Participating in learning events and workshops offered through organizations like the Early Learning Coalition is a fantastic opportunity for professional development in the field of early childhood education. To ensure a smooth and beneficial experience, it’s important to understand the registration procedures and policies that govern these events. This guide outlines the key aspects of event registration, payment, cancellations, attendance, and other important policies you should be aware of when engaging with Early Learning Coalition learning opportunities.
Registration for Early Learning Events with the Early Learning Coalition
The Early Learning Coalition, and similar organizations, typically streamline the registration process by making it entirely online. This digital approach ensures efficiency and accessibility for all interested participants.
Online Registration Process
All registrations for Early Learning Coalition learning events and professional development workshops are exclusively conducted through their online platform. It’s crucial to note that registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited seating capacity in many sessions. To register for any learning event, regardless of whether it’s free or requires payment, you will need to create an account on the designated online platform. This account will be your central hub for managing registrations and accessing event information.
Payment Options
For events that require a fee, the Early Learning Coalition often facilitates online payment at the time of registration. This integrated payment system simplifies the process and ensures your spot is secured upon successful payment.
Cancellation Policies: What You Need to Know
Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes cancellations are necessary. Understanding the cancellation policies for Early Learning Coalition events is essential for both registrants and the organization.
Registration Cancellation
If your plans change, registrants are generally allowed to cancel their registration up to 48 hours before the scheduled start of a learning event. Upon cancellation within this timeframe, a refund will typically be issued to the online account that you have on file with the Early Learning Coalition. This ensures a straightforward refund process.
Event Cancellation by the Early Learning Coalition
In certain circumstances, the Early Learning Coalition may need to cancel a learning event. This usually occurs due to unforeseen issues or insufficient registration numbers. If an event is cancelled by the sponsoring organization, registered participants will be promptly notified via email. In such cases, a credit for the event fee will be applied to your online account, which can be used for future learning events offered by the Early Learning Coalition.
Attendance and Participation Guidelines
To maximize the learning experience for everyone, the Early Learning Coalition establishes clear guidelines for attendance and participation in their events.
Punctuality Policy
Participants are strongly encouraged to log in virtually or arrive in person 5 to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of their learning event. This allows time for settling in and technical checks before the session begins. It’s important to be punctual, as participants arriving more than 15 minutes after the official start time WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE SESSION. This policy is in place to minimize disruptions and ensure a focused learning environment for all attendees. While partial in-service credit may be offered in some situations for late arrivals, make-up sessions are NOT OFFERED under any circumstances for missed content.
Anti-Discrimination Commitment
The Early Learning Coalition and similar entities are committed to providing inclusive and equitable learning environments. They maintain a strict anti-discrimination policy, ensuring that no person is discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or age in any aspect of their learning events, training workshops, or professional development programs. This commitment extends to reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, handicaps, and/or religious beliefs.
Accommodations for Disabilities (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Early Learning Coalition is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or handicaps. If you require specific accommodations to participate fully in a learning event, it is essential to contact the designated phone number, typically provided in event details (e.g., 813.515.2340), at least seven business days prior to the scheduled event. This advance notice allows sufficient time to arrange the necessary support.
Learner Security and Privacy Protections
Protecting the privacy and security of learners is a priority for the Early Learning Coalition.
Accessing Records
Because registration is managed through an online learning platform, each learner’s record is protected and not accessible to the general public. Learners have the right to access and obtain copies of their certifications and their personal demographic/contact information as stored in the system. For assistance in accessing your records or navigating the online platform, the Early Learning Coalition typically provides a phone number for online support (e.g., 813.515.2340).
Identification Requirement
To ensure learner identity and security, participants are usually required to verify their identification at all in-person learning events. This is done by presenting a valid state or government-issued photo ID.
Proprietary Interest Disclosure
Transparency is key in educational settings. The Early Learning Coalition upholds a policy regarding proprietary interests to ensure participants are fully informed. Individuals attending Early Learning Coalition learning events have the right to be informed about any proprietary interest a trainer or instructor may have in a product or service being discussed or presented. All trainers and instructors are required to disclose any proprietary interest they may have in any product, instrument, device, service, and/or materials used or discussed during an event, training, program, or workshop. They must also disclose the source of any compensation they receive that is related to the presentation.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and In-service Hours
Professional development is often recognized through Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or in-service hours. The Early Learning Coalition typically awards these based on event duration and participation.
CEU Award Criteria
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) may be awarded for learning events that are three hours in duration or longer. Shorter events, lasting less than three hours, will typically be awarded in-service hours upon completion. CEUs are granted upon successful completion of the learning event. Successful completion usually entails arriving on time, attending all required sessions, actively participating in activities, and completing any related assignments or surveys as defined by the trainer or instructor. For online training sessions, a minimum engagement score, often 75% or higher, is required. Moreover, for all online training, CAMERAS MUST BE TURNED ON – NO EXCEPTIONS, and participant names displayed must match the registration name. Details about any required assignments or surveys are usually outlined in the Training Description on the online platform. Learners are encouraged to contact trainers or instructors if they have questions or need clarification regarding the requirements for successful completion.
In-service Hours
In-service hours are awarded if a learner does not meet the criteria for successful completion necessary to receive CEUs, even if they attended the learning event. It’s also important to be aware that training sessions may be recorded for educational purposes.
Achievement Bonus for Hillsborough County Educators
The Early Learning Coalition may offer specific incentives to educators within their service area. For instance, an achievement bonus might be available to educators teaching in Hillsborough County who meet all course requirements. These requirements typically include pre- and post-assessments, homework assignments, reflection activities, and LMS instructor evaluations (if applicable). Eligibility for achievement bonuses may be limited, such as a maximum of four bonuses per training cycle, and bonuses are generally not awarded for previously completed coursework. To receive an achievement bonus, educators usually need to submit a W9 form, and the address on the form must match the address in their LMS account. For any questions regarding achievement bonuses, the Early Learning Coalition usually provides a contact person (e.g., Abbey Landa at [email protected]).
Certificate of Completion
Upon successfully completing a learning event or training program, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion. This certificate serves as official documentation of your participation and achievement and can typically be retrieved from your individual online LMS account.
Child Care Arrangements
It’s important to note that Early Learning Coalition learning events and training sessions are designed for adult audiences. Therefore, participants are expected to make necessary childcare arrangements to ensure their full participation. Childcare services are generally not provided at the learning event venue.
By understanding these registration procedures and policies of the Early Learning Coalition, you can confidently engage in valuable professional development opportunities and contribute to the advancement of early learning.
