February 13, 2007.  In response to the increase of web-based renewable energy training, IREC has released Guidelines for On-Line Courses.  These guidelines are to be used in addition to the educational and management requirements defined in the Institute for Sustainable Power’s ISPQ International Standard 01021.

IREC is the North American Licensee for the ISPQ Accreditation and Certification Programs.  Applications for these credentials are beginning to include web-based training.  While in-classroom training offers the necessary and important practical, hands-on experience, on-line training is becoming a popular source for fundamental, knowledge-based courses as well as for advanced, professional development classes.

The full Guidelines are attached.  Highlights are:

• The instruction is presented in an organized and sequential learning format.
• The learning management system should provide the necessary assessment and reporting capabilities to help monitor and track the learning process.
• Instructor provides timely and specific feedback.
• Learning shall provide frequent and meaningful interactions among learners, between learners and instructional material and between learners and the instructors.
• Assessment should be an integral part of the learning experience.
• Advertising of any type is prohibited within the educational content.

These guidelines were prepared in consultation with educational and credentialing experts, the Institute for Sustainable Power Board of Directors, the IREC ISPQ Executive Advisory Board and other educational institutions and certification programs.

For more information about the ISPQ Accreditation and Certification Programs, please visit http://www.irecusa.org/ispq/index.html

For key documents including the ISPQ International Standard, the Candidate Handbook and Application Guides, please visit http://www.irecusa.org/ispq/applicationskeydocs.html