Online Teaching

VCU Online: Excellence in Online Learning Certificate

Complete all five courses in the program within 180 days to earn your digital badges and VCU Online: Excellence in Online Learning Certificate. Each course in the certificate program earns its own digital badge, culminating with an overall badge. Certificates are valid for a three-year period with renewal options.

All courses are self-paced with support from VCU Online faculty and include:

• Designing Online Instruction (Time Limit: 60 calendar days)
  The first course in the series provides an overview of effective teaching strategies and techniques for revising or creating course learning objectives, aligning course materials and assessments, developing an online course using a Learning Management System and other tools, structuring your online course content, and engaging students in the online environment.

• Best Practices in Online Instruction (Time Limit: 30 calendar days)
  The second course in the series helps instructors understand different aspects of online course management, including instructor presence, communication with students, time/work management, and accessibility.

• Evaluating for Online Excellence (Time Limit: 30 calendar days)
  The third course in the series is designed to introduce faculty, department chairs, administrators and other stakeholders in online learning to the evaluation process with research recognized quality rubrics. This course explains these concepts while informing participants of accepted best practice in the field of online course design.

• Mentoring for Online Excellence (Time Limit: 30 calendar days)
  The fourth course in the series is designed to educate faculty on the best practices in mentoring their peers to design and teach courses for online learning. This course exposes learners to new materials and strategies that will help them to become a mentor for colleagues that are new to teaching online or are considering teaching online for the first time.

• Leadership for Online Programs (Time Limit: 30 calendar days)
  The fifth and final course in the series covers the basics of online learning, the process for developing an online course, how to develop small and large scale online programs as well as the role of the administrator in leading these programs in terms of faculty and student support.

While you can save $96 by enrolling in all five courses as part of the certificate program, stand-alone courses are available.

Registration

Community members must enroll with an email address that is not affiliated with VCU or VCU Health (including vcu.edu, and vcuhealth.org email accounts). 

In your registration confirmation, VCU will provide you with links to access your selected courses.

Register now

For current VCU and VCU Health System employees, and VCU Adjunct Faculty

A registration fee waiver is available to qualified faculty and staff for these courses. Contact VCU Online at onlinepd@vcu.edu to determine eligibility, and to enroll.

Want to talk to someone live? Join us during Open Office Hours. We work with faculty every Tuesday and Wednesday from 12-2 p.m. (Zoom link). Drop in to get help, ask questions, or just brainstorm about topics related to Canvas, online learning, or anything else that lives in the intersection of technology and learning.

Instructors

The Professional Development team at VCU Online represents over sixty years of combined experience in the field of education, with expertise in online learning and teaching with technology.

What to Expect

Asynchronous Online Courses

This certificate program is offered as open enrollment, and delivered in a self-paced online format using a Learning Management System.

Digital Badging

You will earn a digital badge for each course that you successfully complete, as well as an overall digital badge after completing all requirements to earn the certificate. Learn more about digital badging.

Who Should Attend

Let our professional development team of experts in online learning help you support student success. Our professional development opportunities are ideal for anyone teaching online, or planning to teach online.

Renewing a Virginia Teaching License? View Resources for Licensure Holders at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching/licensure/ to learn how you can use this coursework towards your points for renewal.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

No refunds are available after registration.

In the unlikely event that this program is cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, the university will fully refund registration fees, but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including change or cancellation charges to include but not limited to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations.

Questions?

For questions about the course content, please contact onlinepd@vcu.edu for assistance.