Not so many years ago, education occurred in a classroom. Teachers prescribed textbooks for students to read and then lectured on the textbook as students diligently took notes. Homework assignments were written on notebook paper and duly graded with a red pen.

Learning is very much different today and is continually evolving to take advantage of changing lifestyles. For example, classroom education is declining among adults as more efficient methods of delivering education are available. Of course, technology plays a large part in this evolution of learning.

Technology in Learning

Today we carry a computer in our pocket. Smartphones give access to encyclopedic knowledge as well as “how to” and trivia. It is not impractical to view a YouTube video to learn woodworking skills as you step-by-step build new garden furniture.

Unfortunately, because of the availability of information, most people have lower retention rates. This is really the gap between knowledge and information. Watching a woodworking video gives me information on the skill to use a router but until I actually hold the router in my hands and apply it to a piece of wood, I do not have knowledge.

Professional Knowledge

Because learning is so different today and the required skills to be proficient at a job are growing, professional certifications are increasing. Certification demonstrates knowledge (not just information), skills, and experience in a chosen field of study. In many cases, professional certification is required for jobs above and beyond college degrees.

It is important to note that professional certifications are awarded based on demonstration of skills, knowledge, and experience. New Product Development Professionals (NPDP), for example, require skills in new product development and innovation demonstrated by an educational requirement (high school diploma or bachelor’s degree), experience in the field (five or more years of product development experience), and a passing score on a certification exam. Certification exams validate basic knowledge in the field of expertise. Project Management Professionals (PMP®) and Professional Engineering Managers (PEM) must meet similar requirements in certification.

Continued Education

A key criteria for professional certification is the continuing education requirement. Continued learning validates experience and skills in the field of study and encourages professionals to maintain knowledge of best practices and emerging trends. Most professional certification programs require continuing education.

Certification	# Professional Development Hours (PDH)	Renewal Period
NPDP	60	3 years
PMP*	60	3 years
PEM	45	3  years

*Includes 24 hours in Business Strategy, Technical Project Management, and Leadership

Earning Professional Development Hours (PDH)

Because learning is different today, so is maintaining a professional credential. In the past, certificate holders needed to attend expensive conferences out of town and away from the office. Many of the topics presented at a conference are not applicable to your business or background.

Today, learning is different. Online courses are short and affordable. You can select the topics that interest you. Instead of listening to someone drone on for hours in a lecture, online courses are interactive, engaging, and at your own pace. A typical course at Simple-PDH will offer learning with a downloadable article to read, various audio and video components, and a practice test. Final exams allow participants to download and print a certificate for their records to demonstrate earned PDHs to maintain certification.

Simple-PDH

Learning is different today. It is much more engaging, simple, and affordable. While many careers today require professional certification for advancement, we know that it is hard to maintain these credentials. At Simple-PDH, online courses make it easy to study, learn, and earn continuing education credits for your professional certification. It’s simple!

Try It Now!

To find out how easy it is to study, learn, and earn PDHs at Simple-PDH, join the Disruptive Innovation course now and earn 1 PDH for NPDP, PMP, or PEM renewal. If you’re not 100% sure of how online training works, please take an introductory course for FREE! Learn more about NPDP certification by clicking here to register at no cost. Or click on Registration in the upper right corner at www.Simple-PDH.com, then enroll in either of the Disruptive Innovation or NPDP Certification courses (see Courses in the top menu).

New courses are being added for PEM, PMP, and NPDP professional development every month, so check back often! If you have questions about existing or upcoming PDH courses, please contact us at info@simple-pdh.com or by phone at 281-280-8717.

 

Study. Learn. Earn. Simple.

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