FAQs


Account Information:

How do I create a new account?

From www.BeaconEducator.com click New Account, located near the top of the page.
Complete the form, then click Submit.
A confirmation e-mail will be sent to your e-mail account.
Click the link in the e-mail to activate your account.
If the confirmation e-mail does not arrive, login with your e-mail and password at www.BeaconEducator.com.
Click Send E-mail Again or type in the corrected e-mail address; then click Change E-mail and Send.

What if I forgot my password?

From www.BeaconEducator.com click Login. Then click Forgot Password, located at the bottom of the page.
Enter your e-mail address that you used to setup your account.
Your password will then be sent to your e-mail.

How do I change my account information?

To change your password, email, school, or other account information, login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your existing username and password.
Click Profile from the left tool bar.
Click the Edit button beside the area needing revision.
System Requirements:

What are the System Requirements to use Beacon Educator?

Learners need reliable internet access and a computer or other internet device with the latest version of a web browser. Verify that your computer meets these requirements before beginning the course.

Operating System: Windows, Android OS 4.1 or higher, Apple iOS8 or higher.
Web browser: Latest version of Firefox or Chrome, Safari 7 or higher, or Internet Explorer 9 or higher.
Cookies turned on in the browser.
Current word processing software such as MS Word, Open Office, or other (to create, modify, and/or read documents).
Up-to-date anti-virus software.
JAWS 16 or higher with Internet Explorer 11 or higher (for screen readers only).

Are there any additional software/plug-ins?

During this course additional software or plug-ins may be needed to fully experience all of the media (audio, video, etc.) found on the internet. You may download all of these plug-ins beforehand, or you can download them individually when prompted by the specific website. A brief description of the plug-in and its URL are given below.

Adobe Reader (Download latest version).
Adobe Reader allows users to view and print Adobe PDF files on all major platforms.

What are the basic computer skills needed?

Learners must possess basic computer skills, such as those listed below.

Using a web browser to locate a site and perform basic searches.
Using a word processor to read, create, and edit (including how to copy and paste) documents.
Conducting basic file management, including saving and locating files.
Using an email program to send and receive email, and to attach files to an email.
Downloading and installing files from the internet.
Course Information:

I made a request to enroll in a course through my district, but I am not enrolled in the course. What should I do?

Contact your district contact person (contract manager) to verify your enrollment.

I received notification that I am registered for a course, but when I log in to Beacon, the course is not there. What's the problem?

You may have two Beacon accounts under two different e-mail addresses or you may be using the incorrect e-mail address if you have more than one e-mail account. Try logging in using your other e-mail address. If you suspect that you have two Beacon accounts, please notify Beacon, so that one can be deleted.
You may have withdrawn yourself from the course, or your district contact may have withdrawn you.
You may have been automatically withdrawn for not submitting a summative log exercise in a timely manner. If you have been enrolled through your district and this occurs, contact the appropriate person in your district for future enrollment options. If you are a learner who enrolled using Beacon's individual enrollment option, you can re-register on the site.

How do I register for a course if I intend to pay personally?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your username and password.
Choose OFFERINGS from the menu bar at the top of the page.
Select Individual Enrollment from the menu bar on the left.

Still on the left menu bar, select the desired:

  • Content Area
  • Learning Format
  • Audience
  • And Credit Hours

With each selection, the search for your desired course is refined.

Locate the Course Section and Date that you would like to join; then choose Add To Cart.
Click Proceed to Cart from the top right.
Review the Terms.
Click Check Out at the bottom of the page.
Complete the payment information.
A receipt will be emailed to you

How do I verify that I'm registered for a course?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your e-mail and password.
Once you login, you are on the My Learning page. This page should show your name at the top right corner. The page provides you with a list of courses in which you are currently enrolled.
Click the title of your course to enter.

Do Beacon courses require me to purchase textbooks?

All Beacon courses are self-contained. All required content is found within the course. No textbooks are required.

How do I get started?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your e-mail and password. (For first time users, the default password is educator. You will be asked to change this and log in again, using the new password.)
Click the title of the course.
Click Chapter One.
Summative exercises can be found by clicking Summative Log from the bottom of the Table of Contents.

How do I contact my facilitator?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com using your username and your password.
Click the title of the course.
Click Contact Facilitator, located at the bottom of the Table of Contents.

