Dear Webmaster:

A useful tool for the country profiles might be a short survey option available to GTESOL students who have experience in that country. It would be like storing feedback. You have fields for Name, country, city, type of school, type of work (i.e. 1 year contract, Fulbright, teaching exchange), description of work environment (number of students, number of class hours taught). Other ideas might be: perceived friendliess of locals, ease of workload, ability to travel, average amount of money earned per month. The raters could use radio buttons or a slider to indicate a preference from one to ten. If desired the individual could leave contact information for recommendations.

I think that type of first-hand evidence would make the country profiles richer as well. It would provide a different kind of information that cannot be obtained in a book or from a summary.

Hello Webmaster:

The Foundation Course Workbook (Assignments, etc.) already has a "bookmarked" format. This is similar to the HTML link bar on the old website. However, the foundation course manual does not include bookmarks. Thank you for updating this feature in the new versions.

Sincerely,

Kerry

Hi Global TESOL,

Thank you for updating my specialization course "Teaching Adolescents." It is now available on the "My Page" in my account. I am happy.

Sincerely,

Kerry

Dear Webmaster:

Please restore the original HTML web-based foundation course. The manual is okay in PDF format, but I preferred the old set-up. It was much easier to use. I miss it. Bring it back if possible.

Thank you,

Kerry Armbruster

I have also called the Edmonton office during business hours, but no immediate personal assistance was available. Even at 8:45 AM EST. I have no knowledge of the size of the company, but I would guess that they have a small/medium size office staff who is currently undergoing major changes, especially given the sudden new design of the website. I had no idea it was going to be changed. Who knows? Maybe they're just busy like all of us working professionals. Then again, we paid for the course, so we as the clients should be receiving adequate service. This whole thing could go either way, depending on your own expectations and level of patience. If conditions do not improve by next Monday, then I think something may be amiss.

Jamie/Jim:
If you signed up for a specialization course, I would think that they would let you change it--as long as you didn't start it already. Given the access to the course materials, they may say "no" because you had access to the information on your account for a period of time. However, I just started my program last week, so take my response with a grain of salt, and be prepared for it to be wrong if so.

Hi Robert,

To access the online manuals, do this:

(1) Sign In to the Website
(2) Go to the "My Account" Tab
(3) Go to the "My Page" item

(4) If you are fully registered, your program name should appear at the bottom of the page. Mine says "Program 1". In that green box, you should see a link to the manuals.

I hope it works for you.

-Kerry

Hi David,

I have an idea that might work.

Go to the Employment Manual available for download. Go to page 242. From page 242 on, you have Global TESOL's program and course descriptions. Since these are part of the manual, I would assume they are "official" documents.

My guess:
(1) Print out the program description of your certificate.
(2) Print out each course description for your specialization ((sub) courses.
(3) Mail or fax all of them with your TESOL certificate to your licensure office.

Also, include the toll-free telephone number for the Edmonton office. If your licensure office does not accept the documents right away, maybe somebody from the office has to speak with someone from Global TESOL to validate the documents' authenticity.

I'll cross my fingers for you.

-Kerry
Busan, South Korea