Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72195
E-LEARNING IN MASSAGE THERAPY While e-learning has made inroads into mainstream higher education, its adoption in the massage field is much slower. Traditionally, massage therapists have not been heavy computer users. However, this is changing. Massage therapists now routinely use the computer as part hours of initial training as distance education. Under the new guidelines, massage technique courses must still be taken in a face-to-face classroom setting, but other non-technique courses can be delivered through distance or e-learning methods. While numerous subjects can be taught There is much more to massage education than just hands-on techniques, and for these other subjects e-learning holds great promise. of their practice for communication, record keeping, research, marketing, scheduling, and other purposes. Because massage therapy is a kinesthetic practice, educators may feel that e-learning methods are not appropriate for massage education. This is a concern of educators in related healthcare fields, such as occupational therapy.3 E-learning is clearly not a desirable teaching method for the hands-on techniques of massage. However, there is much more to massage education than just hands-on techniques, and for these other subjects e-learning holds great promise. The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) adjusted the eligibility criteria for their National Certification Exam recently, allowing up to 300 online, few programs use e-learning for entry level training at this time. E-learning is more common in continuing education (CE), where it is a valuable learning option for the busy professional or those without access to face-to-face course offerings. CE requirements are a part of licensure renewal in most states and most professionals recognize the benefits of updating skills and expanding expertise. For some subjects, e-learning is proving to be an equally and sometimes better teaching format. In higher education, e-learning has been shown to increase student learning, increase integration of material, and improve outcomes. These advantages have potential in the massage therapy profession as well. Like other formats, quality makes or breaks student success and learning. Although current online courses are often designed as simple "read and test" courses, innovative educational models in e-learning offer far more effective-learning formats with multiple advantages. WHAT IS E-LEARNING? Distance education has been around for centuries in the form of correspondence courses. However, the rapid expansion of the Internet and widespread use of the World Wide Web is feeding the exponential growth of these courses. Online-learning, now commonly called e-learning, involves delivering course content via computer instead of the traditional classroom. Most e-learning courses use a web-based interface and more robust courses use some type of learning management system (such as Blackboard or Desire2Learn) that can track student activity and records.4 E-learning courses are delivered as either synchronous or asynchronous. In a synchronous course, students perform learning activities together at the same time (usually in the same time zone). Examples include web-based seminars (webinars), live chat activities, or video conferencing. Synchronous activities can require a high-speed internet connection. Due to technological and geographic limitations, most higher education applications of e-learning do not use synchronous activities. With asynchronous learning, students do not perform course activities at a set time. The flexibility to work on an individual schedule and in different time zones is a primary advantage of e-learning. Because of this flexibility for both instructors and students, most higher education e-learning classes use an asynchronous format. 50 massage & bodywork september/october 2008