Navigating the IRIS Resource Locator
Navigating the IRIS Resource Locator (IRL): This video demonstrates key features of the IRIS Resource Locator. The IRL is the primary search engine for these popular resources: modules, case studies, fundamental skill sheets, activities, information briefs, interviews, and video vignettes (time: 3:20).
Transcript: Earning a PD Certificate for Educators
Hello and welcome to the IRIS Center. The purpose of this video is to acquaint you with IRIS PD Certificates for Educators. Using this feature, educators can work through a wide variety of our modules and—after completing a pretest and posttest—receive a certificate that verifies IRIS Module completion. To access this portion of our site, click on the “PD Options” tab at the top of our home page and select “PD Certificates for Educators” from the drop-down menu. This takes you to the PD landing page, which is one of the few places on the IRIS site where you will be required to set up an account with a username and password. Additionally, the “Available Modules” link will take you to a list of all the modules for which a certificate is available. Note that you can narrow your search by using the filter to the left. For each available module, you can see the title and the approximate number of hours it will take to complete the module, which will be included on your certificate.
Before selecting a module, you can learn more about it by clicking on the title. We provide a brief summary of each module, as well as the learning objectives. Click on “Add to Cart” to select the module and check out. This process is very similar to online shopping.
Once you’ve set up your account and selected the module, you’ll be taken to the My Account landing page. Here you have the ability to access the modules in your account, double-check your account information, and review your order history. You can also click on the Help & Support icon to view the answers to some frequently asked questions.
I am going to click on the green Professional Development icon to get started. Notice that your account landing page, as well as the other navigation options, are easily accessible up here at the top. Once you have added the module to your account, you have 90 days to complete it. When you are logged into your account, the My Professional Development page will allow you to see a list of the modules you have purchased as well as your progress for each module, including your pretest score, the number of pages you have reviewed, your posttest score, and the number of days you have left before the module expires. To get started, click on “Take Pretest.”
When you have finished the pretest, you can work through the module at your own pace and monitor your progress using the My Progress page. Here you can see your completion percentage along with a detailed section breakdown that marks off sections and pages as they are completed. Note that if you work through the module in multiple settings, you will need to log in each time or your progress will not be recorded. After finishing the module, you will take the posttest. You have the option of taking the posttest three times.
You can choose to have your pretest and posttest scores included on your certificate. If you have taken the posttest more than once, your best posttest score will be recorded. In addition to printing the certificate, we recommend that you also save it as a PDF. When we remove or replace outdated modules on our site, the associated products will also disappear. Saving the PDF ensures that you always have access to the certificate, even when the module is no longer available.
Well, that’s a brief explanation of how to earn an IRIS PD Certificate for Educators. Thank you for watching this video and, as always, we encourage you to explore the site on your own.
