The Online Teaching Best Practices (OLTBP) course is a two week plus two self-paced modules, completely online course that is offered three times per year (August, December, April). The course introduces instructors to effective strategies for teaching online and advocates for effective use of the Moodle course management system.
The OLTBP course is designed for Viterbo instructors who are new to teaching online or in a blended format, and are planning to teach this type of course in the future (note: this course is only available for instructors affiliated with Viterbo University). There is no fee, and there is no opportunity for obtaining course credit. This course is taught in an entirely online format; there are no face to face meetings required. All instructors who successfully complete this course will be recommended for online teaching approval, so there is no need to fill out an online teaching approval application separately if you plan on taking this course.
Two self-paced Online Course Design Modules are included as as part of the course. Once registered, the modules can be done anytime prior to or during the course. The course design modules are competency-based. Instructors successfully completing these modules will accomplish the following competencies:
- Design online course activities
- Online course development (Moodle)
The synchronous two-week portion of the course will help instructors:
- learn and be able to practice specific strategies for teaching online, including social presence and fostering a learning community, and
- apply knowledge of online teaching practices in order to manage an online course, including creating an online course syllabus, learning outcomes, and course activities and assignments.
Instructors earn two "badges" upon completion of the course: Certified Online Course Designer and Certified Online Educator.
The goal of this course--in conjunction with the Online Course Design Modules--is to provide and teach all of the instructional and technology tools instructors will need to successfully teach an online or blended course, encouraging interaction via videos that foster instructor presence, discussions that foster student-to-student and student-to-instructor interaction, and activities that foster interaction between the student and the material being studied.
For more information about the format of the course, please watch this video.
The next online teaching course will be offered from Monday, December 9 - Sunday, December 22, 2024. The self-paced modules will be offered before that time.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR DECEMBER 9-22 COHORT
Upcoming cohort: May 5-18, 2025 (Register Here)
Please feel free to email the course instructor, Cari Mathwig Ramseier (cemathwigramseier@viterbo.edu) at any time if you have questions regarding the next course offering.