Online Professor Certificate Program

Training programs are provided online throughout each fall, spring and summer terms. Training includes the courses listed below, which provide skills in online and hybrid/blended course development and delivery, knowledge and skills in applying the results of learning and motivation research and technology to learning (pedagogy/andragogy), and mentored online learning experiences.

Participants initially select one of the following:

Developing Interactive Online Courses—15 hours. This fully online course provides a basic orientation to online pedagogy/andragogy. Includes an introduction to instructional design and uses of mastery, cooperative, and constructivist learning and development of learning communities. Faculty must complete a capstone requirement by developing a syllabus for an online course using the interactive methods modeled in the course.  

Developing Interactive Hybrid/Blended Courses—12 hours. This fully online course takes participants from the traditional face-to-face teaching and learning environment to the pedagogy of teaching hybrid/blended courses. The course emphasizes uses of the Internet (Web-based resources, e-mail, listservs, chat groups and other tools) to support face-to-face classroom activities through appropriate pedagogical approaches, such as interactive, constructivist, and cooperative learning, and the use of learning communities.   

Upon completion of one of the above, participants complete each of the following:

Blackboard Academic Suite—12 hours. Orientation to use of platform in online course development and applications of platform to meet specific online course development needs. (Optional as appropriate for the institution.)

Mentored Learning Experience—a total of 9 hours mentored online teaching experience. This experience as a Mentee needs to be gained during the initial online course taught following the completion of the above training.

Serving as Mentor—following serving as a Mentee, faculty serve as a Mentor for 9 hours during one term for other faculty who are completing the training leading to the Certificate.