Courses featured in this programme

• Introduction to teaching online

  Overview

  Publication date: April 2014 
  Core activities: 1.5 hours 
  Additional activities: 2.5 hours 

  An overview of the ‘big ideas’ that run throughout the Teaching Online programme. Includes a mapping activity that will help participants plot their own individual path through the programme and a guide to creating a Teaching Online portfolio.

   

  Syllabus

  • Welcome
  • Background: The impact of online learning in higher education
  • An overview of this training programme
  • Diagnostic test

   

  Author: Professor Karen Swan 
  Stukel Professor of Educational Leadership and Research Associate, Center for Online Learning, Research and Service, University of Illinois Springfield

  Reviewer: Seb Schmoller 
  Independent consultant and former Chief Executive of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT)

   

• Mastering online pedagogy

  Overview

  Publication date: April 2014 
  Core activities: 2.5 hours
  Additional activities: 9 hours 

  Provides participants with a clear, engaging insight into constructivist teaching and learning theory, in addition to practical activities and advice to help participants create an effective learner-centred online environment for their students.

   

  Syllabus

  • The transition from face-to-face to online
  • How learning takes place in the online environment
  • The different roles of those who contribute to a successful learning experience
  • Understanding learner characteristics
  • The changing role of the instructor
  • Common pedagogical approaches (incl. PBL, assessment-based learning, outcomes-based learning)
  • Common pitfalls (e.g. high drop-out rates)

   

  Author: Dr Peter Shea 
  Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice and the Department of Informatics, University at Albany, State University of New York

  Reviewer: Dr Lawrence C. Ragan
  Director of Faculty Development, World Campus, Penn State University

   

• Designing and developing your online course

  Overview

  Publication date: April 2014 
  Core activities: 3 hours
  Additional activities: 11 hours 

  Provides participants with a series of step-by-step learning design activities to help teachers develop their own successful online course. The course explores the issues of academic integrity, accessibility and inclusive design in addition to guidance on following best practice and avoiding pitfalls in the planning stages of your course.

   

  Syllabus

  • Instructional design for instructors: Key concepts
  • Course planning: The importance of constructive alignment
  • Authoring an online course
  • Converting an existing face-to-face course to online format
  • Selecting effective online content
  • Focus: Open educational resources
  • Types of activities (e.g. synchronous vs. asynchronous)
  • Approaches and methods of online assessment
  • Common pitfalls
  • Mobile learning

   

  Author: Dr Jennifer C. Richardson 
  Associate Professor in Learning, Design and Technology in the College of Education at Purdue University

  Reviewer: Professor Mark Brown
  Director, National Institute for Digital Learning, Dublin City University

   

• Being a successful online teacher

  Overview

  Publication date: April 2014 
  Core activities: 2.5 hours 
  Additional activities: 12 hours 

  This course helps participants put pedagogical frameworks into practice to improve their online teaching. The course provides practical strategies for building an effective learning community, facilitating and leading online learning, and using assessment in an online course.

   

  Syllabus

  • Introduction to online teaching
  • The key roles of an instructor
  • The restrictions: What cannot be achieved?
  • The importance of teaching presence
  • Active facilitation of learning in a collaborative online environment
  • Building an effective learning community
  • Troubleshooting: Strategies for preventing, recognising and supporting learner difficulties
  • The use of learning analytics
  • Common pitfalls (e.g. tendency to replicate traditional learning)

   

  Author: Dr Norm Vaughan
  Professor in the Department of Education, Faculty of Teaching and Learning at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  Reviewer: Jenny Mackness
  Independent Online Education Consultant

   

• Using technology tools for teaching online

  Overview

  Publication date: April 2014 
  Core activities: 2.5 hours 
  Additional activities: 16 hours 

  An engaging exploration of the different technology tools and processes available for providing content, developing interaction and managing assessment in online teaching, from Learning Management Systems/Virtual Learning Environments to online social media applications.

   

  Syllabus

  • Overview of technology tools
  • The role of the VLE/LMS
  • The role of technology tools (e.g. knowledge-building vs. community-building)
  • Synchronous tools (incl. effective use of online meetings and voice conferencing)
  • Asynchronous tools (incl. effective use of discussion boards and social media)
  • Selecting and adopting technology tools
  • Mass online tutoring systems (e.g. Udacity and Coursera)

   

  Author: Phylise H. Banner
  Director of Online Teaching and Learning, Union Graduate College

  Reviewer: Nick Noakes
  Director of the Centre for Enhanced Learning and Teaching at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

   

• Studying online: A guide for students

  Overview

  Publication date: April 2014 
  Core activities: 2.5 hours 
  Additional activities: 7 hours 

  For those new to online learning, or teachers wishing to gain an insight into online learner characteristics, challenges and study strategies. The course provides practical activities and advice to help online learners prioritise and manage their time and space, contribute to discussion forums and collaborative activities, and seek appropriate support where needed.

   

  Syllabus

  • Introduction to studying online
  • Diagnostic: What type of learner are you?
  • Motivation: What affects motivation?
  • The importance of time management
  • Creating an effective study environment
  • Strategies for success

   

  Author: Dr Laurie P. Dringus
  Professor of Information Systems in the Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences at Nova Southeastern University

  Reviewer: Professor Rhona Sharpe 
  Head, Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development; Deputy Director of the Directorate of Human Resources, Oxford Brookes University