Guidelines for aromatherapy educators
The terms are used:
Aromatherapy educator is a person who transmits (broadcasts) information on the topics "aromatherapy", "use of essential oils", "properties of essential oil products", etc.
The educational program on aromatherapy is a complex of the information collected in short and convenient format of perception in the form of the lecture and graphic material, video recordings with participation of the educator of aromatherapy, audiotapes, manuscripts or other products of intellectual work on various information carriers.
Authoritative sources of information - sources that have a scientifically proven argumentative basis for asserting/disproving a particular phenomenon (process, method) in a particular narrow field of observation, in this case in aromatherapy.
Aromatherapist is a person who performs cosmetic, medical (if he/she has permits), psychological, and massage-manual activities in aromatherapy with the use of essential oils and other essential-oil components.
CURRICULUM CREATION
Choice of topics
1.1 It is advisable to choose the topics of the training program according to the principle "from simple to complex" in order to avoid a burden on the trainee and the educator.
1.2 From the list of thematic material, the most appropriate is that which overlaps with the educator’s own activities as an aromatherapist (if such activities are conducted).
1.3 Recommended duration of one lecture is 1 - 2 academic hours (45 min. each), including time for questions. Answers to questions are given at the end of the lecture, which has a positive impact on the presentation of material. The course may include any number of lectures planned by the author.
Authoritative sources
1.4 Only authoritative sources of information or personal experience should be used to create aromatherapy curricula.
At the same time it is necessary to understand that:
- Personal experience, no matter how convincing it may seem to the owner, does not always meet the criteria of an authoritative source of information, in which case it is recommended to emphasize it when presenting the curriculum material, explaining to the listener that this information is taken from personal experience. Such clarification will save the instructor from controversial questions from the audience.
- Opinions, views and statements of recognized aromatherapists can refer to authoritative sources of information. Criteria for evaluating such aromatherapists may include: duration of activity, number of qualifying documents, publication and quality of materials on the Internet, stated professional experience, awareness in areas related to aromatherapy.
- schools of aromatherapy, accreditation of which is confirmed by educational institutions, research institutions, own state registration in most cases are referred to authoritative sources of information, the evaluation criteria are: scientific publications, volume of research work, official state ratings of profile ministries.
- published books, lectures, etc. author's material of scientific, popular scientific nature, the evaluation criteria in this case are the author's official achievements in the field of science and education.
- it is recommended to pay special attention to the difference between the models of education and science in the CIS countries and abroad, due to which the objects taken as an authoritative source of information can contradict each other and provide, to some extent, the opposite information.
Non-authoritative sources
1.5 The use of information from non-authoritative sources must be avoided in order to give the curriculum a high level of expertise.
Non-authoritative sources are identified according to the following principles:
1.5.1 Since the World Wide Web (Internet) is outside the legal field, accordingly the "Internet" itself is broadly speaking a non-authoritative source of information.
This rule applies by default to any information found on the Internet. It is necessary to strictly adhere to this rule, and to understand that absolutely anyone can send (put) on the Internet absolutely any information, and there is no legal responsibility for it.
This rule can be condensed to a short postulate:
Any information is first and foremost misinformation.
But this does not mean that some of the information on the Internet is false. It is recommended to distinguish information according to clause 1.4 of this document.
1.5.2 Social networks, with the exception of official pages of authoritative sources.
It must be remembered: information posted on individuals' personal pages has the status of a personal blog (artistic story) and often has no professionally relevant "background". Bloggers and other disseminators of information often do not themselves claim to be an authoritative source of information. A person, in this case, a subscriber reading a blog, voluntarily uses this information, doing so at his or her own risk. It is recommended to avoid using such methodology.
1.5.3 Recommendations of commercial companies operating in the field of essential oil products trade (suppliers, sellers and distributors) mostly refer to non-authoritative sources of information, since their recommendations refer only to the products that are used and traded.
1.5.4 Information that is passed from person to person in the form of rumors and unsubstantiated statements is in almost 100% of cases non-authoritative. Even if initially the information has been verified or confirmed authoritatively, its transmission through third parties introduces distortions and conjectures, which drastically diminishes the value of the information in question. The end user in such a case receives incomplete or distorted information, without knowledge of all aspects and parameters (in which the information was obtained), and he is also responsible for providing false (non-authoritative) information.
BASIC MATERIAL OF CURRICULA
2.1 All information in the course given by the aromatherapy teacher: about properties of essential oils, about researches, about methods is recommended to confirm with authoritative sources of information (point 1.4)
2.2 It is recommended to include scientific research with indication of the source (publications) in the curriculum material. The source should indicate the time of the research, the base on which it was conducted and the confirmed results.
2.3 It is recommended to submit text material in the form of theses and put it on the basis of the report. Video material (footage of the instructor) should be placed in the background and in the background.
2.4 Graphic material (tables, calculations, drawings, etc.) is recommended to be placed in a separate file or methodology.
