Faculty authors: Dr Michael T. Miller, Ed .D.

St. Thomas University now offers an introductory certificate program to help primary and secondary-level teachers become master online teachers. The program is based on five progressive modules. Beginning with an overview of online teaching, participants grow their skills in developing instruction that can be adapted to almost any online learning management system. As the first module provides an overview of online teaching, the second module focuses on the fundamentals of online course design, considering variables such as student characteristics, online resources, and learning and instructional outcomes. The remaining three modules tackle some of the most difficult areas of quality online instruction: teaching online, engaging students online, and assessing student learning. Each module is approximately one hour in length and can be completed remotely.
Participants then demonstrate their proficiency with the material by completing a written exam, and with a passing score, are awarded a certificate from the internationally recognized university, St. Thomas.

LEVEL
Beginner Certificate Programs.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSIONS
Admission to the certificate program is open to people from diverse backgrounds as long as they are related to the field of teaching.

EDUCATIONAL METHODOLOGY
The course is conducted in online mode.
▪ Total – 5 Modules
▪ 45 to 60-minute length
▪ Multiple lessons will make up each module
▪ Module lessons will have a summary review
▪ Questions will follow each lesson to test your knowledge
Students and STU interact through STU’s e-learning platforms.
Upon admission to the university, students receive a personal STU e-mail address that serves as their primary link to the university and their program of study.

PROGRAM
Module 1
1. Become familiar with the terminology of online education
2. Appreciate the differences and similarities of online vs. in-person teaching and learning
3. Recognize and develop learning experiences that are effective for your students
4. Maximize your talents as a teacher in the online education world
5. Begin building the habits of being an effective online teacher

Module 2: Fundamentals of Online Course Design
1. To be able to recognize the critical elements of online course design and development
2. Select and define syllabus elements that will be effective in serving students
3. Identify the critical experiences in building an online classroom
4. Be aware, and able to select, activities that will engage students in online classes
5. Be knowledgeable about copyright issues and open education resources

Module 3: Teaching Strategies for Online Courses
1. Be able to identify the advantages and disadvantages of various online teaching strategies
2. Critically evaluate the unique needs of online students at different grade levels
3. Convert traditional classroom learning activities to online environments
4. Distinguish topics that might be best used with different teaching strategies
5. Develop criteria for selecting the most appropriate teaching strategy

Module 4: Engaging Online Learners
1. Think critically about how students interact with each other in an online classroom
2. Think critically about how you can best structure teaching strategies that promote active learning
3. Distinguish between teaching strategies that prompt different levels of engagement
4. Compare engagement strategies that might be appropriate for different grade levels
5. Organize course content to include a range of engagement strategies

Module 5: Assessment of Student Learning
1. Define the goals of assessment of both teaching and learning
2. Consider a wide variety of alternatives for assessing student learning
3. Be able to compare and contrast assessment strategies based on content and grade level
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of assessment strategies with different online experiences
5. Connect learning content with the most appropriate assessment strategy

AT THE END OF THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS, A CERTIFICATE IS AWARDED, ATTESTING TO THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM