NCBTMB Raises Number of Approved
Distance-Education Hours
posted: 11-16-07

Continuing education units come in many forms, from hands-on workshops to books and magazine articles, to DVDs and online courses—and a growing number of massage schools offer portions of curricula through distance education.

In keeping with the changing face of massage education, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) announced on Nov. 16 that it will approve up to 300 hours of distance education from certifiable massage programs. According to a customer-service agent at the NCBTMB, the number of hours of distance education that the board has approved up until now was 500.

The NCBTMB is a nonprofit organization that developed and maintains a credentialing program used by many states to regulate massage therapists (www.massagemag.com/Resources/USCan/laws.php). Therapists in unregulated states may also take the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.

The board will consider distance education for theoretical and non-hands-on portions of massage education.

"The goal is to ensure that educational parameters meet the same academic standards as programs provided in face-to-face formats," an NCBTMB press release noted. "In its statement on distance education policies, the Board has expressed that student outcomes in these programs must be consistent with the stated mission, goals and objectives of the institution’s program; and the institution must assume the responsibility for establishing a means for assessing these results."

In explaining the change, The NCBTMB's Chair Donna Feeley said, "Online, virtual classroom and distance learning courses continue to evolve and are becoming increasingly mainstream as credible delivery methods for instruction.

"Not only are they highly effective," she added, "but in many cases necessary for busy adults who may not have the time to devote to attending fixed facility classes."

To learn more about distance education, see "CEU Roundtable: The Evolution of Massage Education," in the November issue of MASSAGE Magazine (www.massagemag.com/storefront/productList.php?category=back%20issues).