Below are the CE certificate guidelines for VSPN CE courses:
ABOUT VSPN'S ONLINE CE PROGRAMS
VSPN CE courses are entirely online; they are designed around
live, interactive, real- time sessions, message board discussions,
and materials in the course area library. VSPN CE courses utilize
both synchronous and asynchronous learning to maximize your
learning experience:
- Synchronous learning - live, real-time interaction with
the instructor and classmates (real-time sessions);
provides for immediate interaction with the instructor
and other classmates, active participation in polling
questions/answers, and question/answer sessions.
Attendance and participation in real-time sessions is
not required, but highly recommended.
- Asynchronous learning - self-directed study by the
participant to read documents, interact in message
boards, and complete homework quizzes, assignments,
or exams; participation is recorded via computer,
based on completion and/or time- recorded actively
participating. Requirements for participation are below.
Once enrolled in a course, you will receive informational
e-mails directing you to prepare for the upcoming course.
On the day the course area opens, you will be e-mailed your
course open instructions; and access to the course area will
be available through the log-in link at www.vspn.org/CE.
When you log into the course by using the LOGIN link on the
CE page, you will arrive at the COURSE HOMEPAGE. The first
thing you need to do is learn your way around the course area.
The navigation bar near the top of the COURSE HOMEPAGE
features the links you need to your course area: CLASSROOM,
MESSAGE BOARDS, and LIBRARY.
LIBRARY:
Course materials will be posted here as they become
available (check this each time you come to the course area).
It's advisable that you review this material before each
real-time session so you are familiar with the lecture topics
covered. If you do not understand something after each
real-time session, please post those questions to the message
boards rather than taking up valuable interactive session time.
Materials may include:
- Handouts.
- Graphics, movies, or other material to view before
or with the real-time sessions.
- Homework (HW) quizzes (available within a day or two
of each session and should be completed prior to the
next real-time session). If this course has homework,
there will be a link to a multiple-choice question/answer
HW quiz listed in the course area library the day following
the real-time session. Homework counts as a participation
point.
- If there is ONLY a cumulative final exam and no weekly
quizzes, the final exam will be MANDATORY if you wish
to be considered for a CE certificate.
- Transcript and edited logs of each session you can
download (a few days following each real-time session).
You will receive edited transcript logs of the real-time
sessions via e-mail the day after each real-time session.
- The final exam (if the instructor elects to have one) is
due by the day the course closes.
- The course end evaluation. We would appreciate your
completing the evaluation so we may make the next CE
course even better! The course end evaluation will open
in the library the day after the last real-time session
and is due by the day the course closes.
MESSAGE BOARDS:
Several informational folders indicated with an * in the
title are available along with the course folders that count
for participation. Examples are: Other Questions, Questions
about the homework/final, and Weekly topic folders.
Reviewing/reading any new posts on a daily or every-other-day
schedule is highly recommended.
CLASSROOM:
This is where we will hold the how-to sessions and the weekly
real-time (interactive) sessions. If you click on CLASSROOM,
you will be put into the VSPN CE classroom for your course.
Look at the orange bar near the top of the classroom; it should
say "Conference Room VSPN CE."
- AT ANY TIME: If you experience problems, click
on the Live Support button (it will be
flashing yellow "Click here for Instant Help") on the CE
page when staffed or call 800-846-0028 ext 127 (toll free)
and ask for tech support.
- While the real-time sessions are not mandatory, we highly
recommend attending the live sessions to maximize your
exposure to the material.
- During this session the instructor discusses cases,
concepts, and content related to the course topic and
addresses questions posed by the course participants.
Participation in questions and answers is counted toward
your participation points.
PARTICIPATION POLICY FOR COURSE CREDIT
To demonstrate that you are following along with the class
you must do ALL of the following:
- Read at least 50% of all the discussions (i.e., threads)
in the course message board folders. We can track your
participation so if you don't have a comment or post,
don't worry, your "read" will still count. Word of caution,
actively posting is also required, see below.
NOTE: This is the most difficult part of the requirements,
and you must read the posts ONLINE; opening and printing
them out right away will not record your "actively reading"
of the discussion thread. You may print anything out,
but remember you will have access to the course and archived
boards indefinitely after the course closes as well.
- Complete and submit any online homework quizzes, the final,
and the end-of-the-course survey by the date the course
closes. Each online HW quiz and the final (if there is one)
is worth one participation point if completed with a score
of 80% or better. If there is ONLY a cumulative final exam
and no weekly quizzes, it will be MANDATORY that you
complete it if you wish to be considered for a CE
certificate. Please check your course announcements for
mandatory final exam requirements (some courses do not
have a mandatory final exam). HW quizzes are posted in the
course area library within 24-36 hours after each real-time
session. The final and the course evaluation are posted in
the course area library within 24-36 hours AFTER the last
real-time session.
- Actively participate in the course three (3) or more times
a week, which can include postings on the message board
and/or participation in the real-time sessions (example:
if the course has three real-time sessions, you will need
to participate 9 times or an average of 3 times per week).
You can meet these requirements by posting an average of 3
times each week on the class boards, speaking up 3 times
during the real-time session (including taking polls),
completing any homework/final exam assignments provided
by the instructor, or any combination of these.
DO NOT WORRY
If you miss any given real-time session or can't visit the
boards in any given week, this is not a problem, provided
the requirements for total participation are met by the
completion of the course.
LEARNING ONLINE IS CONVENIENT AND EASY
How do we keep track of attendance online? This is done in
several ways.
- A complete transcript of each real-time class session,
as well as logs showing individual participation in the
real-time session polls, is kept for possible auditing
by a state board or RACE.
- A complete transcript of the course message boards is
kept for five years for possible auditing by a state
board or RACE. VSPN will provide any or all of this
material to an accrediting state board or RACE. It is
then the responsibility of the accrediting body to decide
if the documentation is adequate and complete.
CERTIFICATES FOR PARTICIPATION
At the end of a course, the VIN/VSPN CE office will confirm
your actual participation and either e-mail or mail to you
a hard-copy CE certificate (per your registration instructions)
describing the course and the number of CE hours. These
certificates will usually be sent out within 4-6 weeks after
the course closes. If you need further documentation, e-mail
VSPNCE@vspn.org or call 1.800.846.0028.
We hope you enjoy your CE experience!
Nanette Walker Smith, M.Ed., RVT, CVT, LVT
(vspnce@vspn.org)
VSPN Content Director & CE Coordinator
1-800-846-0028 or 1-530-756-4881 (ext. 187)
VSPN CE Services
Charlotte Waack, CVT, RVT
(charlotte@vspn.org), ext. 193
Chris Upchurch, VA
(chris@vspn.org), ext. 197
Address (URL):
