2001 NCLB law the vast majority of special education students are required to participate in your district and state annual assessments. This is not a decision the special education teacher has made or often condoned; it is required unless your child is extremely impaired and has not been exposed to the core content standards. There are very rigid laws regarding the assessment process so it is important to check the Accommodations and Modifications Section of your child's IEP to make sure your child has all of the needed testing accommodations.

You may have noticed a lot of talk in the media about state waivers for portions of the NCLB regulations. Many states have requested to receive a waiver that will allow for a little more flexibility in some of the regulations while increasing their accountability. One of the regulations where flexibility may be granted is in assessing students on multiple measures rather than on one test score. This is good news for special education students who often struggle with high stakes tests because they are being assessed on material that they have not learned or been exposed to due to their disability and their educational needs.