About the Course

Welcome to the Online PDAS Teacher Orientation Website!

PDAS teacher orientation is now online and easier than ever to administer!

Easy to Setup, Your teachers could start today!
Just purchase seats and send a registration code to your new teachers. They can then immediately begin taking the course at their convenience. They can complete the course in one day or they can complete it in several sessions over multiple days -- the choice is up to you and them. The course remembers each participant's progress and will ask them if they would like to start in the spot where they left off. The course takes between 5 to 9 hours depending on an individual's pace.

Anywhere, Anytime, Available All Year Long
Participants can take the course from anywhere. All a participant needs is a broadband internet connection, a computer with a modern web browser and some speakers or headphones.

Lots of Interactivity - This is not your typical "Sit-N-Get" Training!
The course is filled with interactivity, video, personal stories from other teachers, and engaging learning methods. This is not just watching a video or reading online text! Teachers will even see live responses from other teachers throughout Texas as they go through the course and have the opportunity to post their own responses.

Still have Face-to-Face in an online course?
Another exciting course component is an optional, principal-facilitated, face-to-face module. This module gives activities and step-by-step instructions to the principal on conducting a post-course live meeting with his/her new teachers. This can tie the whole course together with the individual staff members at the school. It provides additional opportunity for new teachers to ask questions and have discussion with other new teachers. It also provides the opportunity for the principal to introduce new teachers to his or her expectations, local timelines, walk through forms and processes, district and campus goals, etc.

Click here to Launch the Course Demo

Pricing & Benefits

Accessible		It is web-based and is available for the entire year. Teachers can refer back to the content as needed.
Affordable		Just $31 per participant.
Blended / Community Learning		It combines face-to-face training with on-line content and resources. Teachers feel a part of the Texas community of teachers, since peer responses throughout the course are available as they work through each section of the course.
Convenient		There’s no need to pull teachers from the classroom or herd them into a gymnasium or auditorium. On-line learning eliminates or reduces travel time and expense. Teachers can log in and take the course when it’s convenient for them, regardless of where they live or work, or when they join the staff. The course remembers their progress so they can complete the course over several days as they have time available.
Effective		The content provides the knowledge and skills for classroom application of instructional strategies. Teachers see and can recognize effective teaching behaviors.
Engaging		It uses integrated video, hands-on interactive activities, narrated content, high resolution graphics and flash animation.
Flexible		Online learning can link local policies and materials to state-wide, consistent content, providing all necessary tools and resources in one spot.
Sustainable		The quality and quantity of the content is consistent over time.
Trackable		It assesses learning, measures progress, and reports results via on-line reports that are downloadable in a variety of formats.

What Teachers and Administrators are saying about the course:

“Thank you! And thanks also for making this course available. It has made my life and the principals lives so much easier at this time of year!”
        – Assistant Superintendent East Texas (Sept 2009)

“…It was wonderful for our district. I really appreciate the responsiveness to questions and concerns.”
        – Administrator of a mid-sized district in Texas (Aug 2009)

“I just wanted to take a minute to let you know how WONDERFUL the finished product looks. I’m really impressed!!! It will be a pleasure to recommend this product to the schools. Well done!”
        – Administrator in Region 8 (Sept 2009)

“The course was well presented... I had been teaching for the last 14 years and hadn't been trained since PDAS was available to teachers, but this training was an excellent refresher.”
        – Texas Teacher (Sept 2009)

“It's better than live training…”
        – Texas Teacher (Sept 2009)

Online vs Face to Face Comparison

	Online Delivery Method	Traditional Delivery Method
Content	Content is standardized directly from the source: The experts at TEA, Region 13 and the curriculum team.	The information is interpreted by the individuals giving the training. Information is often left out or communicated incorrectly.
PD Days	Optional: Some districts have participants take the course over several sessions on their own time.	Requires one PD day.
Cost	$31 per teacher	Given the teachers' time, the trainer's time, and possibly the cost of substitutes, the cost of delivering the PDAS orientation using traditional methods is around $225 per teacher.
Accountability & Tracking	Assesses learning, measures progress and reports results via downloadable PDF reports.	The traditional face-to-face delivery provides a record of attendance, but no measure of learning or understanding. It's typically a "Sit-and-Get" approach.
Training Coordination	District sign up and teacher registration is fully automated and very easy to manage. Teachers can take the course on their own schedule as needed at any time in the year.	Face-to-face delivery requires significant time for preparation of materials, coordination of location, and communication to teachers. If teachers start late, they need to attend a make-up training that is additionally difficult to coordinate.
Access to Training	Using the assigned username and password, teachers can access the course and all the resources presented for the whole year at any time. All the videos are viewable at any time online.	The training is a one-time event. Teachers have to rely on the manual and the notes they took during the orientation.
Accessibility	Teachers can access and complete the course 24/7. The only requirement is an internet connection.	Teachers are required to attend a training, using a PD day. If they are absent, they need to attend a make-up session on a different day (resulting in additional set-up cost and hassle.)