How do I retrieve my course syllabus?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com using your username and your password.
Click the title of the course. The course will open to the syllabus.
Additionally, you can click Syllabus from the Table of Contents.

How do I find the beginning and end dates of a course?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com using your username and your password.
The beginning and ending dates of the course will appear below the title.

Can I start working on my course prior to the start date?

As soon as you are registered for a course, you can log in to your Beacon account and begin reading.
You can view and begin submitting the summative assessments on the start date.

How long do I have access to my course?

You have access to the course until the posted end date, as long as you submit summative assessments prior to the automatic withdrawal date. (Completing only a multiple choice quiz does not prevent withdrawal.)
Some course sections provide access for an additional 7 days. Your facilitator will let you know this information for your course.
Learners are automatically withdrawn if no summative assessments are submitted according to the following schedule:
3 weeks prior to the end date for long courses. (10 weeks or more)
1 week prior to the end date for regular courses. (3 to 9 weeks)
3 days prior to the end date of short courses. (2 weeks or less)

In a course, what is the difference between the Check Your Understanding activities and the summative assessments?

The Check Your Understanding activities are formative assessments that are embedded throughout the course. Automatic feedback is displayed as soon as you click the Submit button. These activities are not tracked or reviewed by the facilitator.
The summative assessments are reviewed by the facilitator. Facilitators provide individual feedback, which may include pointing out areas in need of revision. Responses must meet identified criteria prior to approval.

When do I submit my Summative Log exercises?

You cannot submit responses online until the start date of the course.
You may submit summative assessments at any time after the start date, as long as you begin prior to the automatic withdrawal schedule. (See "How long do I have access to my course?)
The normal pacing is one chapter per week; however, you are somewhat free to deviate from this schedule. We highly recommend that you submit your summative assessments in a timely manner to avoid losing access prior to successful completion.
Do not submit more than two new summative assessments in the final week of the course. (i.e., If you are taking a course with six summative assessments, then you must have four summative assessments submitted before the final week of the course.)
Some courses have specific time lines for submissions, due to the complexity of the required submissions and/or the length of the course. These timelines would be found at the beginning of the course.

How will I know the status of my summative assessments?

The Summative Log shows the status of each of your summatives. The status labels indicate the progress on each summative as one of the following:

  • In Progress - You viewed the summative. You may have entered and saved responses, but you have not submitted it and the facilitator cannot review it. (Note: If there is only one task, click Submit to Facilitator. If there are multiple tasks, click Save & Next on each page and click Submit to Facilitator on the last page.)

  • Submitted – You have submitted your response. Your facilitator will review your submission.

  • Needs Revision - Your facilitator has reviewed your submission and provided instructions for revisions needed before it can be approved.

  • Revised - You have submitted a revised response. Your facilitator will review it.

  • Approved with Comments - Your summative meets criteria for approval.

  • Available (date) - Your summative will be available beginning on the date shown.

  • Available Now - Your quiz is now available.

  • Started - You need to complete and submit the quiz.

  • Last Attempt - You took the quiz on the date/time shown. You may retake the quiz until a passing score is earned.

  • Passed - You have passed the quiz.

Will I have the opportunity to revise my summative assessment responses?

If a summative assessment response does not meet the criteria, the facilitator provides feedback indicating the problem areas.
You revise the response based on the feedback and then resubmit.
This process can be repeated; however, Beacon reserves the right to limit the rounds of feedback provided.
All summative assessments must be approved before the course can be marked as completed.

Can I complete a course prior to the end date?

You can submit summative assessments prior to the pacing guide dates found in the Summative Log. Summative assessments will be approved as soon as they meet criteria. All must be approved for course completion.
Course approval can occur any time after an initial period of time based on course hours. The earliest a 60-hour course can be marked complete is a week after the start date. Shorter courses can be completed sooner.
A course will appear on the Beacon Transcript as soon as it is marked complete.

How do I withdraw from a course?

You can withdraw from a course as long as you have not submitted any assessment other than a multiple-choice quiz. To withdraw, log in to your Beacon account and click Remove Registration by the course title. Keep in mind no refunds are made for personal credit card purchases. Contact Beacon for a possible one-time transfer.

What if I need technical assistance?

From www.BeaconEducator.com, select SUPPORT, Tech Support from the menu bar at the top of the page. Most questions can be answered within this section.
If you cannot find an answer within the Tech Support section and need additional assistance, call 1-866-936-7352.
Module Information:

I made a request to enroll in a module through my district, but I am not enrolled in the module. What should I do?

Contact your district contact person (contract manager) to verify your enrollment. For districts with self-enrollment options, log in at BeaconEducator, select Register/District Enrollment, to see registration link.

I received notification that I am registered for a module but, when I log in to Beacon, the module is not there. What's the problem?

You may have two Beacon accounts under two different e-mail addresses or you may be using the incorrect e-mail address if you have more than one e-mail account. Try logging in using your other e-mail address. If you suspect that you have two Beacon accounts, please notify Beacon so that one can be deleted.
You may have withdrawn yourself from the module, or your district contact may have withdrawn you.
The module section may be past. If you did not complete the module Exit Exam, you can re-enroll.

How do I register for a module if I intend to pay personally?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your username and password.
Choose OFFERINGS from the menu bar at the top of the page.
Select Individual Enrollment from the menu bar on the left.
Still on the left menu bar, select the desired:
  • Content Area
  • Learning Format
  • Audience
  • And Credit Hours

With each selection, the search for your desired course is refined.

Locate the Course Section and Date that you would like to join; then choose Add to Cart.
Click Proceed to Cart from the top right.
Review the Terms.
Click Check Out at the bottom of the page.
Complete the payment information.
A receipt will be emailed to you.

How do I verify that I'm registered for a module?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your e-mail and password.
Once you login, you are on the My Learning page. This page should show your name at the top right corner. The page provides you with a list of courses and/or modules in which you are currently enrolled.
Click the title of your module to enter.

Do Beacon modules require me to purchase textbooks?

All Beacon modules are self-contained. All required content is found within the module. No textbooks are required.

How do I get started?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com with your e-mail and password. (For first time users, the default password is educator. You will be asked to change this and log in again, using the new password.)
Click the title of the module.
The first time you open a module, you will be asked to agree to “complete all assignments independently and not plagiarize from any other source or person.” Select the box beside the statement and click Submit.
Next, you can select the word Continue or click on one of the Chapters to start the module.

How do I find the beginning and end dates of a module?

Login at www.BeaconEducator.com using your username and your password.
The beginning and ending dates of the module will appear below the title.

Can I start working on my module prior to the start date?

As soon as you are registered for a module, you can log in to your Beacon account and begin reading.
You can interact in all features of the module, except the Exit Exam.
The Exit Exam is available after registration and the number of credit hours has past.
Example 1: If registering at 1 pm for a 6-hour Instructional Practices: Differentiated Instruction module, the Exit Exam will be available at 7 pm.
Example 2: If registering at midnight for the 20-hour On Demand: ESE for All Educators (SWD - SB 1108) module, the Exit Exam will be available the next day at 8 pm.
The Exit Exam can be accessed during the section dates, but NOT before.
To complete a module, the Exit Exam must be completed with a score of 80% or better. If not passed, the Exam maybe retaken after 30 minutes of content review.

How will I know the status of my Exit Exam?

Both the final page in the course, where the Exit Exam is accessed, and the Summative Log shows the status of the Exit Exam. The link to the Summative Log is near the bottom of the Table of Contents.

Available in (#) hours/minutes – The Exit Exam will be available when the time shown has elapsed. Use this time to read the module. Note: The Exit Exam is available after the time of registration and the number of credit hours has passed. Example: You register for a 5-hour module at 10:00 AM; the Exit Exam will be available as early as 3 PM that day.
Available Now – You may take the Exit Exam immediately.
Started – You have started but not completed the Exit Exam.
Last Attempt Date – You last attempted the Exit Exam on this date.
Retake in (#) minutes – The Exit Exam will be available to retake when the time shown has elapsed. Use this time to review the module.
Retake Now – You may retake the Exit Exam immediately.

How long do I have access to my module?

You have access to the module until the posted end date. Once you complete the Exit Exam, you still have access to the module content until the module end date.

What if I do not pass the Exit Exam?

To receive credit for module completion, the Exit Exam must be completed with a score of 80% or better. If not passed, the Exam maybe retaken after 30 minutes of content review.
The Exit Exam may be retaken several times between the start and end date of the module.

How do I print my module materials?

After completing the module and passing the Exit Exam, you will be given two links to documents to view and print if desired:
Syllabus/Reference List
Summary
Additionally, you will receive a congratulatory email message from Beacon with links to the same two documents.

