Two directors of online learning, one from a Colorado Community College and one from a private university in Denver, share their faculty development models. Presented at the 2013 eLearning Consortium of Colorado annual conference in Breckenridge, Colorado.
Preparing Instructors to Teach Online: Two Faculty Development Models
1. “Preparing Instructors to Teach
Online: Two Faculty Development
Models”
Kathy Keairns, University of Denver
Jean Otte, Aims Community College
2013 eLCC Conference
Breckenridge, CO
2. Agenda
• Requirement for Online Faculty?
• Phases of Online Faculty Development
• Aims Model & Examples
• DU Model & Examples
• Challenges and Rewards
• Discussion
3. I want to offer an online course
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-5mbwiCpW8
4. Phases of Online
Faculty Development
• Visitor
• Novice
• Apprentice
• Insider
• Master
Source: The Excellent Online Instructor by Palloff and Pratt
5. Criteria for Online Instructors
• Demonstrated teaching expertise in the curriculum
• Completed Aims hands-on workshop in current LMS
software
• Completed Aims course in online pedagogy:
EDU 263 Teaching and Learning Online
• Incentives: Part-time -Full-Time
History
• 2002 Online Courses
• 2008 Online AA degree
7. Goal: Courses that are Pedagogically Sound,
Technologically Current, Visually Engaging
Synchronous web
conference session
POP QUIZ! YOU'LL BE TOAST IF YOU MISS IT!
Web 2.0 Tools
LMS Tools
9. Sample Assignments
Requirements: M4A1Create a new folder for a Content Module (or
learning unit, lesson, etc.) in the Content area in your practice
course. This folder must contain files that provide the following:
A. Learning Objectives for the module
B. Directions for accessing content, links to external resources,
assignments, schedules, etc.
10. Sample Assignments
Requirements: M4A1 (cont.)
C. At least one original screen that displays content visually
D. Description of an activity that requires the student to acquire
knowledge and display cognitive processing of that knowledge
11. Sample Assignments
The threaded discussion topic for this module is
Evaluating Course Information Files. Each of you are
enrolled in your classmates' courses so that you may
examine and evaluate their syllabi and their
Getting Started files.
Evaluation criteria:
1. How do the course files support the needs of online
students?
2. Is the information presented clearly? Is it
comprehensive? What techniques, if any, does
the instructor use to engage and motivate
students? What recommendations would you offer to
increase the effectiveness of these files for students in
the course?
12. History Online@DU
Online/Distance Courses &
Degrees available through DU's
University College since the late
1990's
Distance Learning Workshop started
in 2005. In 2009, began online
course initiative which targeted
traditional undergraduate courses
13. Criteria for Online Instructors
• Subject Matter Expert
• Completed DU's Teaching Online Workshop (TOW)
• Incentive Program for full-time faculty for online course
development & delivery ($1500 after completing TOW
& $1500 after teaching online class)
17. Learning Outcomes
- Read about and discuss the current status, common
concerns, and opportunities involved in online or hybrid
teaching.
- Collaborate and network with colleagues through weekly
online discussions and peer reviews.
-Navigate through and complete an online course from the
perspective of a student.
- Identify common aspects of a "good" online course.
- Design the basic structure
of a course within Blackboard.
- Design a syllabus appropriate
for an online or hybrid class.
19. Example
Worf and Tina Fey discuss campaign financing in this xtranormal
video created by a political science instructor.
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/13367615/campaign-finance
20. Sample Discussion
My concerns about online teaching have definitely shifted. They haven't gone away-- they have just
changed. Initially, I was most concerned about how to sustain online discussions, since that is usually
the heart of the courses that I teach, and the element of my courses that students respond to the most.
Now I see that there are multiple tools I can use to facilitate discussion, so I can see it can definitley be
done. Now, my concern about discussion is more around how to sustain an engaged discussion
across time and space (versus the more rigid format of the twice a week F2F class).
I think it was an eye-opener to experience this class as a student...
22. Rewards
• Quality and consistency of courses
Term &
Delivery Method
%Success #Sections
Summer 73 133
Online
Trad
71
75
65
68
Fall 65 421
Online
Trad
66
65
123
298
Spring 69 377
Online
Trad
72
68
129
248
23. Rewards
• All online faculty know institutional
expectations and standards
• Improve F2F courses too!
"After being encouraged to think about things from a
variety of angles, my instructional design in face-to-
face classes has also improved from this class!"
24. Aims Faculty Feedback
"The most important thing I have learned
is that online teaching is actually very
"The interaction is invaluable. Sharing of
teaching methodologies through experience is
just as valuable to the student taking this course
as all the topics and theories provided."
distinct from teaching in person.
Online teaching has its own spirit and
philosophy of teaching, its methods
and resources."
25. I can't tell you what a positive experience this has been for
me. Who knew? I will also say that I think a good deal of the
success is by virtue of the strong training you provide -- you
help prospective teachers see many of the potential pitfalls
before we fall in!"
"I think I must be part of some covert
study on online learning. I think I have
been set up with special classes to see
what happens when a formerly
skeptical instructor meets fabulous
students online....
26. DU Faculty Feedback
"I was a total novice when it came to online teaching.
The workshop was thus crucial in supporting me prepare for this
summer online course.“
"Experiencing online courses from the student perspective as
occurred with TOW was extremely helpful preparation for
designing my own course. It was probably responsible
for the best discussion about pedagogy
I have experienced at DU.“
“Thanks for all your help. I NEVER
would have felt comfortable or been
able to do this without this class."
27. Future???
Aims
• PLN Day
• Design and
Facilitation Rubrics
DU
• Quality Matters
• Templates
• Expanding Summer Online Course Offerings
• Interest in Online is Growing...
