Camarillo, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/17/2010 -- The difference between an Online Interactive CE Course and a Home-Study Course includes the following: If you submit a completed course/exam to the CE provider via regular mail, then you have taken a home-study course. If the course/exam is completed and submitted online, then the hours are approved as an online interactive CE course. Many state boards, such as the California Board of Behavioral Services, allow all required continuing education to be earned from online interactive continuing education courses. Check with your respective board to determine the amount of hours/units that are permitted online.

A Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is a measure used in many continuing education programs including
• Self-study continuing education
• Home-study continuing education
• Online continuing education
• Online interactive continuing education.

Examples of people who need CEUs include teachers, nurses, mental health professionals, and social workers. Most licensees; therapist, counselors, social workers, nurses, engineers, CPAs, dental technicians, pharmaceutical technicians and more are required every 2-3 years to obtain continuing education hours in order to renew and maintain their state license. A CEU is often defined as a certain number of hours of participation in a recognized continuing education program, with qualified instruction and sponsorship. CEU records are widely used to provide evidence of completion of continuing education requirements mandated by governmental licensing boards.

The term CEU is in the public domain. Any organization may award a traditional CEU without requiring any accreditation. With a traditional CEU an employer or other organization must decide on an individual basis whether to honor the CEU from a training provider.

Due to the occasional failure to adhere to high standards, there is sometimes inadequate credibility of the value of a CEU provider, and accrediting organizations have been created to standardize what a CEU means. The International Association for Continuing Education and Training offers an industry wide accreditation of CEUs. Specific industries have their own accrediting processes for CEUs. Any accredited CEU generally has a preface of the accrediting body. For instance training institutions accredited by the IACET can offer IACET CEUs. Licensees will need to find a ceu provider who has been approved by their licensing board or organization.

Aspira offers online CEUs at http://www.aspirace.com for the following:
http://www.aspirace.com/marriage-and-family-therapist-continuing-education.aspx
http://www.aspirace.com/social-worker-continuing-education.aspx
http://www.aspirace.com/professional-counselor-continuing-education.aspx
http://www.aspirace.com/alcoholism-drug-abuse-counselor-continuing-education.aspx

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Camarillo, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/17/2010 -- The internet has been a viable source for finding all kinds of "stuff". It can also be a great source for finding the right CEU provider. The problem lies in sifting through the number of search results generated by whatever search engine being used. Just because a website ranks high in the search engine results, doesn't necessarily mean it is the best option. Companies are constantly battling for rankings. So, here are some things to ask when drudging through the options found on the search engine results pages.

First, "Are they approved in my state for my license?" There are so many choices in the field of online continuing education; however, many are not approved across the United States. Some specialize in a few states that may be key for them. Others just haven't done the work to achieve approval in every state. Even if the provider is approved in your state, they may not be for your particular license. It is always crucial to read the fine print of each provider and make sure they provide an easy to view table with this information.

Second, "Do they offer all the courses I need to renew my license?" Great question to ask. Look thoroughly through their course listing and make sure they have the courses to fulfill the requirements of your particular license. Something else to consider is not only do they have the core courses you need but do they have enough of a selection outside of the core courses to meet your needs in the future as well.

Third, "Can I even find what I am looking for?" How many times have you pulled up a website from a search result and spent way too much time searching for what you were interested in only to end up backing out of that site and returning to the search results list? Sometimes this may be because the site was irrelevant, however, most of the time it was probably because the website was so poorly designed that it made it way too difficult to find anything. Make sure everything is straightforward and easy to find. No wasting time, which is critical in today's busy, fast-paced world.

Fourth, "Are their rates affordable and reasonable?" This is the brass tacks of the matter. What is the cost? It has been said "You get what you pay for." For the most part this is correct. That is why it is a good rule of thumb to never pay the highest amount and at the same time never pay the lowest amount. The highest amount is usually overpriced. The lowest amount is usually stripped of any value and may cost more in the long run in both time and money. Choosing a price more in the middle is usually the best bet.

Aspira answers these questions and more. Aspira offers online CEUs for MFTs, Social Workers and Professional Counselors for MFT continuing education, Social Worker continuing education, Professional Counselor continuing education at http://www.aspirace.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm