Why is CE so hard? Why do I keep getting logged out?
The SAFE Act requires Continuing Education to be completed and the NMLS is taking this seriously. In the full course specifications, details such as 6 minute logout with no warning are included in order to ensure seat time.
Below is an excerpt from the NMLS CE functional specifications for 2012 which includes the best summary. The red and bold is their emphasis.
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5.3.2 Prevention of “Blow-through:” (updated requirement) The course provider is responsible for designing and delivering the course in such a way that the student is prevented from “blowing through” or being able to “game” the course or any of its components by any means that will thwart the regulatory intention of pre-licensing education or continuing education.
Blow Through: The opportunity provided to students to bypass or circumvent the necessary information without engaging in any form of interaction with the course content, students or instructor.
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1.5.5 Responsibility to Ensure Seat Time (enhanced requirement):
Seat time is defined as the time that a student is in the course and engaged with the instructor, other students, course content, and activities. One hour is defined as 50 clock minutes. Course providers are responsible for designing and delivering instruction that ensures the student meets the time requirements for which the course is approved.
Providers delivering instruction are to have in place and enforce policies that prohibit students from engaging in outside activities while they are completing the course.
Similarly, providers of courses are to design and deliver courses that require the student is continuously engaged with sufficient content and activities to meet the approved number of hours. Online self-study (online CE) courses are to be configured such that they prevent seat time from accruing due to inactivity, and/or by “challenging” or “gaming” the content. This includes but is not limited to rapid button clicking, space bar holding, or any other means that will create a period of time-accruing inactivity which allows the student to spend less than the required seat time for which the course was approved.