Can I complete a module prior to the end date?

You can complete the Exit Exam as soon as the number of hours in the module has elapsed. Example: The Exit Exam for a 10-hour module will be available 10 hours after you open the module. If a passing score is not earned, you will get additional opportunities after time to review the module passes. Once you receive a passing score of 80% or above, the module will appear on your Beacon Transcript. Each district has its own process for entering credit in the district system.

How do I withdraw from a module?

You can withdraw from a module as long as you have not submitted any assessment other than a multiple-choice quiz. To withdraw, log in to your Beacon account and click Remove Registration by the module title. Keep in mind no refunds are made for personal credit card purchases. Contact Beacon for a possible one-time transfer.

What if I need technical assistance?

From www.BeaconEducator.com, select SUPPORT, Tech Support from the menu bar at the top of the page. Most questions can be answered within this section.
If you cannot find an answer within the Tech Support section and need additional assistance, use the Contact Page to contact us by email or phone.
Pricing Information:

Why do you charge?

Beacon Educator is a self-supporting enterprise of Bay District Schools, a Florida Public School System. Income generated is used to pay for development, facilitation, administration, and technical support of the online professional development programs.

Are your courses facilitated?

Beacon courses are facilitated by trained content area specialists. However, there are two types of facilitators who provide quality feedback and guidance to online course learners. The first type of facilitator is hired or contracted by Beacon Educator. The second type of facilitator is selected by the local school district and trained by Beacon Educator staff.

Are modules facilitated?

The Beacon On Demand modules are non-facilitated. These modules contain a computer-scored exit exam.

What is the course price for an individual?

Pricing information can be viewed under the REGISTER/INDIVIDUAL ENROLLMENT tab. Select the program area of interest. The number of credit hours and cost is listed for each course. For more information, contact Beacon at 1-800-311-6437 .

Are there any situations for which I can get a refund for my credit card purchase?

All credit card purchases are final, as stated during the registration process. However, for unusual circumstances, we may be able to transfer your enrollment to a different section. Contact the office, 1-800-311-6437 , with your request.

What is the price for a school, district, or group?

The price depends on the option you select.

Option A: Beacon-facilitated

In the Beacon-facilitated model, we provide full access to the content, consistent quality facilitation, evaluation with guidance, and follow-up for the course.

Option B: Locally-facilitated

Another model is the train-the-facilitator model called Locally-facilitated. For this model, a local district selects educators with content area knowledge and Beacon provides professional development in online facilitation. Access to the content and tools to assist the facilitators are provided by Beacon. The local district is responsible for paying facilitators in this model.

For pricing information contact Beacon at 1-800-311-6437

Can I request a special schedule?

For a school, district, or group, Beacon can schedule courses to meet your needs. The start date and the length of the course can be customized. While we have a "suggested" length of time for a course, it can be customized for groups. We ask that requests or customizations are made seven days before a course is to start.

Course Credit Information:

How do I receive credit for a Beacon Online Course?

While our courses comply with the national standards and Florida Protocol Standards, it is important that you check with your district staff development office, prior to enrollment, to ensure they will accept Beacon Educator courses. It may be helpful to provide the office with the following documents:

Letter of Introduction
Course Syllabi - To print:
From www.BeaconEducator.com, select PROGRAMS, then the area and type of course.
Select the title of the course.
Select Click to Print link.

How do I provide verification of completion?

If you are part of a district that contracts with Beacon, your district has access to reports to document your completion.

If you are asked to provide documentation, you will have access to a transcript that documents completion of the course. To access your transcript, click My Transcript from the left menu bar.

If additional information is needed, call 1-800-311-6437.

When will a course or module appear on my Beacon transcript?

In most instances, the facilitator marks the course complete as soon as all summative assessments have been approved. However, a course cannot be approved until a specific period of time, based on course hours, has elapsed. (Example: A 60-hour course cannot be marked complete until a week after the start date.) At that point, the course appears on the Beacon transcript, even if it is prior to the posted end date.
Modules are marked complete when the Exit Exam is passed. Note: The exit exam is not available until the number of hours in the module has elapsed from the time the module is first opened. Example: An exit exam for a 5-hour module will be available 5 hours after the learner has started reading.
Note: Districts have their own process for entering completions in their systems.