How many times per year and when do DDSB AQ sessions run?
The DDSB AQ program runs courses 3 times throughout the calendar year:
Fall (September - December)
Spring (February - May)
Summer (July)
Our Fall and Spring sessions are 14-weeks in length while our Summer sessions are highly condensed and delivered over a 4-week period.
Spring session participants are NOT expected to complete coursework over the March Break - this week-long break is accounted for in the delivery time.
When can I register for an upcoming session and can I register for future sessions now?
Our new registration system allows participants (with the creation of an account) to register for sessions as far as two sessions ahead of the current one. As an example, if the current session is Fall, you would be able to register for both the upcoming Spring and Summer sessions as well.
A benefit of registering and paying for your course early is that you’ll ensure you’re paying the Early Bird rate!
How much does it cost to register for an AQ course with the DDSB
DDSB Employee Fees (to receive the DDSB rate, account must be created with DDSB email and employee number)
Early Bird Rate - $550.00
Full Rate - $600.00
Non-DDSB Fees:
Early Bird Rate - $650.00
Full Rate - $700.00
Payment in full is required at the time of registration and can be made via Paypal.
Timelines for Early Bird rates are updated for each session, but generally are available until one week prior to the registration deadline for a given session.
What is the maximum number of courses I can register for during any one AQ session?
While we certainly encourage you to complete as many AQ courses as you like during a calendar year, we do have a limit on the number of courses that can be registered for in a given session.
Per OCT requirements, each course should take approximately 125 hours of dedicated working time to complete. With this in mind, the maximum number of courses that can be registered for in any given session is 2.
If you have already registered for two courses and wish to transfer your registration to another course, please withdraw your registration from the one you wish to be removed from and then register for the new course. The system will show you which courses you are currently registered in and will not let you register for more than the maximum of 2 in each session.
Are AQ courses completed through the DDSB recognized by school boards outside of Ontario?
If you are planning to apply for jobs outside of Ontario, it is recommended that you connect with the governing body for that province to determine whether courses completed by providers other than Faculties of Education are recognized by that province.
Are AQ courses completed by DDSB recognized by OCT and QECO?
The DDSB is an accredited provider of AQ courses and therefore the completion of a course through our program is recognized both by OCT and QECO.
Upon successful completion of an AQ course, your information will be uploaded to the OCT system and then reflected on your own record there. Certificates of completion can be downloaded from OCT and shared with QECO.
Am I able to request a transcript?
Our program uses a recommended/not recommended system also known as pass/fail. As there are no marks associated with the completion of the course, we do not provide transcripts of completed courses. The record provided by OCT is an official record of learning and therefore can be used for applying for jobs or when reporting to QECO.
Where can I find my official payment receipt?
All payments are processed through PayPal. You can access your receipt by logging into your PayPal account, finding the transaction in your history and printing from there.
You can also access your receipt through our registration system by going into the courses you’ve registered for and downloading the receipt from there.
How and when will I know if a course is running or not?
Registration generally closes 10 calendar days prior to the start of a session. Once registration closes, any courses that did not receive enough registration will be collapsed and all participants will be notified via email and full refunds provided.
In our registration system, you are able to see how many seats still remain in a course by going into the My Courses section and looking at the remaining seats for each course that you have registered for. We require a minimum of 5 fully registered participants in order for a course to run in a given session.
Once I have completed my AQ course, what do I need to do to update OCT/QECO?
Upon successful completion of an AQ course, the DDSB will report your information to OCT. This can take up to 6 weeks during peak periods. You will be notified by the DDSB once the information has been transmitted. If you are not notified by OCT within two weeks of this being reported to them, please email aq@ddsb.ca to request support.
Once your OCT is updated, you can forward your completion information to QECO directly.
What is the process to withdraw from a course once fully registered?
Once you have submitted your payment for a course, you are considered fully registered. If you choose to withdraw from the course after this point, there is a $50 administrative fee that will be applied to cover the fees associated with this process.
A withdrawal form must be completed by yourself and signed off on by the course instructor. The withdrawal form may be found by clicking on the Withdraw button located next to the course you’d like to remove yourself from in your My Courses section.
Withdrawal and refund guidelines
Fall/Spring Sessions:
*Less $50 administration fee
Summer Session:
*Less $50 administration fee
Please note that any withdrawal request received after 3:59 pm will be considered as being received after business hours and therefore will be considered as being received on the following business day and will be processed as such.
What AQ courses do I need to complete in order to apply for a job with the DDSB?
Questions pertaining to employment with the DDSB should be directed to the People & Culture department. You may also want to connect with Administrators that you have worked with to determine what they look for in candidates for specific roles.
Are any courses currently being subsidized?
The subsidy section on the AQ page via the DDSB’s website is where you will find all information on currently available subsidies. Applications for subsidies may be submitted via the link found in this same section. Subsidies are available on a limited basis, and are processed as first come-first serve. We can not guarantee that subsidy funds will be available to all applicants but do our best to provide up to date information to inform your decision making.
