Nancy Heller
NFPA Education Co-Coordinator
1-614-464-6469
May 20, 1999
NFPA ENDORSES DISTANCE EDUCATION AS VIABLE CLE ALTERNATIVE
Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to high quality paralegal education, the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), through action of the delegates to its spring convention, adopted Resolution 99-1, an endorsement of distance education, as a viable educational alternative.
For the past two years NFPA's education committee, co-chaired by Loretta Nesbitt of Texas and Nancy Heller of Ohio, has studied the many forms of distance education, the factors in instructor/student relationships, and the availability (or lack thereof) of paralegal CLE throughout the nation. While recognizing that distance education may not be appropriate for courses that require hands-on application, the delegates concluded that distance education is a viable alternative within NFPA's existing core curriculum and education policies.
Commented Heller, "One of the strengths of NFPA is its vision for the paralegal profession. Accessibility of paralegal education is most important in being able to draw in future professionals, and distance education provides that means." The resolution noted that, due to its accessibility and flexibility, for a select group of highly motivated students distance education may be the only form of paralegal education available. The delegates accepted as a definition of the term "distance education" a situation where the instructor and students are at some distance from one another yet interactive communication exists.
Heller continued, "Education has been a hallmark of excellence of NFPA for the past 25 years. NFPA took the forefront in developing its education policies and model core curriculum and has consistently maintained high educational standards."
Effective with the spring convention, Jolene Miller of Kansas has joined Heller as co-chair of NFPA's education committee. The committee will continue to monitor and research paralegal education and work with other law-related groups that desire quality education for paralegal students and quality CLE for working paralegals.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, NFPA is a non-profit professional organization representing more than 17,000 paralegals in the United States and Canada. NFPA is the national voice and the standard for excellence for the paralegal profession through its work on the issues of regulation, ethics and education.
