OK2Ask
- Frequently Asked Questions
How much do
OK2Ask® workshops
cost?
OK2Ask sessions are a
free service provided by
The Source for Learning,
Inc, a nonprofit
educational services
organization.
Who teaches the
sessions?
Our workshops are
facilitated by
experienced teachers and
edtech coaches. All of
our coaches have
advanced degrees and
extensive experience
leveraging technology to
create authentic
learning experiences. In
addition, all have
industry standard
certifications and
badges.
How long are the
sessions?
Sessions are either 90
minutes or 2 hours to
allow time for hands-on
practice or other
exploratory activities.
During the summer we
also offer a number of
shorter, one hour
sessions without
hands-on practice.
How often are
sessions held?
OK2Ask sessions are
typically offered weekly
and are scheduled on a
quarterly basis. During
the summer and other
high-interest times of
the year, we offer as
many as eight topics per
month.
Where can I find a
list of upcoming
sessions?
You can view current
session descriptions and
register for upcoming
workshops in our OK2Ask
Catalog. You can
also sign
up for the weekly
TeachersFirst
Update to
receive announcements of
upcoming sessions right
to your inbox.
I've never done any
professional learning or
development
online.
What do I do
if it’s my first
time?
We use Microsoft Teams as
our virtual classroom.
First-time attendees
should plan to arrive a
few minutes early to
familiarize themselves
with the platform. You
can also watch this
video for
instructions on how to
access the webinar.
How will I ask
questions?
Use the Q&A panel in
Microsoft Teams to
submit a question to the
moderator. They will
type a private response
or, if it’s a question
they feel would benefit
the rest of the
attendees, will answer
the question back in the
Q&A stream.
Is there
homework?
Each virtual workshop
includes a hands-on
assignment for
participants to do
during the session. The
objectives presented at
the beginning of the
session will tell you
which activities may
require independent
follow-up time to fully
master the content. We
recommend completing
follow-up activities
within 48 hours of
attending a live session
or reviewing a recorded
session so that the
information is fresh,
but you must submit
activities within a week
of the live session to
receive a certificate.
What if I have
technical
trouble?
OK2Ask session moderators
are happy to help with
technical issues by
responding to questions
submitted through the
Q&A panel. We encourage
you to join your first
session about ten
minutes early to
familiarize yourself
with the tools and to
work out any bugs.
What kind of device
do I need to
participate?
OK2Ask sessions are
delivered in a
browser-based platform.
There is nothing to
download, so
participants can use any
computer with a
high-speed connection
(cable modem, DSL, or
school network) and
internet browser to
attend. For the best
experience, you should
plan to connect using a
laptop or desktop. Since
the sessions include
demonstrations and
hands-on practice with
web-based tools,
attendance on a cell
phone or other mobile
device is not optimal.
I am a little timid
with technology.
Can I watch the
session over again once
it has ended?
All of our sessions are
recorded and are
available on-demand so
you can refresh your
memory as you complete
any activities you
didn’t finish during the
session. Just visit our
archive
page, find the
session you’re looking
for, and enter your
registration information
to get access.
May I attend the
sessions with a
friend?
Yes! Many teachers find
professional learning
works best when they
have a study buddy, but
to get the most out of
the session, you should
each log in separately
on your own devices.
Why do I have to
register in advance?
Registration gives us an
idea of how many
educators will attend so
we can have enough
moderators available to
help. After you
register, you will
receive two reminder
emails - one the day
before the session and
one the day of - but
please also be sure to
mark your calendar.
How do I cancel a
registration if I find
out I cannot attend?
If you are unable to
attend a session, you
may use the link in the
confirmation email to
cancel your
registration.
Is space limited?
At this time, the
sessions are open to all
who register, but we
reserve the right to
limit registrations for
high-demand events.
Registrations are on a
first-come, first-served
basis.
Can I take the same
session twice?
You are welcome to attend
the same session twice
or to replay the session
recording to catch
things you may have
missed the first time.
You can access
session archives
here.
Are CEU certificates
available?
We issue certificates of
participation to
participants who
complete all required
checkpoints, polls, and
the post-workshop
feedback survey. Because
state and district
requirements for earning
continuing education
credits vary, you will
need to take our
certificate to your
local governing
authority to request
credit.
Are
OK2Ask workshops
approved for PD credit
by my state’s DOE or
another state-level
provider?
Educators in
Texas,
Illinois,
Pennsylvania,
and
Montana
can receive continuing
education recognition
for fully participating
in live OK2Ask
workshops. We are a(n):
Can I use your CEU
certificates for credit
in my graduate
program?
At this time, we do not
award graduate credit
for OK2Ask.
Can I earn
professional development
certificates for
watching session
recordings?
At this time, we do not
offer certificates for
archived sessions. To
receive a certificate,
you must actively
participate in a live
session. Without this
participation, we cannot
verify that you have met
the objectives that are
stated in the session
description and recorded
on certificates. You can
also ask your school
whether you may earn
credit through your
school administration
for watching the
recordings and applying
the new ideas in your
classroom. Visit our
Independent Professional
Learning page to access
a form to document your
learning experience.
Can I participate if
I live outside of the
U.S. ?
Teachers around the world
are welcome to join us
for OK2Ask. The time
blocks are meant to
serve those teaching in
U.S. time zones, but
content is not specific
to the U.S.
What time zone are
the live webinars
conducted in?
We are located in
Virginia, so all of the
webinars are presented
in Eastern Time (ET,
UTC-04:00/05:00). Use
this time
zone converter
to find out how many
hours behind or ahead of
the scheduled webinar
time you will need to be
if you are not located
in the Eastern Time
zone.
How can you offer
this for free?
TeachersFirst is a free
service that’s been
offered by The Source
for Learning, Inc. (SFL)
since 1998. SFL is a
nonprofit that’s been
providing quality
education resources for
more than 40 years.
What if I get
interrupted (I have
kids!)?
We know that teachers are
expert multi-taskers. If
you have to disconnect,
rejoin us as quickly as
you can and revisit the
archived session later
to fill in things you
missed. You can access
session archives any
time.
Can I share this
information with my
principal?
We hope you will tell
your principal,
department chair,
superintendent, and
teaching colleagues
about OK2Ask. Some
administrators may even
encourage teachers to
attend together or grant
credit toward
contractual professional
development time for
doing so. Be sure to
point out our alignment
with the ISTE Standards
for Educators. We hope
you will share
TeachersFirst and OK2Ask
as high-quality,
teacher-friendly sources
for professional growth.
What if I have
another
question?
Feel free to send
us an email. Be
sure to mention OK2Ask
and/or any specific
sessions you may have
questions about.
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