Statistical Observations
2.5 Any conclusions, analyses, judgments, assumptions about the actions of essential oils (or other components of essential oil products) made at home, or remotely via the Internet, alone or with the involvement of a particular audience, and not related to official science, are defined as statistical observation. It is advisable to avoid the word "research" because:
(a) The actions described above must be conducted in a specialized institution;
b) with the involvement of scientists;
c) using special certified diagnostic equipment;
d) be initially prepared by the in-vivo method;
e) duly sponsored financially;
f) have the conclusion of the certification commission under the relevant ministry.
Only in the presence and coincidence of all these parameters (a+b+c+d+d+e = research base), there is a possibility to declare that some statement (research conclusion) is a scientific fact and proven experimentally.
In this regard, it is strongly recommended to use "safe" terms in the curricula.
2.6 Preparation of a statistical observation is done in stages, in this case it is necessary to decide on the initial parameters:
- the purpose of observation (what do you want to observe: reaction, process, substance, etc.)
- purpose of observation (what you want to observe, what regularities or properties will be revealed in the process of observation).
2.7 In carrying out statistical observations it is recommended to compare own experience and collection of observed parameters at number of cases with the same result more than 25 people.
2.8 When consolidating data, special attention is paid to statistics of more than 100 people with the same result.
2.9 Corrections to the statistical observation are made on the basis of feedback from participants, taking into account the variability of reactions and sensitivity to components of essential oils over time.
Analysis and conclusions
2.10 It is necessary to remember that any feedback received from the participants of statistical observation is the participant's own interpretation. This category includes psychological states and their manifestations, fantasies and other analogies arising after application of a method or a perfumed substance (essential oil).
2.11 When drawing conclusions about the properties of essential oils it is recommended to take into account first of all the physiological indicators of the participant (if possible to trace them), secondly the interpretation of the participant about the effect of the essential oil, thirdly metaphysical abstractions (description of aromas of essential oils, esoteric aspects, etc.)
COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
3.1 Compliance with copyright law is mandatory in the creation of curricula.
3.2 Key points due to this law:
- copyright and related rights laws are in effect throughout the world;
- copyrights are actualized upon publication (disclosure) of the copyrighted object, and become effective immediately upon publication of the material;
- the object of copyright is any fruit of intellectual activity, both in tangible and intangible form;
- No special registration of copyrights is required, but
3.3 It is obligatory to have citation when borrowing from other single authors or collective of authors. Thus, the aromatherapy teacher will avoid claims from the right holders when using "other people's" materials.
Aromatherapy educator is a person who transmits (broadcasts) information on the topics "aromatherapy", "use of essential oils", "properties of essential oil products", etc.
The educational program on aromatherapy is a complex of the information collected in short and convenient format of perception in the form of the lecture and graphic material, video recordings with participation of the educator of aromatherapy, audiotapes, manuscripts or other products of intellectual work on various information carriers.
Authoritative sources of information - sources that have a scientifically proven argumentative basis for asserting/disproving a particular phenomenon (process, method) in a particular narrow field of observation, in this case in aromatherapy.
Aromatherapist is a person who performs cosmetic, medical (if he/she has permits), psychological, and massage-manual activities in aromatherapy with the use of essential oils and other essential-oil components.
CURRICULUM CREATION
Choice of topics
1.1 It is advisable to choose the topics of the training program according to the principle "from simple to complex" in order to avoid a burden on the trainee and the educator.
1.2 From the list of thematic material, the most appropriate is that which overlaps with the educator’s own activities as an aromatherapist (if such activities are conducted).
1.3 Recommended duration of one lecture is 1 - 2 academic hours (45 min. each), including time for questions. Answers to questions are given at the end of the lecture, which has a positive impact on the presentation of material. The course may include any number of lectures planned by the author.
Authoritative sources
1.4 Only authoritative sources of information or personal experience should be used to create aromatherapy curricula.
At the same time it is necessary to understand that:
- Personal experience, no matter how convincing it may seem to the owner, does not always meet the criteria of an authoritative source of information, in which case it is recommended to emphasize it when presenting the curriculum material, explaining to the listener that this information is taken from personal experience. Such clarification will save the instructor from controversial questions from the audience.
- Opinions, views and statements of recognized aromatherapists can refer to authoritative sources of information. Criteria for evaluating such aromatherapists may include: duration of activity, number of qualifying documents, publication and quality of materials on the Internet, stated professional experience, awareness in areas related to aromatherapy.
- schools of aromatherapy, accreditation of which is confirmed by educational institutions, research institutions, own state registration in most cases are referred to authoritative sources of information, the evaluation criteria are: scientific publications, volume of research work, official state ratings of profile ministries.
- published books, lectures, etc. author's material of scientific, popular scientific nature, the evaluation criteria in this case are the author's official achievements in the field of science and education.
- it is recommended to pay special attention to the difference between the models of education and science in the CIS countries and abroad, due to which the objects taken as an authoritative source of information can contradict each other and provide, to some extent, the opposite information.
