- Week 1: What Makes an Inclusive Online Learning Environment?
- Week 2: Course Design and Quality Assurance
- Week 3: What Makes a Great Online instructor?
- Week 4: Assessing Student Learning
About the Program
Montclair State University is committed to providing excellent learning opportunities for all students. As our mission states: “Montclair State University is committed to serving the educational needs of New Jersey with programs characterized by academic rigor and currency in the development of knowledge and its applications.” Online courses are no exception and must provide equivalent or enhanced educational experiences to traditional in-person classes.
The certification program for teaching online courses at Montclair State University is designed to ensure that online courses represent these exceptional standards of quality. The program empowers faculty with a critical foundation to develop best pedagogical and technological practices for online teaching and ensure standards of quality are met. The program is good for faculty new to teaching online or faculty who want to enhance their online teaching practices.
I. The Montclair Online Teaching Certification
This faculty development program includes the following components:
- Foundations in Online Teaching Pedagogy
- Technological Skills for Effective Online Teaching (Canvas and instructional training)
In order to receive the Montclair Online Teaching Foundational Certificate, participants must complete all of the following:
- The EOTL101: Foundations for Success online course
- A Canvas and instructional technology training workshop
Foundations in Online Teaching Pedagogy
EOTL101: Foundations for Success
- Focus: Online and Hybrid Pedagogy and Best Practices
- Format: a facilitated, asynchronous online course
- Duration: 4 weeks, 2-4 hr estimated commitment each week
Empowering Online Teaching and Learning: Foundations for Success (EOTL101) is a foundational course intended to provide faculty with an overview of online teaching and learning applicable to both online and hybrid courses. Participants will explore strategies for creating inclusive online learning environments, qualities of successful online instructors, and considerations for conducting effective assessments online. Standards for evaluating online courses to align with best pedagogical practices will also be shared. The cohort experience allows for a rich exchange of ideas and practices between faculty peers across the university. This course provides a critical foundation for first-time online instructors or for instructors hoping to tune up their online teaching practice.
Course Delivery
EOTL101: Foundations for Success is structured to offer faculty participants the flexibility to complete learning activities with the guidance and feedback of our instructional designers. This 4-week course provides an opportunity for participants to discuss challenges, pose questions, and explore a variety of strategies to teach online/hybrid across various disciplines. It also serves as a platform for faculty to share their exemplary online teaching practices and innovative strategies. Typically, participation involves 2 to 4 hours of asynchronous work per week. This is a great opportunity for professional growth, networking and faculty development.
An asynchronous, online course, EOTL101 is conducted through Canvas and includes the following topics:
This comprehensive exploration into online teaching models best practices and enables faculty participants to experience taking an online course while applying research-based methodologies to the design and delivery of their own courses. Visit our Empowering Online Teaching and Learning section of the Faculty Development web page for registration and more information.
Starting in the fall 2012 with our inaugural cohort, ITDS has proudly offered 50 cohorts up to this spring. A total 686 faculty members from various colleges and departments have successfully earned certificates. Over 94% of faculty participants surveyed have rated their overall satisfaction with the program as excellent or good. The course is redesigned after every cohort to incorporate feedback and new trends in learning science and instructional design.
Technological Skills for Effective Online Teaching
In order to teach online courses, faculty must be proficient in the use of Canvas and other essential instructional technologies. Canvas proficiency may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:
1. Attend a live workshop offered by ITDS
To view upcoming workshops and register, please visit our training registration site.
Introduction to Canvas
The Introduction to Canvas training class introduces faculty to the learning management system used for all online/hybrid courses. This session demonstrates how to build a learner centered course in the Canvas environment. Faculty will gain familiarity with the Canvas interface and learn how to effectively construct and manage their courses. They will explore how to customize the course settings, create announcements, build instructionally sound learning modules, utilize the dynamic syllabus tool, design learning activities and assessments, and more.
2. Register for a live, one-on-one Canvas consultation
Faculty members may select a time which works best for them to meet with a Canvas specialist. To register for a consultation, please use our ITDS Consultation Scheduler.