If you have other questions or would like more information about our online, onsite or blended courses please contact the appropriate person as set out in the contacts page linked above.
What is the fee for an AQ course?
How do I pay for my course?
How do I register for an ETFO AQ?
Do I need an official transcript?
Does ETFO cancel courses?
Where do I get an ‘experience form’?
Who is my Supervisory Officer?
What is accreditation?
How do I know if a course will raise my salary?
What is QECO/OSSTF certification?
What is the difference between AQ and ABQ courses?
Can I take an AQ course if I am currently completing my B.Ed?
What is the difference between a face-to-face, online, and blended AQ course?
Questions specific to online and onsite AQ courses
What kind of computer or programs do I need to take an online course?
What is the attendance policy for online courses?
What is the difference between online and onsite AQ courses?
What is the fee for an AQ course?
The course fee for all ETFO AQs is $650 per course. $50 is a non-refundable registration fee. This fee is tax deductible.
How do I pay for my course?
Registration for ETFO AQ courses is online. Courses are payable by credit card. Please click on the register button for further information. If you need assistance with registering please contact ETFO at:
ETFO-AQ
Phone: 416-962-3836 x 2274 or toll-free 1-888-838-3836 x 2274
E-mail: aqcourses@etfo.org.
How do I register for an ETFO AQ?
To register for an ETFO AQ, click on the register button on the main page of our AQ website. It will take you to the online registration area. Please ensure that you include all necessary documentation including Ontario College of Teachers’ registration number, transcripts (for the PQP course), and signed Teaching Experience Form (for all Part 2 and Specialist courses).
Do I need an official transcript?
For the PQP a copy of your official university transcript is necessary.
Does ETFO cancel courses?
In rare situations ETFO does cancel courses if the enrollment is not sufficient to provide for a viable learning opportunity. Should this happen candidates will be offered a refund, an opportunity to defer the course until the next term it is offered, or the choice of registering for another ETFO AQ course.
Where do I get an ‘experience form’?
The Teaching Experience Form (necessary for registration for ALL Part 2 and Specialist AQ courses as well as the PQP Part 1 and PQP Part 2 courses) is available for you to download and print when you register. These forms are also available under the ‘forms’ tab above.
You will need to get your Supervisory Officer (SO) to sign the form.
Who is my Supervisory Officer?
Your Supervisory Officer is the administrator (not principal) assigned to your school or area by your school board. You will need a Supervisory Officer’s signature on your experience forms for Part 2, Specialist, and PQP courses. Without this form ETFO is unable to submit your results to the Ontario College of Teachers.
Teachers working in private schools have a Supervisory Officer assigned to the school by the Ministry of Education. This individual is the one who would be required to sign the Teaching Experience Form.
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is the process undertaken by the Ontario College of Teachers to ensure that all AQ courses in Ontario meet their standards. The College sets the guidelines for all AQ and PQP courses. Once providers have developed a course using these guidelines they must submit this course to the College for review. Providers may only offer courses that have been accredited.
How do I know if a course will raise my salary?
Elementary teachers need to contact the Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario (QECO) to find out the requirements for an increase in salary. Secondary teachers must contact the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation Certification branch for the necessary information.
Each individual’s situation is different. Some individuals require university credits to move up the salary grids while most others require AQ credits.
ETFO’s courses count as AQ credits (recognized by QECO) for grid movement purposes. Our courses do NOT count as university credits as we are not a university. Individuals are advised to contact QECO to find out what their exact needs are for salary grid movement.
What is QECO/OSSTF certification?
Teachers are paid based upon their placement on grids by the QECO or OSSTF certification systems. One of the ways that teachers may move up the salary grids is by taking an AQ course. Because each teacher’s individual situation is so very different we advise you to contact QECO/OSSTF to find out what your specific requirements are for grid movement.
Please be advised that while ETFO’s courses count as AQ credits for grid movement purposes, our courses do NOT count as university credits. If you require a university credit in order to move up the grid you should take a course offered by a university. If you are in this situation you could take an ETFO Credit Course as they are offered in conjunction with Drake University.
For detailed information please go to: http://www.qeco.on.ca/ or http://www.osstf.on.ca/
Please note: ETFO will not be responsible in the event that a candidate completes an AQ course that does not result in the participant’s desired grid improvement.
What is the difference between AQ and ABQ courses?
An AQ course refers to an Additional Qualification course. These courses are designed to provide ongoing professional learning in a subject or topic. ETFO is accredited to offer one part AQ courses and three part AQ courses.
An ABQ course refers to an Additional Basic Qualification course. These courses are designed to give teachers certification to teach in another division. ETFO does not provide ABQ courses – only an Ontario faculty of education may provide these courses.
Please refer to the Ontario College of Teachers’ website for more information on AQ and ABQ courses: www.oct.ca
Can I take an AQ course if I am currently completing my B.Ed?
B.Ed./Dip.Ed students graduating from an Ontario faculty of education may take courses prior to being granted formal membership with the Ontario College of Teachers providing that they have met all the requirements to graduate and have started the process of registration with the OCT. Prior to being granted the credit for the course candidates from Ontario faculties of education must provide proof of successful completion of their B.Ed./Dip.Ed program and final registration with the OCT.
Students from faculties outside of Ontario MUST be a member of the Ontario College of Teachers prior to the course start date.
What is the difference between a face-to-face, online, and onsite AQ course?
All AQ courses in Ontario represent 125 hours of instruction as required by legislation.
A face-to-face course is one where you must meet in a particular spot with your instructor and other classmates to receive formal instruction, work on activities, engage in discussion, or to present your work. You are required to attend regularly and can be removed from the program for failing to do so.
An online course is a course that is available over the internet. Generally there is no requirement that a candidate be online at a particular time. Candidates work through the course content at their pace. Each course has a trained facilitator who works with the candidates as they complete the assigned course content. ETFO online AQ courses do require some group work but the completion of these activities is not dependent upon all candidates being online at the same time.
An onsite AQ course is one that combines aspects of a face-to-face and an online AQ course. There are specific sessions which will require candidates to meet and work together. These sessions are supplemented by online activities.
Questions specific to online and onsite AQ courses
What kind of computer or programs do I need to take an online course?
Candidates must have a computer with the following minimum requirements:
- PC Windows 95 or newer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Adobe Flash Player (available free from www.adobe.com);
- MAC OS X (up to 10.4) or newer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Adobe Flash Player (available free from www.adobe.com);
- Have access to the internet, daily for summer session courses, and at least three times a week for fall/winter/spring courses (high speed internet is desirable);
- Have an email address and be able to send and receive emails with attachments; and
- Use Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari.
What is the attendance policy for online courses?
All AQ courses are 125 hours. In a summer online course, it is necessary to work on your course for 25-30 hours per week over the 4 week course. The exact time online varies from course to course but you should anticipate at least 60% of the course work will require you to be online. In a fall, winter or spring 12 week course, 10 hours per week or being online every 3 days is the general expectation.
What is the difference between online and onsite AQ courses?
- Online AQ courses are delivered completely online.
- Onsite AQ courses have a combination of face-to-face sessions and online sessions.
- Onsite and online courses use Desire2Learn as the online platform for learning.