During this session on November 21, 2013 at the 19th Annual Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning, learn about Northern Illinois University's innovative faculty development initiative to offer introductory online teaching training via self-paced modules as an initial phase of comprehensive online faculty certification. An overview of the program will be shared as well as the design, development, and implementation phases of the project, highlighting lessons learned and tips for other institutions interested in pursuing a similar self-paced model for scaling their faculty development efforts.

1. Designing Self-Paced Training
Modules as the Foundation of
Online Faculty Certification
Jason Rhode, PhD
@jrhode

2. Description
During this session, learn about Northern Illinois
University's innovative faculty development
initiative to offer introductory online teaching
training via self-paced modules as an initial phase
of comprehensive online faculty certification. An
overview of the program will be shared as well as
the design, development, and implementation
phases of the project, highlighting lessons learned
and tips for other institutions interested in pursuing
a similar self-paced model for scaling their faculty
development efforts.

3. About NIU
3

4. Northern Illinois University

5. About NIU
» Main campus in
» 39 academic
DeKalb, IL located 65
departments; 57
miles West of Chicago
undergraduate majors;
80 graduate programs
» Total enrollment:
21,234 (Fall ‘13)
» 95% of undergrads and
79% of grad students
» 1,185 instructional
are from Illinois
faculty
» Student to faculty ratio: » 685 international
students from 116
18:1
countries

6. Current Status of Online Teaching
at NIU
6

7. Online Courses Offered
• NIU currently offers less than 150 course
sections online per semester
• In fall 2013, 114 online courses offered from
6 colleges

8. Blackboard Usage at NIU
As of Fall 2013:
• 95% of students
• 92% of instructional
Faculty/Staff/TAs
• 67% of course sections
• 4.25 course
sections/student on
Blackboard

9. Support for Online Teaching
• Workshops, consultations, online tutorials,
and resources offered at no charge by Faculty
Development and Instructional Design Center
• Learning management system support and
technical support offered at no charge by
Information Technology Services
• Media production and technical support
services offered for a fee by Media Services
• Custom course development offered for a fee
by eLearning Services

10. Previous Support Offered by
Faculty Development and
Instructional Design Center
10

11. Online Teaching 101
• 6-week online
learning experience
for NIU faculty
offered during
summer past 3
years
• 2 f2f sessions,
remainder all
online, 1 module
completed each
week
face-to-face wrap-up session

12. Teaching Engaging
Online Courses
• Interactive 1-day workshop presented by Center staff
providing systematic overview of pedagogical and
pragmatic considerations in creating a quality online
teaching and learning experience

13. Challenges
• Faculty find it difficult to attend training
programs of extended duration during the
semester
• Many units, such as Nursing and Technology,
have considerable student demand for online
courses but rely on adjuncts who often can’t
attend on campus or online programs with
fixed schedules

14. Online Workshops & Archives
Over 60 archived online workshops offered by the Center
to date available on topics related to online teaching and
technology integration

15. Looking Ahead
15

16. By 2020
“We must pursue the
working group
recommendations to add up
to 42 additional online
degree programs and
certificates – prioritized
according to student
demand. To put that in
proper perspective, we
currently offer eight online
degree programs.”
President John Peters, State of
the University Address, 2011

17. Self-Paced Modules on Online
Teaching
17

18. Benefits to Self-Paced Model
• Those who can’t attend in-person or commit
to specific timeframe can gain introductory
information
• Faculty who want to get started quickly can
accelerate their learning
• Accommodates those with differing teaching
and technology expertise so that they can
begin with the self-paced training and then
receive follow-up assistance for coursespecific needs

19. “Preparing to Teach Online”
• Self-paced training
modules on online
teaching
• First of 3-step
approach to potential
online teaching
certification process
for NIU faculty
Self-Paced
Online Learning
Experience
Face-to-Face
Workshops
One-on-One
Consultations

20. Topics
Core Modules
1) Overview and Introduction
2) Models of Delivery
3) Design
4) Communication
5) Technology Tools
6) Assessment
Electives (must complete 3)
• Advanced Content
(eBooks, OER, digital
content)
• Presentation Tools
• Working with
Development Team
• Web Conferencing
•
•
•
•
Mobile
Media
Groups
Blogs,
Wikis,
Journals

21. Module Characteristics
• Estimated 2 weeks per modules for 6 core topics
and 1 week each for electives (2-3 hours per core
Self-paced
topic, 1-2 hours for electives)
• Similar introductory concepts covered as offered
by other online certification programs (Sloan-C,
Comparable
Illinois Online Network, etc.)
• Goal to complete 6 required modules, 3 electives,
and design document during 16-week semester
Structured

