FAQ for Courses and Credentials in Post-Secondary Teaching and Learning

What is the Certificate in Post-Secondary Teaching? 

The certificate is made up of 30 course credits (174 course hours plus an additional 12-hour capstone course). The certificate fosters the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote effective teaching and learning for online, hybrid, hyflex, and in-person classrooms. In order to be registered in this certificate program, participants must meet certain criteria, which includes having a post-secondary teaching subject. Learn more at Continuing Education. 

How do I apply to the certificate? 

Please select this link to apply to the certificate: Post-secondary Teaching Certificate.  

Do I need to apply to the certificate as soon as I start taking courses?

No. However, early application for the certificate will ensure you are eligible to be accepted. For specific questions about courses within the certificate, see the Course Registration and Logistics information below.

Could I receive a credit transfer from previous workshops or complete a PLAR for any of these micro-credentials and credit courses?

No. Since our previous workshops were not assessed, they do not qualify for credit transfer. Furthermore, these courses are too short for a meaningful PLAR experience. In fact, a PLAR would require about as much time and effort for registrants to complete as a course itself.

What is a micro-credential?

Micro-credentials are an endorsement or attestation of achieving a specific knowledge, skill, or competency. Select the link to see Conestoga’s definition of micro-credentials.

What teaching and learning micro-credentials are available at Conestoga?

We have an ever-increasing list of opportunities. To search the list, visit the micro-credential page and search for “Teaching” in the keyword search box: List of Conestoga’s list of micro-credentials.

Can I use my micro-credential credits towards the Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate?  

Yes. Each course credit achieved in a micro-credential can also be applied to the Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate. 

On the Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate website courses are combined into groups of electives, which ask me to “successfully complete five courses” from each group. Do I earn a micro-credential for each group?

No. Course listings follow the website template currently used by Continuing Education, which automatically refers to our courses as electives and lists courses in randomized groups. You must select this link for an overview of Teaching and Learning’s micro-credential options. Complete each course listed within a micro-credential to earn a micro-credential.

How do I earn a teaching and learning micro-credential?

A teaching and learning micro-credential may be earned by completing four to six themed courses (one credit each) in a particular post-secondary teaching subject area. Here are the steps for completing a micro-credential.

1. Choose a micro-credential from the list of teaching and learning micro-credentials.
2. Visit the Continuing Education website to view the courses in the micro-credential, and select a course based on current offering in fall, winter, or spring semesters.
3. Register for the course through the Student Portal. For specific registration information and steps, see the Course Registration and Logistics information below.
4. Successfully pass this course and all other courses required for the micro-credential.
5. Claim the micro-credential.

How do I claim my micro-credential?

1. Log in to your Student Portal and navigate to the “My Courses” tab.
2. Click “micro-credentials,” which appears in the grey bar below the “My Courses” tab.
3. Type in the name of the micro-credential you’ve completed. For example, if you completed all five courses in the Collaborative and Team-Based Learning in Post-Secondary Education micro-credential, enter the title in the search box.
4. You should see a section entitled “View Progress,” where you will be able to claim the micro-credential certification.

What are the courses? 

Each courses provides a total of six (6) hours of asynchronous or synchronous study on timely and high-impact post-secondary teaching topics relevant for the 21^st century classroom. Courses take two (2) weeks to complete. In that time period, professors guide participant learning both asynchronously (flexible, anytime online) and synchronously (live online). A learning post-assessment must be submitted and passed by the course end date.

Can the courses in the micro-credentials be taken in any order?

Yes, they can be taken in any order. 

Do I have to take all five courses from each section?

No. Please choose your courses on a course-by-course basis or based on the requirements of a particular micro-credential. The elective sections on the page accommodate website set up.

How do I understand the course length, and what a course meeting is, when I register? 

In a course listing on the registration site (Student Portal), the hours in the first or top row refer to the asynchronous (self-study, anytime) learning (see Figure 1 below, indicated by a black solid line). The Start Date and End Date refer to the total duration of the course (most are 2 weeks long). The course will be available 3 days before the start date in the Conestoga LMS.

If there is a synchronous meeting during the course, it will be listed in the next row with a specific date, time, and time duration (see Figure 2 below, blue dotted line). Some courses provide two separate meetings at two different dates and times, as in the case in Figure 2 below. Information on accessing course meetings is in the course shell.

How much do the courses cost? 

Each course costs $150, which includes applicable taxes. This fee is waived for Conestoga employees who are not also students or on very short contracts.  See below for more information.

How do I check which courses I’ve enrolled in or completed? 

Log in to the Student Portal using your Conestoga Employee ID (seven-digit number) and password. You can input this information towards the left-hand side of the page. From there, click the Grades tab, located fifth from the leftmost tab that reads [your name]’s Profile. Scroll down to a box titled Part-time Studies. Every course for which you’ve registered will be displayed; if you’ve completed one, the letter P will appear beside it.

