About the Program

This certificate program consists of two tracks and combines online lessons in the methods, approaches, and practical techniques for teaching online. As you design a course for totally online delivery, you will complete online modules, attend live lectures, and complete an online project. This program will model what you may eventually use in your own online courses.

This program will use Adobe Connect for the online lectures and Blackboard to deliver the asynchronous components. All capstone projects should be delivered through Blackboard. Faculty can expect to take about 7–10 hours to complete each track.

Faculty who may not be interested in the certificate are always welcome to attend any of the lectures without completing the capstone project.

For more information, download the current Teaching Online Certificate Program brochure.

Program Benefits

• The necessary skills and knowledge required to create an online course
• A solid pedagogical foundation for designing an engaging online course
• A thorough understanding of good teaching and management practices
• Experience the online environment from the student perspective

Prerequisite

To register, faculty must have a working knowledge of the computer and Blackboard. The following session will meet the Blackboard prerequisite:

• Blackboard Basics: See the current brochure for meeting dates and times
  • Meeting URL: uccs.adobeconnect.com/bbtrain/
    • Select "Enter as a Guest" and enter your name (this name will be what everyone attending will see you as)

In order to be successful in this online class, you must have access to the necessary hardware and software. Your computer must meet the minimum basic requirements to participate and teach a course that uses the Blackboard learning management system.

Certificate of Completion

To receive a certificate of completion, the faculty will complete the following:

• Successful completion of Track 1
• Successful completion of Track 2
• A presentation given to the UCCS community
• A capstone project (a course that is ready to teach online) that adheres to the Qulaity Matters Rubric

This program can becompleted in the semester that you begin the program, with an average of 35 hours to complete the certificate requirements.

Program Offerings

To complete the certificate program, faculty must complete Tracks 1 and 2 (each track includes readings, online live lectures, and assignments), a capstone project, and a campus presentation. Check the brochure for dates and times.

Track 1: Getting Started with Best Practices

This track looks at best practices for building an online course structure and designing course content for online delivery. You will complete online modules while creating a welcome letter, a syllabus, and a course structure. You will develop learning objectives, content, assignments, and assessments for an online course. To complete this track, faculty should attend the following lectures:

• Bulding an Online Course
• Establishing Instructor Prescence in Your Online Course
• Building Assignments and Assessments that Engage Students
• Using Rubrics for Grading Assignments and Participation

Track 2: Best Practices in Teaching Online

This track is ideal for faculty who have completed Track 1 or are currently teaching online and would like to expand their online teaching toolbox. Faculty will learn how to create team assignments, problem-based learning scenarios, and to use technology and Blackboard tools to teach online more effectively. To complete this track, faculty should attend the following lectures:

• Integrating Technology into Online Teaching
• Promoting Student Learning in Reflective Thinking and Collaborative Learning
• Creating and Facilitating Teams and Problem-based Learning
• Capstone Project and Presentation
  Your capstone project will demonstrate your ability to incorporate the concepts presented in this program into your own online course.
  After teaching your online course you will give a presentation to the UCCS faculty (or to your department) that outlines the activities and assignments that support your course objectives and outcomes, a walking tour of your course, and any lessons learned or what you would do differently or the same.

To enroll, or for more information, contact the Faculty Resource Center at frc@uccs.edu.