Online PDC

[NJNative]

There are actually "official teachers", the same way classes can be certified as part of the PRI Master Plan. Wayne Weisman is one of the certified PRI teachers, and also gives an online class, so that is definitely an option.

Check out the "PRI Teacher" section (8th from the top), and also check out Wayne's website for info on his online class:

http://permacultureglobal.com/users/legend
http://www.permacultureproject.com/s...course-online/

I'm sure there's other "official" teachers out there who teach online classes as well.

[Pakanohida]

I don't think there are any "official" PDCs. There are official guidelines and an official curriculum. If it follows Bill Mollison's Permaculture: A Designers Manual, then it should be okay. The link that Pak has is akin to earning merit badges, and can make it seem more "official", but I believe that stuff is for projects that are underway and/or mature. It's like a seal of approval on your project: be it your own back yard, a food forest, or a project that cleaned up the pollution in lakes and streams via permacultural methods. It seems to me that it is an extension of the peer review program.

But if you're looking for a list of official permaculture teachers, you're not going to find one. There used to be one somewhere, but it hasn't been active for some time. Any information stating otherwise would be nice to know about. If you can take a hands-on PDC, then I suggest you do it. This is more for folks with strange schedules or for people that can't make it to a hands-on PDC.

Are you referring to the Master Plan or Permaculture Visions?

Permaculture Visions is an online 72 hour pdc with no short cuts.

[Unmutual]

Wayne Weisman is one of the certified PRI teachers, and also gives an online class, so that is definitely an option.

Check out the "PRI Teacher" section (8th from the top), and also check out Wayne's website for info on his online class:

http://permacultureglobal.com/users/legend
http://www.permacultureproject.com/s...course-online/

I'm sure there's other "official" teachers out there who teach online classes as well.

I'm just not sure how official the list is, or if a PRI PDC is more official than a regular PDC, etc. It is a great starting point, however. But again, I'm just not sure how official permaculture can or even should be. The important thing is that you actually learned everything you're supposed to learn.

Are you referring to the Master Plan or Permaculture Visions?

A little bit of both. Yeah, I know, that probably wasn't helpful.

[NJNative]

I think it's as official as it can get at this point, as there is a vetting process, where you have to be independently certified to be a good teacher, but you're right, just because someone's not an "official" teacher doesn't mean that they're not legit, and the important thing in the end is that you learned all the information you were supposed to, which it seems many places out there are great in that regard. Perhaps down the line, places like permaculture visions and barking frogs will get their stuff certified, but until then, if you want an "official" class and/or teacher, there is a selection to choose from (21 teachers worldwide as of this date).

After your good reviews of it, I'm thinking of taking the Permaculture Visions class. You guys definitely think it's worth the money? How far along are you so far?

[Unmutual]

Yes, so far I think it's worth it. I won't say I started out knowing everything permaculture, but I have read through most of the books and do a fair amount of research, plus visit these forums and others(though I prefer these forums) and this PDC still teaches me something new at every turn. I'm not that far along in it, I'm still only on the 3rd section of the first series. I hope to finish the PDC before I start my Environmental Study Coarse. I think if I stop fooling around in my own garden for a while, I can get the entire PDC done before the end of September. I'm also trying to do all the homework involved without skipping sections(which can end up being about 200 hours instead of 72, though you're only required to do one homework per section which you can choose from 5+ homework assignments).

April is listed as a PDC teacher on that website, just not a PRI PDC teacher. Since Australia's climate is very similar to my own(Lower/Coastal Louisiana), it seemed like a better fit than somewhere north of me, even if it's on the same continent. I think the closest PDC to me is in Arkansas, which doesn't really share my climate. There might be one(or more) in Texas, but I don't remember it being close enough to the gulf. Either way, it doesn't really matter because my job wouldn't allow me the luxury of going away for 2+ weeks.

[dyllos]

Hi Pakanohida and Unmutual - are you guys still doing the permaculturevisions course? or have you finished and gained your PDC ?

[Unmutual]

Still working at it personally.

[NGcomm]

Hi Pakanohida and Unmutual - are you guys still doing the permaculturevisions course? or have you finished and gained your PDC ?

Hi dyllos, I responded to the other forum about the questions regarding an online PDC course at http://forums.permaculturenews.org/s...g-course/page2

I am also doing the permaculture visions course and provide a bit of feedback in that post.