Non-authoritative sources
1.5 The use of information from non-authoritative sources must be avoided in order to give the curriculum a high level of expertise.
Non-authoritative sources are identified according to the following principles:
1.5.1 Since the World Wide Web (Internet) is outside the legal field, accordingly the "Internet" itself is broadly speaking a non-authoritative source of information.
This rule applies by default to any information found on the Internet. It is necessary to strictly adhere to this rule, and to understand that absolutely anyone can send (put) on the Internet absolutely any information, and there is no legal responsibility for it.
This rule can be condensed to a short postulate:
Any information is first and foremost misinformation.
But this does not mean that some of the information on the Internet is false. It is recommended to distinguish information according to clause 1.4 of this document.
1.5.2 Social networks, with the exception of official pages of authoritative sources.
It must be remembered: information posted on individuals' personal pages has the status of a personal blog (artistic story) and often has no professionally relevant "background". Bloggers and other disseminators of information often do not themselves claim to be an authoritative source of information. A person, in this case, a subscriber reading a blog, voluntarily uses this information, doing so at his or her own risk. It is recommended to avoid using such methodology.
1.5.3 Recommendations of commercial companies operating in the field of essential oil products trade (suppliers, sellers and distributors) mostly refer to non-authoritative sources of information, since their recommendations refer only to the products that are used and traded.
1.5.4 Information that is passed from person to person in the form of rumors and unsubstantiated statements is in almost 100% of cases non-authoritative. Even if initially the information has been verified or confirmed authoritatively, its transmission through third parties introduces distortions and conjectures, which drastically diminishes the value of the information in question. The end user in such a case receives incomplete or distorted information, without knowledge of all aspects and parameters (in which the information was obtained), and he is also responsible for providing false (non-authoritative) information.
BASIC MATERIAL OF CURRICULA
2.1 All information in the course given by the aromatherapy teacher: about properties of essential oils, about researches, about methods is recommended to confirm with authoritative sources of information (point 1.4)
2.2 It is recommended to include scientific research with indication of the source (publications) in the curriculum material. The source should indicate the time of the research, the base on which it was conducted and the confirmed results.
2.3 It is recommended to submit text material in the form of theses and put it on the basis of the report. Video material (footage of the instructor) should be placed in the background and in the background.
2.4 Graphic material (tables, calculations, drawings, etc.) is recommended to be placed in a separate file or methodology.
Statistical Observations
2.5 Any conclusions, analyses, judgments, assumptions about the actions of essential oils (or other components of essential oil products) made at home, or remotely via the Internet, alone or with the involvement of a particular audience, and not related to official science, are defined as statistical observation. It is advisable to avoid the word "research" because:
(a) The actions described above must be conducted in a specialized institution;
b) with the involvement of scientists;
c) using special certified diagnostic equipment;
d) be initially prepared by the in-vivo method;
e) duly sponsored financially;
f) have the conclusion of the certification commission under the relevant ministry.
Only in the presence and coincidence of all these parameters (a+b+c+d+d+e = research base), there is a possibility to declare that some statement (research conclusion) is a scientific fact and proven experimentally.
In this regard, it is strongly recommended to use "safe" terms in the curricula.
2.6 Preparation of a statistical observation is done in stages, in this case it is necessary to decide on the initial parameters:
- the purpose of observation (what do you want to observe: reaction, process, substance, etc.)
- purpose of observation (what you want to observe, what regularities or properties will be revealed in the process of observation).
2.7 In carrying out statistical observations it is recommended to compare own experience and collection of observed parameters at number of cases with the same result more than 25 people.
2.8 When consolidating data, special attention is paid to statistics of more than 100 people with the same result.
2.9 Corrections to the statistical observation are made on the basis of feedback from participants, taking into account the variability of reactions and sensitivity to components of essential oils over time.
Analysis and conclusions
2.10 It is necessary to remember that any feedback received from the participants of statistical observation is the participant's own interpretation. This category includes psychological states and their manifestations, fantasies and other analogies arising after application of a method or a perfumed substance (essential oil).
2.11 When drawing conclusions about the properties of essential oils it is recommended to take into account first of all the physiological indicators of the participant (if possible to trace them), secondly the interpretation of the participant about the effect of the essential oil, thirdly metaphysical abstractions (description of aromas of essential oils, esoteric aspects, etc.)
COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
3.1 Compliance with copyright law is mandatory in the creation of curricula.
3.2 Key points due to this law:
- copyright and related rights laws are in effect throughout the world;
- copyrights are actualized upon publication (disclosure) of the copyrighted object, and become effective immediately upon publication of the material;
- the object of copyright is any fruit of intellectual activity, both in tangible and intangible form;
- No special registration of copyrights is required, but
3.3 It is obligatory to have citation when borrowing from other single authors or collective of authors. Thus, the aromatherapy teacher will avoid claims from the right holders when using "other people's" materials.
