PD Portal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I request an account?
If you are working at an adult basic education agency funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), the following people can request an account using the PD Portal New User Account Requests steps.

• In-House Professional Development Specialist – will request accounts for agency staff
• Tutor Coordinator – will request accounts for volunteer tutors
• Administrators – will request accounts for agency staff or volunteer tutors

If you are not affiliated with a PDE-funded agency, please contact Christine Houck at chouck@pa.gov to determine if you are eligible for an account.

Q: How do I log in?
Go to: http://pdportal.paadultedresources.org/learn and click on Sign In.  If you receive an error message unrelated to an incorrect username or password, clearing your internet browser’s cache may alleviate the issue.

Q: How can I view the catalog of offering when I am logged in?
Follow the steps below:

• Click the “Menu” icon. The icon is located in the upper-left corner of your screen and looks like three parallel, horizontal lines.
• When the menu opens, click the “Course Catalog” option.
• Once in the course catalog, click the catalog title, “2017-18 Professional Learning Opportunities Catalog,” to view the complete course listing.

Q: How do I register for a course?
Follow the directions below or watch this help video on how to register for a course.

• Browse the Professional Learning Opportunities Catalog on the PD Portal homepage to view current offerings.
• Review the description and download the syllabus to determine if this is the best professional learning opportunity for you. It is important to review the syllabus because it contains the beginning and end dates for the offering, pre-requisites, assignment due dates, and resources needed to complete the course.
• Get approval from your administrator to enroll in the training.
• Click on the “Enroll” button.
• You will receive an email confirming your registration. If you are placed on a wait list, a message will appear on the screen.

Q: How do I sign up for a LINCS course?
Please view the first time taking a LINCS course instructions.

Q: How can I suggest a topic for a new course?
Please contact your agency consultant.

Q: How can I request a course to be offered again?
Please contact your agency consultant.

Q: How do I upload a document?
Professional learning offerings in the PD Portal often include activities where you may have to upload a certificate of completion from another course or an assignment. Below are the steps for uploading a document or watch this video on how to upload a document.

• From your course assignment menu, open the desired assignment.
• Click the area that says “Drop here” to open your computer’s file navigator.
• Once the file navigator is open, locate and click on the file you would like to upload.
• When your file navigator closes, you will see a new field where must enter your name. Type your name into the field, then click the “SUBMIT MY ASSIGNMENT” text.
• Your file will upload, and the assignment will say “Waiting for evaluation.”

Q: How do I post to the discussion forums?
Some courses offered by Professional Learning Opportunities include discussion forums, which are designed to foster conversation among participants about various course topics. To see how to participate in discussion forums, follow the steps below or watch this video on how to post to the discussion forum.

• In courses that contain discussion forums, the “Forums” section is always located below the assignment menu.
• To join a conversation, click on any of the course topics located in the “Forum” column.
• Clicking on the “Forum” column takes you to a new page, where you can select your discussion of choice from the “Discussions” column.
• You will again be taken to a new page, where you can add your own comment to the discussion by clicking the “Reply” button located in the upper-left corner of the screen , or you can reply directly to another participant’s response by clicking the “Reply” text located under his or her response.
• Whether you elect to write your own response or to reply to another participant’s response, when you click “Reply,” a text editing box will open.
• Type your response into the text editor, then click the “Save Changes” button to post your response.

Q: Why does my quiz say 0% after I submit it?
If the quiz you have just taken contains only multiple-choice questions, your quiz will say 0% if you answered each question incorrectly. However, any quiz that contains a text response requires facilitator feedback before it is scored. If you submit a quiz with text responses and receive a score of 0%, please wait for your facilitator’s response. Facilitators grade course assignments twice a week.

Q: Why is my course listed as “In Progress”?
Your status in a course will not be marked as complete until you have completed all activities and the course facilitator has provided feedback for all assignments, including the course evaluation. If you complete all assignments and your notice that your progress is still “In Progress,” please wait for your facilitator’s feedback. Facilitators respond to assignment twice a week.

Q: How can I download a certificate of completion?
Follow the directions below or watch this video on how to download a certificate.

• Click on the “Menu” icon on the top left side of the screen. This icon looks like 3 horizontal lines.
• Click on “My Dashboard.”
• On the right side of the screen, click on “Go to My Activities.”
• Click on “Courses.”
• On the right of side of the course information row, you should see an icon that looks like a certificate.
• Click on this icon to download your certificate. If you do not see the certificate icon, please contact your course instructor to ensure that you have completed all of the course requirements.

Q: How can I see all of the offerings I have participated in?
Follow the steps below:

• Click on the “Menu” icon on the top left side of the screen. This icon looks like 3 horizontal lines.
• Click on “My Dashboard.”
• On the right side of the screen, click on “Go to My Activities.”
• Click on “Courses.”

Q: How can administrators check my agency’s staff registrations?
Administrators and in-house professional development specialists receive monthly reports from the PD Portal that outline what courses each staff member is taking and his or her completion status.

Q: What does my course status mean?
This field indicates a user’s status within individual courses. There are several options:

• “Completed” indicates the user has completed all assignments for the course and has been given credit for completing the course.
• “In Progress” indicates that the user has begun work in the course, but has not yet finished the course. If a user starts a course but does not complete it before the end date, he or she will be marked as “In Progress” for the rest of the year. Check with your staff members if you have questions about their progress in a course.
• “Subscribed” indicates a user has been subscribed to a course but has not yet accessed it.
• “Waiting Users” indicates a user has been placed on a waiting list for a course that has reached maximum enrollment. The user will be added to the course when a spot becomes available.
• “Suspended” indicates that the user has been suspended from the course.

Q: When will my Act 48 credit be awarded?
Act 48 credit is awarded quarterly for each activity when all of the following criteria are met:

• The professional learning offering is eligible for Act 48 credit.
• The participant has completed all course activities, including the evaluation, and is marked as “Completed” in the PD Portal.
• A PPID# has been entered into the PD Portal for the user.

Please contact the PD Portal Tech Support at pdportal@tiu11.org if you have any questions about Act 48 credit.

Q: Where can I find the User Guide for the PD Portal? NEW
You can find the PD Portal User Guide here, on your dashboard when you are logged into the PD Portal, and in the file repository area of your courses.

Q: Whom should I contact if I need tech support?
Please email pdportal@tiu11.org or call 717-248-4942 ext. 154.  Tech Support will respond to your request within one business day.

Q: When can I expect a reply?
Tech support will acknowledge receipt of your email within one business day.  Staff will work to resolve issues as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that some issues may be due to the platform not working correctly and will take longer to resolve since the platform vendor will need to address the issue.