Professional Development Institute
Professional Development Institute
Online Courses and Teacher Resources
| PDI Home Page | Register NOW! | Flex-Time Online Courses | Summer Online Courses | Contact Us |
| PDI Online Resource Books for Immediate Download | Submissions/Your Ideas | About Us | ||
Top Questions
Click on your question for an instant answer
1. What is the difference between a flex-time course and semester course?
4. If I register today, how long will I have to wait before I can begin?
5. How long does it take to complete a course? When will I receive completion documentation?
6. If I need to obtain university credit and transcripts, what is the process?
7. If I have questions once I begin, who can I contact?
1. What is the difference between a flex-time course and regular/semester course?
Flex Course Semester Course Assignments Five online tests and two written assignments Six written assignments Completion Time Up to one year to complete the course Semester dates as specified online Credits/Units Three graduate-level credits Three graduate-level credits Course Registration Fees $124 $185 Credit Fees In addition to course fee, if you need it ($70 per unit) In addition to course fee, if you need it ($70 per unit) Course Content Identical to semester course Identical to flex course Instructor Instructor-led course Instructor-led course
2. In addition to the course fee, are there any additional fees? Do I need to purchase any materials?
To complete a PDI course, you do not need to purchase books, software, or any additional materials. Everything you need to complete the course is online in a web-based format. This means that you can access your course from any computer with Internet access at any time. The course fee covers everything you need to complete the course.
There may be additional fees that apply based on your documentation needs. This depends on your district’s specific requirements. PDI courses are approved by certain districts without the need for university credit or transcripts. Click here to find out if your district has approved PDI courses. If your district is not listed and you need official documentation such as a university transcript, you probably need university credit. However, you can ask your district if PDI courses meet their requirements prior to paying for and obtaining the credit. Please see the section on documentation for more details.
3. If I register for a PDI Course, what type of documentation can I expect to receive upon completion?
If you need an official transcript or grade report , then you need to take the university credit option at $70.00 PER UNIT (this rate is typically discounted during the summer). We do not incorporate the cost of university credit into the course fee because many teachers do not need the credit (their district accepts our completion letter in lieu of transcripts from the university). The university credit fee is optional and only necessary if your district will not accept PDI course completion documentation. Complete instructions on how to obtain the university credit are provided after you register for your course. Credit fees DO NOT have to be paid until you are just about finished with your course.
All of our courses are approved through Chapman University for semester unit(s) of graduate level credit. Each three-unit course is worth three units of graduate-level credit (45 hours). Each one-unit course is worth one unit of graduate-level credit (15 hours).
If your district accepts our completion letter verifying completion of the course, then you can request a PDI Grade Report and Letter that can be mailed to you or your district. Fees for an official PDI completion letter (you will automatically get a free completion letter via e-mail) and official PDI grade report are $9 per letter/report. This fee does not have to be paid until the completion of your course. The form to request a PDI completion letter and grade report is available at http://www.webteaching.com/letter.htm.
4. If I register today, how long will I have to wait before I can begin?
Once you register, you will receive your course access and information within 24 business hours. If you do not receive your course information within 24 business hours, please check any junk/spam folders. If you are using a district e-mail address, there may be a firewall preventing our e-mails from getting through. If this is the case, send an e-mail message to PDI with a personal e-mail address instead.
5. How long does it take to complete a course?
Completion time depends on the individual teacher because our courses are self-paced. Our courses can be accessed 24 hours, 7 days a week, so it makes accessibility easy and flexible. Our three unit courses are equivalent to 45 hours of training and our one unit courses are equivalent to 15 hours of training, These numbers should be used as a guideline. There are no specific times/days the participant needs to be online.
We process grades weekly. Typically, you will receive your e-mailed completion letter within 7 days of completing your course. University transcripts may take several weeks.
6. If I need to obtain university credit and transcripts, what is the process?
Here are the steps and timelines in the credit/transcript process:
1. To request university credit, you must ensure you have completed the necessary form and submitted the proper payment. The necessary form and instructions can be found at http://www.webteaching.com/credit.htm. This can be done at any time during or at the end of your course.
2. Complete your course. Then, your instructor assigns the final grade.
3. If we have your credit form on file, we will process it once your final grade is issued. If your credit form comes in after you have completed the course, we process the credit when we receive it. Either way, your credit request will not be processed until you have completed the course and been given a final grade. The day you receive your completion letter via e-mail, is the day we process your credit if we have it on file. Your check will not be cashed until that time.
4. PDI then sends the credit request to Chapman University. The University typically takes two weeks for processing and entering your grade into their system. An official grade report will be mailed to you from Chapman once they have processed your final grade and credit. There is no cost for the official grade report they send you.
5. If you need to request official transcripts, you should do so after waiting a MINIMUM of two weeks after receiving your e-mailed completion letter from PDI. This allows enough processing time so that you can be sure your grade for the appropriate course will be listed on your transcript. You may also wish to call the transcript department before requesting your transcript to ensure your grade is in the system. You'll find the detailed transcript request process and form at http://www.webteaching.com/credit.htm.
7. If I have questions once I begin, who can I contact?
All common questions can be answered very quickly here: http://www.webteaching.com/questions.htm. However, if your question is not answered after visiting that page, you can e-mail caryn@webteaching.com. You WILL receive a response within 24 business hours (usually much sooner). Always. This is part of the customer service you can expect when taking a PDI course. Or, you can call us at 714-666-1760.
Copyright Professional Development Institute