4. INSTRUCTIONAL DEPARTMENT PLANNING & REQUIREMENTS

After a course has been approved for online delivery, the instructional department determines which sections will be delivered online and which instructors will teach those sections, based on department guidelines. Some departments might require an Online Special Expertise. Check with your instructional department for details.

INSTRUCTOR TRAINING AND REQUIREMENTS

• ONLINE SPECIAL EXPERTISE CERTIFICATE

  Most departments require instructors to complete a training process in Canvas before they are approved to teach online. Once training is completed, the instructor should receive an Online Special Expertise certificate.

• CANVAS TRAININGS

  Canvas trainings are offered regularly—check the Canvas Trainings & Tutorials page to see all of the upcoming Canvas trainings.

• VISIT OR TAKE AN ONLINE CLASS

  It is especially helpful to have the experience of being an online student yourself. You are then able to enhance your course design from a student’s perspective. This can be invaluable as you develop course content and anticipate how students will access materials and follow through with your instructions. (See also CSKLS 334 "How to Take an Online Class")

  California Virtual Campus (CVC): The CVC catalog of DE programs and courses continues the work of its predecessor—the California Virtual University Web site—in making information available about distance learning opportunities at California institutions of higher education. The CVC Professional Development Center gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the University of California in establishing the CVC catalog.

  @ONE Training: Offers desktop webinars and online courses. The courses focus on various aspects of online teaching and last four to five weeks. @ONE also offers an Online Teaching Certification Program.

  Cal State East Bay: Offers a Master of Science in Education with an Option in Online Teaching and Learning. This requires completion of 10 courses: eight required and two electives. All courses are 4.5 quarter units (equivalent to 3.0 semester units).

  If you have already earned your Online Teaching and Learning Certificate (OTL 7801 - 7804), you can apply those courses toward the first four courses in the MS-OTL program. You will only need six more courses to earn the MS degree.

• COURSE DESIGN GUIDELINES

  Students who take online classes are to achieve the same student learning outcomes (skills and knowledge) as they would if they took the courses face to face. As you design your class, stay focused on the course objectives. It is important to think about how:

  • the information will be delivered in an online format,
  • how the students will complete assignments,
  • how you will measure the students’ learning,
  • and how you will obtain feedback from students to determine what’s working, what’s not, and to make changes, as needed. 

  It should be the same process you use in your face-to-face classes. The difference is that you need to use technology in every phase of the design of your online course.

  It is highly recommended that your first online course be one that you have taught in face-to-face so you are familiar with the instructional materials (i.e., textbook, assignments, assessment/grading, etc.).

• DEVELOP COURSE MATERIALS

  DE recommends that you first develop a syllabus and weekly schedule. Then, you can use these as guides to develop course materials based on the class learning objectives. Lessons should include lecture information in addition to instructions on what pages in the text to read and how to complete the assignments. Basically, convey what would you be saying to your students if you were teaching them face to face.

  Here are two resources to provide ideas as you develop your online materials. Don’t forget about the publisher of your textbook. They can be helpful in supplying electronic materials they have already developed for the textbook:

  • Online Course Design Rubric: Developed by the Online Education Initiative. Created using nationally recognized online educational standards relating to course design, interaction and collaboration, assessment, learner support, and accessibility, this comprehensive rubric supports instructors in providing a high quality learning environment that promotes student success and conforms to existing regulations.

  Under all circumstances, before a particular instructor can be scheduled to teach a particular course online for the first time, his or her Web-based materials for that class should be inspected and approved for compliance with all federal, state, and district accessibility laws and regulations. The SRJC accessibility specialist is available to meet and consult with you, ideally before you create your course materials. For more information, see Web Accessibility.