FAQ
If your question is not answered in this list of frequently asked questions, please contact us.
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Sign In
How do I become a member of echelon?
To become a member you'll need to complete our short online membership form. The link to this form is in the main navigation bar at the top of every page under membership. Once you submit the completed form, you'll become a member and be taken to your personal home page.
I've forgotten my password. How do I sign in?
Click on the Forget your password link in the top right corner of the page. You'll then enter your username and receive the password hint you chose when you registered. Your sign-in information will be emailed to you.
Do I have to enter my username and password every time I access echelon?
No. You can set your computer to remember your username and password if you select Remember Me in the top right corner when you sign in. This places a cookie on your computer. The next time you visit echelon you'll automatically be signed in and your personal home page will appear.
I've selected Remember Me in the sign-in form in the top right corner, but it's still requiring I enter my username and password. Why?
Your cookies may have been cleared from your computer. Sometimes this happens automatically due to a scheduled setting in your browser. To change this setting consult your browser's help file to learn how to manage cookies.
Site Search
How do I search for a course on a specific topic?
Our Course Catalog search allows you to search for specific courses by topic, profession, author, and accreditation.
What does the search option in the right column search?
This search box looks through specific fields in the Course Catalog, Resource Center, and echelon news sections. These include the course and media descriptions and the full text of news articles. For a more targeted search of courses, select the Course Catalog advanced search link below the box. The Site Map is another valuable tool for finding specific pages on the echelon Web site.
Online Courses
Can I see what echelon courses are like before buying one?
View our ECG Program Demo to experience the echelon learning environment. You can exit the course anytime.
Where can I find the echelon Course Catalog?
On the Course Catalog page you can browse through the list of courses or search for specific courses. To get to the Course Catalog, select it under Online Courses in the main navigation bar.
How do I take a course?
Courses are added to your account in two ways:
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By direct purchase. To buy a course, locate the course in the Course Catalog and click the Buy Me button. This will take you to the Shopping Cart feature. You can also buy a course from the Course Details page; click on the course title to get to the Shopping Cart. Once you've completed the Shopping Cart process, the course appears under My Courses on your personal home page where you can take it anytime.
- By redeeming a voucher. See vouchers below for information on redeeming a voucher.
How do I know if a course is accredited by my professional organization or state board?
The Accreditor Listing page lists the accrediting institutions for echelon courses. The Course Catalog shows which organizations have accredited the course.
Why does taking a course at home take so much longer than taking one at work?
echelon courses use audio and video to make your learning experience more interesting and interactive. This often makes the course files very large. You must be on a broadband Internet connection, which can better handle the size of these files and display the course faster than a slower connection like a dial-up modem. Please see Technical Support below to learn more.
Where can I get help navigating through the course?
Access the course's help file by clicking the Help button on the menu bar. If you have further difficulty, please contact us.
Vouchers
What is a voucher?
A voucher is a coupon purchased by a third party. Our voucher system allows an employer or other sponsor to buy echelon courses for others. Employers can buy vouchers and distribute them to their employees, who can then take the courses covered by the voucher for free. When you redeem the voucher, the courses are added under My Courses on your home page. If your organization would like to purchase course vouchers, please contact us.
How do I redeem a Voucher?
Use the Redeem a Voucher link on the side bar of your home page. Enter the voucher number to add the course to the My Courses section on your home page.The Strategic Partnerships page explains more about the voucher process for organizations wanting to buy courses for employees. Request More Information about purchasing vouchers.
I don't want any personal information shared with a third party. Can I still use a voucher?
No. The voucher system was developed for employers, so reporting your progress to your employer is an important feature. While redeeming a voucher, you will be given the opportunity to cancel the process. If you do, the courses will not be added to your account.
Why don't I get receipts for my voucher-redeemed courses?
Voucher courses are purchased by a third party, so you would not have a receipt on file for these courses.
Membership
What benefits do I get as an echelon member?
Visit Membership Benefits for a list of what echelon offers.
If I'm not a member, can I still take echelon courses?
No. You must become a member to have access to echelon courses.
How do I become a member?
See Sign-In above.
Resource Center
I've done the Browser Check and downloaded the plug-ins I need to take courses, but I can't view an item in the Resource Center. Why not?
The Browser Check was designed to facilitate taking echelon courses. The Resource Center, however, contains files in more formats than those we use in courses. The file type is listed with each item in the Resource Center. If you don't have the plug-in for the file you want to access, you'll need to download and install it. Resource Center Requirements lists the plug-ins you'll need.
Technical Support
Why do I need a broadband Internet connection to take an echelon course?
echelon courses are designed to give you an educational experience that is rich in media (audio & video). In order for you to experience the course as it was designed, you need high-speed Internet access such as cable modem or DSL. Accessing an echelon course using a dial-up modem is not recommended.
What does "broadband" Internet connection mean?
Broadband refers to the capacity of the connection you have to the Internet. A broadband service such as cable modem or DSL allows large amounts of data to travel quickly to your desktop. If you want to take echelon courses, you'll need a broadband connection to the Internet such as cable modem or DSL.
Course Plug-Ins
What is a plug-in?
Plug-ins are software tools that work in your browser to give it enhanced capabilities. The plug-ins required for echelon courses allow your computer to play the course multimedia files. Note: some files in the Resource Center may call for more plug-ins than our courses require. Visit Resource Center Requirements for a list of Resource Center plug-ins.
Is it safe to download a plug-in?
Downloading any software involves risks. However, the plug-ins used at echelon are from reputable companies with trustworthy download environments.
How can I tell if my computer already has the plug-ins I'll need to take courses?
Our Browser Check wizard will check your computer for the necessary technical requirements to view echelon courses.
What plug-ins are required for echelon courses?
Macromedia's Flash Player allows your computer to play the graphics and animation created using Macromedia Flash software. Many of our courses are produced using Macromedia Flash.
What does "streaming" mean?
A streaming file downloads to your computer while you're playing it. For example, without streaming capabilities, a large video file might take a long time to download before you can watch it. With streaming you don't have to wait for the entire file to download. You can watch the video while its streaming. The same is true for audio files.