22. Typical Module Structure
Introduction
Text
Presentation
15-20 mins
Supplemental
Resources*
Activity*
Design Doc
Self-Test
Quiz
Activities Completed in Sequence for Each Module
* = Review of Supplemental Resources and Activity not required to progress
through modules, but are required if seeking certificate of completion

23. Technical Characteristics
• Modules structured as a selfpaced online course in
Blackboard
• Presentations viewable online
as well as via mobile devices
• Course accessible and
mobile-friendly so faculty can
choose to experience on a
mobile device via NIU Mobile
App

24. Components
via Bb Collaborate,
archived and
distributed as mp4 for
mobile
Online
Orientation
2-3 online readings and
other supplemental
resources
reflections at
modules 3 & 6 to
consider takeaways
Journal
Reflections
Self-Paced
Presentations
Online
Readings and
Resources
Culminating
Assessment
viewable online in
Blackboard or as
mp4 on mobile
Self-Tests
quiz at end of
each topic to
check for
understanding
design document for an
online course (completed in
segments throughout
modules or at end)

25. Sequence
Complete 6 core modules
in order
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Models of Delivery
Design
Communication
Technology Tools
Assessment
Select any 3 elective
modules
• Working with
Development Team
• Advanced Content
• Mobile Learning
• Media
• Presentation Tools
• Groups
• Blogs/Wikis/Journals
• Web Conferencing

26. Options for Completion
Certificate of Completion
• View presentations, review readings,
complete design activities and self-test for
each module
Information Only / No Certificate of Completion
• View presentations and complete self-test
for each module

27. Scheduling
• New cohorts to begin each semester (faculty
complete online sign-up)
• Non-NIU cohorts will also be scheduled
(participants pay fee), will run in tandem but
separate from NIU faculty cohorts
• While modules are self-paced, faculty wishing
to receive certificate of completion must finish
required activities for completion by end of
semester

28. Design and Development
28

29. Project Timeline Milestones
2/12-6/12
Design
6/12-3/13
Development
Scope modules
Build modules
Script
presentations
Create
presentations
Design activities Build activities
Present project
plan and get
feedback
Internal
proofing of
drafts by
Center staff
3/13-5/13
5/13-7/13
8/13-2/14
Review
Launch
Evaluate
Internal review Publicize
by Center staff availability
& selected NIU
faculty
Faculty signup
External
review
First pilot
by selected
cohort begins
outside
summer ‘13
experts
Begin
Revise, based
development
on feedback
of electives
Conduct
evaluation of
faculty
participants
Compile summary
and revise based
on feedback
Review elective
modules

30. Design
• Course to be designed following Blackboard’s
Exemplary Course Rubric for possible
consideration as Blackboard Exemplary Course

31. Demo
31
31

32. Accessed in Blackboard

33. Sample Module Presentation
j.mp/pto-module

34. Course Welcome and Tour
j.mp/pto-welcome

35. Accessed via Mobile Device

36. Pilot Online Kick-Off
j.mp/pto-kickoff

37. Reviewer Feedback
37
37

38. Sample Reviewer Feedback
“This is the epitome of self-paced learning that
will keep the learner engaged, at least that’s
how I felt while I was going through it.”
- External reviewer, Spring 2013

39. Sample Participant Feedback
“Overall, this is an excellent self-paced training
course. The structure of the course is concise and
consistent. The course provides great
presentations and supplemental materials on
designing a quality online course”
- Pilot course participant, Summer 2013

40. Outcomes
40

41. Anticipated Results
• More faculty members will be trained quickly
on online teaching than the current approach
to train them through fixed training programs
or spending funds to get them trained
outside.
• Self-paced learning modules will help faculty
understand the time, effort and planning
necessary to develop and deliver courses
online compared to face-to-face delivery, and
be better prepared.

42. Anticipated Results
• Academic departments will be able to recruit
more faculty members to teach online.
• Academic support units such as Faculty
Development and Instructional Design Center
with limited resources will be able to use their
resources more efficiently by focusing on
course-specific online teaching needs of
faculty.

43. Online Certification Process
Phase I
Self-Paced
Online Learning
Experience
Phase II
Face-to-Face
Workshops
One-on-One
Consultations

44. Questions?
Jason Rhode, Ph.D.
Director of Distributed Learning
Northern Illinois University
jrhode@niu.edu
@jrhode
Slides available at:
jasonrhode.com/aln13