Participant Requirements and Responsibilities

Additional Qualification (AQ) courses are governed by the Ontario College of Teachers Act, Ontario Regulation 176/10. Admission requirements for OECTA AQ courses cannot be altered or waived.
Participants are responsible for the following:

• Knowing and complying with the rules, regulations, admission requirements and deadlines established by OECTA.
• Ensuring that they possess the required prerequisite(s) for the course(s) before applying and submitting the required documentation to the course instructor the first week of the course. Participants who attend or complete a course for which they do not hold the required prerequisite(s) and for which they have not been accepted by the Ontario College of Teachers, or from whom proper documentation has not been received, do so at their own risk.
• Ensuring that they are enrolled in appropriate course(s) required to satisfy conditions, if any, set by the Ontario College of Teachers and stated on their Certificate of Qualification and Registration.
• Checking their email confirmation after registering online for instructions regarding required documents to be submitted and important times and dates for payment and course information.
• Paying the required course tuition fees and any outstanding obligations (administration fees, late fees, service charges etc.). Participants will not be recommended to the College of Teachers until any obligations have been met.
• Participants requiring specific accommodations, are asked to contact the Provincial Coordinator and AQ Administrative Assistants by email at registrar@catholicteachers.ca prior to registration.
• Participants are responsible for knowing the Association's policies regarding plagiarism, attendance, participation and withdrawal/non-attendance. Applicants who have thoroughly explored our website and require additional information on course selection, program, and eligibility should contact the Provincial Coordinator and AQ Administrative Assistants by email at registrar@catholicteachers.ca or phone at 1-800-268-7230 or 416-925-2493. Upon submission, applications/documents become the property of OECTA and will not be returned.

QECO/OSSTF

If you are applying to an AQ course to satisfy a QECO/OSSTF requirement, you are advised to obtain written approval from QECO/OSSTF for your course selections before applying. The QECO/OSSTF approval process takes approximately two months to complete.

Participant Evaluation

Additional Qualification programs operate on a "complete/incomplete" basis. Grades will not be assigned, but rubrics or other criteria are used to demonstrate a minimum standard of achievement. Programs do not carry a degree credit. A letter of completion will be mailed to successful participants . Your attendance, participation and quality of work will all contribute to your evaluation.

Attendance

You must contact your instructor as soon as possible if, due to exceptional circumstances, you miss any class time. Since the value of the course rests heavily on the collaborative experience, full attendance and effective participation in class and online time throughout the entire program is required. Make-up work will be required. If you do not satisfy the attendance/participation policy requirements, we will be unable to recommend you to the College for recognition of the Additional Qualification course.

Participant Appeal Process

Requests for an appeal of policies, procedures, assessment/evaluation practices and decisions related to the participant's progress in course should follow the procedure below:

• Appeal to the Course Instructor, then, if unresolved, to the Provincial Coordinator (in consultation with Course Instructor), then to the AQ Administration Committee via submission of written request to the Chair.

A concern or appeal relating to a specific course (e.g., with respect to course evaluation, appropriateness of assignments, or grading practices, attendance, etc.) must be initiated with the appropriate course instructor. Participants should attempt to resolve their issue at this level. If participants cannot resolve the issue at this level, a written request for appeal is made to the Provincial Coordinator. The letter must outline their specific request/concern and indicate that they have attempted to resolve the issue with the course instructor.

The Provincial Coordinator will gather the facts that pertain to the appeal from all sources and provide a written ruling to the candidate (copied to the Course Instructor) within 30 days of receipt of the written appeal. If the candidate is not satisfied with the Provincial Coordinator's decision regarding the appeal, then the candidate may make a final appeal in writing to the Chair of the AQ Administration Committee. The committee will meet to review the appeal and make a decision to be sent in writing to the candidate, copied to the course instructor. The AQ Administration Committee's decisions are final and will be made within 30 days of receipt of the written appeal from the participant.