How often are the courses offered? 

 The course offerings rotate by semester. A micro-credential, composed of 5 themed courses, can normally be completed in less than 1 year and a half. 

What are the requirements for completing the course? 

Submission and passing of a learning assessment based on the asynchronous and synchronous course content. The type of assessment will vary from course to course. The assessment is pass/fail. Feedback will be provided.   

Where do the courses take place? 

The courses are located in eConestoga (Conestoga’s LMS). The synchronous meetings are normally held in Zoom. Participants will be given more information about remote meeting times and locations upon enrolment. 

When are the synchronous meetings, and what if I can’t attend due to prior commitments? 

Participation in synchronous meetings is encouraged but not required. A recording of the class will be made available to all participants. 

Where do I find available courses and sign up for them? 

Information is available on the Continuing Education website. Search for a course and sign up.

What if the course I want to take isn’t currently available?  

All courses in a micro-credential will be offered at least once every 18 months. 

I want to register for a course that has reached capacity. Can I still enroll in it?

The capacity for micro-credential courses is normally 25 participants. Most courses are repeated in the following months. We will re-visit this depending on demand.  If you’re unable to register for a course that has more than 25 participants, please e-mail teachingandlearning@conestogac.on.ca and indicate the course, its date and time and we will track demand.

Who do I contact if I have accessibility needs?  

Conestoga employees make formal requests for accommodations through HR. Non-Conestoga employees are eligible for support through Accessibility Services. Contact teachingandlearning@conestogac.on.ca and/or your professor to ensure that the course will be accessible to you. 

What is the difference between a course and a workshop? 

A course follows the rules set by the Registrar’s Office. Participants enroll in these courses as students. 

If I cannot complete the course, will I receive an F on my transcript? 

If you cannot complete the course, you are encouraged to drop the course before the academic withdrawal date, which for is 9 days from the course start date. You may withdraw from the course in the Student Portal. Please note the following: 

• Dropping the course before the academic withdrawal date will result in a Withdrawal (W) on your transcript. 
• Failure to drop before the withdrawal date will result in a Fail (F) on your transcript. 

You may arrange a few extra days to complete the course after the course ends. If there are extenuating circumstances that require a lengthy delay, you may receive an Incomplete grade. After a fixed number of days, that Incomplete will roll over to a Fail. It is important to complete the course as per the timeframe arranged with your instructor in order to avoid receiving an F for the course. 

Are the micro-courses free for Conestoga employees? 

These course are provided free of charge for those currently teaching at Conestoga, and those with active or on-going employment relationships with Conestoga. If your contract has expired, see Information for Non-Conestoga Employees (below). 

What if I see a charge on the screen?

Once you’ve gone through the next steps of adding the course(s) to your cart and confirming your address, you should see that the fee is reduced to $0, so long as you’re logged into the system (as per Figure 1 below).

Click the PLAY button on this short screen capture video:

Why did I receive a separate e-mail address after registering? 

After registering for a credit course, you automatically receive a student e-mail address separate from your employment e-mail, with your Employee and Student ID numbers remaining the same.

You can continue to use your employee e-mail for work/teaching purposes, and sync the newly-generated student e-mail with it. Please refer to IT Services for support with this feature.

Is there a maximum number of courses that can be taken simultaneously? 

No, but you are encouraged to take only one course per two-week period.

Why can’t I register for multiple courses? It appears the system won’t let me do this when synchronous classes overlap.

If you experience this, please choose your most preferred class for March 2021. In future months (beginning April 2021), we will try to avoid this. In general though, we recommend focussing on one course per two-week period.

Will part-time employees receive $20/hour for participation in the courses? 

Participants will receive credits as recognition for completion of courses. No additional compensation will be provided. However, the four mandatory courses do receive payment.

What is the cost of the courses for non-Conestoga employees? 

The cost per course is approximately $150 (taxes included). See the Cont Ed webpage for cost and payment details. 

What are the Ontario Extend Micro-Credential credits?

Those who complete one (1) or Ontario Extend badges may apply them as credit(s) to the Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate. One completed module/badge equals one (1) credit, up to six (6) credits.

Note that the eCampusOntario Empowered Educator micro-credential is the digital credential. Earners do not receive an additional credit for obtaining the micro-credential.

I have completed one or more of the Ontario Extend modules. How do I apply the credit(s) to the Post-Secondary Teaching Certificate?

Follow these steps:

1. Log into https://badges.ecampusontario.ca/
2. Set the digital badge(s) you have completed to “Public”
3. Click “Share Link” to copy the hyperlink to the digital badge(s)
4. Share the digital badge hyperlink(s) in an email to teachingandlearning@conestogac.on.ca

Note that if you have obtained the Empowered Educator micro-credential, you may submit the digital credential hyperlink for a total of six (6) credits.