How do I apply for available subsidies?
A link to the application form is available on the AQ page found via the DDSB’s website.
Please note that applications must be submitted along with proof of course completion and proof of payment of your tuition fees. Applications that do not contain all necessary documentation will not be processed.
Subsidies are available on a limited basis, and are processed as first come-first serve. We can not guarantee that subsidy funds will be available to all applicants but do our best to provide up to date information to inform your decision making.
Will I receive a letter of completion upon successfully completing the course?
You will be able to determine your completion status on your My Courses page. If you have any specific questions about this, please contact your instructor.
Where would I find employment opportunities with the DDSB’s AQ department?
All employment opportunities for the DDSB are found via applytoeducation.com
What is the refund policy for the DDSB’s AQ program?
Withdrawal and refund guidelines
Fall/Spring Sessions:
*Less $50 administration fee
Summer Session:
*Less $50 administration fee
Please note that any withdrawal request received after 3:59 pm will be considered as being received after business hours and therefore will be considered as being received on the following business day and will be processed as such.
What are the expectations regarding time commitments for AQ courses?
OCT expects that it will take a participant approximately 125 hours of dedicated working time to complete an AQ course. While some may finish a course in less than that, you should expect and budget for 125 hours of working time for each AQ course that you register for.
This is also true for our summer sessions. While the delivery of the material is condensed over a 4-week period of time, the amount of time needed to complete the course does not change.
What are the expectations around synchronous/asynchronous/in-person learning for each course?
The expectations around scheduled learning opportunities such as guest speakers, group or in-person learning sessions will be communicated to you in the outline of the course. We strive to provide specific dates and times for these learning opportunities as early as possible, and clearly indicate as to whether or not attendance at these sessions is mandatory. Please read the course description thoroughly to determine what commitments are required for each course.
Each course will indicate what the delivery method is - online means that it is completely asynchronous learning, while hybrid indicates that there will be some scheduled learning opportunities throughout the delivery of the course. Hybrid courses may include both in-person and virtual synchronous learning opportunities.
What are the prerequisites for an AQ course?
It is the responsibility of the participant to understand what the prerequisites are for each course that they register for and to ensure that they already have them prior to registering for a course. This information is available via the OCT website.
Who needs to complete a Teaching Experience form?
Anyone who is registering to complete either a Part 2 or a Part 3 Specialist course is required to submit a completed (verified and signed) Teaching Experience form prior to their registration in a course being finalized. This form is available via the registration portal.
DDSB employees, please complete the top portion of this form and email it to employee.records@ddsb.ca for verification and signature. Once completed and returned to you, please email the form to aq@ddsb.ca
Non-DDSB participants, please have the form completed by your current employer and then email the verified and signed form to aq@ddsb.ca
What do I do with my Teaching Experience form once I’ve filled it out?
DDSB employees, please complete the top portion of this form and email it to employee.records@ddsb.ca for verification and signature. Once completed and returned to you, please email the form to aq@ddsb.ca
Non-DDSB participants, please have the form completed by your current employer and then email the verified and signed form to aq@ddsb.ca
When will I receive login information to access my upcoming course?
Details regarding how to log into the D2L (Brightspace) online classroom space will be provided to you via email prior to the start of each session. Some participants will receive notification from the system once you’ve been added to the online classroom - especially if you are new to the DDSB AQ program. Regardless of whether you are new or not, an email will be sent out by the AQ admin team by the Friday before the start of your course. Please note that you will not be able to access the class materials until the actual start date.
When will my completed course be reflected on my OCT?
We do our very best to report completed courses to OCT as quickly as we possibly can but sometimes it does take longer than expected. The speed in which your OCT record is updated will also be dependent on how quickly OCT is able to process the data when transmitted. Whenever possible, we will do our best to have the updated information reflected on your OCT within 4-6 weeks after the final course date.
How do I access the accommodations I require under the Human Rights Code?
The DDSB is committed to meeting its responsibilities under the Human Rights Code
(the Code) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you have accommodation or accessibility needs under the Code and/or AODA to take part in this course please contact aq@ddsb.ca upon registering.
I don’t see the course I’m looking to take in the list of course offerings, where can I find it?
If you don’t see a course listed in our currently available course offerings, it means that we either aren’t able to offer it currently or we do not have it in our syllabus. To find providers of AQ courses, please visit the OCT website
I still have questions about AQ, who do I contact?
We are always happy to answer any questions that you may have about AQ. Please reach out to us via email at aq@ddsb.ca anytime!
I want to take an AQ course, but don’t have my OCT number yet. Can I still take a course?
OCT recommends that if you wish to complete an AQ course prior to receiving your OCT number, that you register for these courses through the Faculty of Education where you completed your program. They will be able to report your data to OCT on your behalf.