Teaching and learning in the 21st century is often a challenge as educators have to squeeze in time to pursue continuing education credit and professional development programs.

Commonwealth Learning Online Institute (CLOI) offers educators and teachers continuing education courses that help build a knowledge base while providing tools designed to help navigate an ever-changing academic landscape.

Using methodologies and instruction that encompass the latest that the education sector has discovered and integrated, we provide a way to affordably build your instructional capabilities while keeping continuing education classes convenient to your busy life.

To meet the evolving needs of the national community through online adult education offerings, Commonwealth Learning Online Institute assists teachers as professionals and lifelong learners to move forward in their careers in academia through continuing education and professional learning.

CLOI is a leader in engaging and inspiring educators to achieve and surpass personal and professional objectives with our continuing education offerings. We also collaborate with academic colleges on the development and delivery of appropriate credit courses, which are customized to address areas of high need as identified with partners in the education industry as a whole.

What is a CEU?

The CEU (continuing education unit) records are a part of the reporting system for students in an institution.

One CEU equals ten contact hours of participation in organized continuing education classes and/or training conducted by a qualified instructor.

A contact hour is equivalent to one 60-minute interaction between an instructor and the participant. A fraction of such a unit may be given for courses that offer a shorter duration.

Educators are required to participate in continuing education programs for a particular number of hours over a series of years to renew their teaching certifications and licenses. However, it should be noted that the number of CEUs needed per teacher and per year varies by state.

female teacher holding a laptop

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Pursuing continuing education as a teacher presents a direct path to advancement by giving professionals an edge toward furthering their rewarding career and helps them master their profession. Though the majority of schools and states require that educators earn a number of continuing education units or credits in a designated number of years to renew their licenses, the majority of teachers opt to pursue additional certifications to advance their careers even further, or simply to achieve a higher pay grade.

Higher education institutions and firms provide a variety of courses, workshops, and trainings meant to meet these requirements for continuing education, though we are not able to offer any guarantee on pay increase as a result of participation in a particular training or professional development program.

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Example of CEU Approval Requirements

All non-credit programs and courses submitted for continuing education units have to meet certain criteria, which may include but is not limited to:

  • The program must be planned and fulfill a particular educational need
  • The program must have a clear objective and purpose
  • The program must be conducted by qualified instructional personnel
  • The program must have clearly defined performance obligations which must be met to award the CEUs to participants
  • The program must include a participant evaluation

Important Things to Consider

  • Programs that have less than five contact hours cannot be approved for CEUs
  • Course approvals are valid for one calendar year from the dateapproval is received.
  • Submitted CEU approval requests will be renewed within three business days
  • If there is a need for multiple dates of the same course approved, an additionalCEU approval form should be submitted
  • CEUs cannot be awarded until the sign-in sheets and evaluation forms have been submitted, and payment has been received

Continuing Education Options for Teachers

Continuing education may entail shorter-term trainings, seminars, and workshops. It can include non-credit and for-credit courses. In some cases, the administrators may include external parties who deliver the workshops and seminars on-site.

Teachers usually have to arrange and pay for their continuing education most of the time. The majority of teachers pursue CE options of one type or another. Attending courses on campus at a nearby university or college can be an attractive option for teachers that prefer in-person training.

If one is seeking a more flexible option to get career-advancing credentials, then online professional development programs may be the ideal fit.

Online Courses for Credit

Online for-credit graduate-level courses allow teachers to comply with their continuing education unit needs without going to campus regularly. The online graduate courses at accredited institutions may also give students credits which would help them earn a higher teacher salary.

Even though these educator courses could prove to be more expensive compared to workshops or non-credit courses, graduate coursework can provide a good return on investment when it is utilized to gain advanced teacher certification and allows for access to higher teaching positions and salaries.

Keyboard with Learning Key instead of Enter Key

The majority of graduate-level courses are completed over several weeks or a college term, though accelerated alternatives do exist.

CE Credits

The online platform provides graduate-level professional development for continuing education credit courses that meet the requirements for teacher recertification and the advancement of salaries. These courses are offered throughout the continental United States, but educators should confirm that the credit is approved through their individual state department of education before enrolling.

Professional Development Courses

Professional development courses are non-degree, graduate-level advancement courses that are based on topics such as phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, reading comprehension, reading fluency, English language arts, vocabulary, integrating reading skills, assessment, close reading, balanced literacy, and text complexity. They are usually pursued by k12 teachers and follow common core state standards.

For teachers who need to gain additional credits and CEUs to renew licensure in spite of a busy schedule, several online courses offered by Commonwealth Learning Online Institute will meet your needs for affordability and flexibility as you pursue your career objectives. CLOI courses for teachers allow participants to complete their coursework from home and move at their own pace.

Whether you are looking to improve your performance at your current teaching job, renew a license, or obtain a masters degree, it is possible to find a teacher continuing education course that will assist you along your path.

Additional Resources for Teachers

Professional organizations and support tools can provide helpful information to teachers who want to remain on top of trends to continue with their professional development. As one such teacher education resource, CLOI can provide information on and an evaluation of continuing education opportunities and professional learning programs to help educators find the right one to meet their career objectives.

We can also provide information about financial aid you may qualify for.

Reasons for teachers to pursue online continuing education with Commonwealth Learning Online Institute include:

Salary Advancement

Continuing education usually qualifies teachers for a position of leadership and a higher level of pay. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salary of a teacher with one or more advanced degrees is typically much higher compared to those who only hold an undergraduate degree.

Job Marketability and Security

Through increasing their credentials, continuing education assists teachers in becoming more desirable and qualified to employers. This can prove to be important as the educational landscape continues to shift and more individuals earn advanced degrees.

Career Transitioning

CLOI’s unique programming helps teachers develop a highly specialized set of skills, which can be especially beneficial if they want to pursue a new field within education.

Professional Networking

Considering that many of the students who enroll in continuing education training courses already work as teaching staff, enrollment in graduate courses may allow for the creation of networks and community groups of teaching practitioners.

Job Performance and Image

Learning new skills and exploring new ideas can be essential towards improving:

  • Teaching Quality
  • Teaching Strategy
  • Confidence
  • Classroom Management
  • Project Management
  • Professional Imagery

Best Teaching Practices

Continuing education acts as a means to expose teaching personnel to current theories, new technologies, and best practices in a discipline that is complex and highly specialized.

Time Management

Taking courses while also working and handling personal obligations can keep teachers incredibly busy.

However, learning new skills through continuing education gives them the tools to remain versatile, especially with regard to time management. Web-based continuing education programming allows educators to achieve a balance between family time, personal time, work, and educational pursuits so as to not become overwhelmed.

These are some of the online professional development techniques that Commonwealth Learning Online Institute provides to enable peak performance and assist you in becoming as effective an educator as possible. Request info on how CLOI can assist with your professional development and continuing education.