Why Do Top Teachers and Administrators Choose TEI?

Commitment to Academic Excellence. TEI courses are designed around established learning principals - including those of Bloom, Gardner, and Vygotsky. TEI courses include activities at all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy - focusing on higher-order thinking skills. Course assignments are often project-based, with students adjusting the parameters to meet the needs of their individual educational settings.

TEI courses are designed to the National Staff Development Council standards:

• Using multiple sources of information to guide improvement and demonstrate
  its impact.
• Preparing educators to apply research to decision making.
• Using learning strategies appropriate to the intended goal.
• Applying knowledge about human learning and change.
• Providing educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.
• Preparing educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly and supportive learning environments, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.

Best Practices. Our courses are designed in compliance with State and National standards, National Staff Development Council Standards, and the Course Development Standards of our Academic Partners. We adhere to rigorous Quality Assurance practices, and provide statistical results on learning outcomes.

Quality Assurance. TEI's five-step Quality Assurance process enforces our commitment to maintain rigorous academic standards:

1. TEI regularly reviews our course creation and instruction practices to ensure continuous compliance with State and National standards, National Staff Development Council Standards, and the Course Development Standards of our Academic Partners.


2. We require each student to complete an end-of-course evaluation survey. The surveys reviewed by our Instruction and Curriculum Development Committees.


3. All courses are audited on a semi-annual basis by TEI staff and Academic Partner faculty. Reports based on these audits are reviewed by our Curriculum Development and Instruction Committees.


4. Pre and post testing measure perceived increase in skills and achievement for each course. Analysis reports are generated measuring the statistically significant difference in the learning outcomes.


5. All TEI instructors hold a minimum of a Master's Degree, are current or former K-12 classroom teachers and are pre-approved by our Academic Partners as Adjunct Faculty.

Technology. TEI was an early proponent of online professional development, offering our first online course in 1999. Designed to help teachers apply research and learning theories to daily classroom situations, our online courses have an impressive 97% completion rate.

TEI believes the following about online education:

• Much learning takes place outside the traditional classroom.
• Adult learners who choose to participate in online education are motivated by interest in the subject matter or in earning a degree or credential.
• An online course instructor is a facilitator of learning who guides, encourages and motivates students with constructive, positive feedback.
• Adult learners learn best by applying knowledge and theories to real life situations.
• Frequent interaction between instructor and student is critical.
• Creating a community of learning between instructor and students is critical.

Multiple Formats. You can take a TEI course on-site, online or in a blended learning format.

The Company We Keep. Our Academic Partners are well-established regionally and nationally accredited colleges and universities. Our Academic Partners follow the principles and best practices specified by their respective accrediting agencies. TEI is a member of The ISTE 100, The National Staff Development Council and The United States Distance Learning Association.