Fundamentals of Online Teaching (or, as we call it, OT 101) has something for everyone. Whether you have a ton of online experience, have just started online teaching, or hope to teach online one day, our 4-week, instructor-led, fully immersive and interactive online teacher training course will provide you with information and practice that will increase your skills and confidence in the distance education environment. Upon successful completion of the course, you will earn a certificate to highlight on your CV and in your cover letter, thus proving you to be a life-long learner who endeavors to provide best practices in online education to your distance learners.
Since our official launch in 2018, we’ve had over 500 members of our community successfully complete OT 101. You can read some of the wonderful things they have to say about the course over on our OT 101 Reviews and Testimonials page.
Course Description
Fundamentals of Online Teaching – OT 101 is a 4-week, instructor led, fully online, asynchronous course hosted on the Moodle LMS (OT 101 is a terrific opportunity to gain familiarity with this LMS – another CV item!). Each week covers a different topic relevant for all experience levels – aspiring online teachers, new online instructors, and seasoned veterans.
Topics include:
- Overview of online teaching and adult learning theories
- Qualities, skills, and behaviors of a successful online instructor
- Online classroom policies and procedures (how to structure an online class)
- How to create learning objective-based classroom assignments
- How to host and facilitate effective, engaging online discussion forums
As I developed this course, it was important to me that it feel like an online course that you would teach – so that we weren’t just providing you information, but also a rich, dynamic experience of being an online learner. There are readings and videos each week and the weekly assignments model some of the best practices in distance learning – interactive discussion boards, individual assignments that emphasize application and practice, as well as knowledge checks that provide real-time feedback. Although we want the full online course experience, we recognize you fit professional development in when you can in your schedule. We have heard from our students that the class is taking a reasonable 5-7 hours of time to complete each week.
Upon successful completion of the course you will receive a certificate of completion for your continuing education records. Training of this sort would make a good resume item, particularly for individuals who have yet to have the experience of teaching their own online course. Recent professional development sets experienced online instructors apart from their peers as well.
When does OT 101 start? How do I sign up? How much does it cost? Terrific questions! OT 101 runs multiple times throughout the year.
Course Start Dates
OT101 runs multiple times throughout the year.
- April 22, 2024 (enrollment open!)
- July 29, 2024
- November 4, 2024
Pricing
For individual learners, OT 101 costs $298. Premium members of AdjunctWorld automatically receive a 25% discount (taken off when you are signed in under your Premium account), for a cost of $223.50. We very often run additional coupon codes in the weeks leading up to each course start date. Check your email inbox for marketing messages from AdjunctWorld or email Brooke for any special offer we might be running.
We do offer group and school pricing. Please email Brooke for more information.
Registration
To register for OT 101, you must have an account with AdjunctWorld. If you do not, you can create one (it is free!). Once you are signed in, you can register here. You can choose your preferred start date from the drop down menu at the top of the page. The upcoming course start date will be there by default. If you’d like a later date, please choose one. If one is not available email Brooke.
REGISTER HERE FOR OT 101!
(You will be prompted to sign in to your AdjunctWorld account, or create one, prior to registering.)
Below, you will see some answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about OT 101.
I’m excited to have you join us!
Brooke Shriner, PhD
OT 101 Course Creator and Instructor
AdjunctWorld.com
OT 101: FAQs
What is OT 101? Fundamentals of Online Teaching (OT 101) is a 4-week, instructor-led, completely asynchronous, completely online training course for prospective, new, and seasoned online instructors. We cover topics concerning best practices in online education and delivery, including:
• Understanding the adult learner and how to meet their unique needs (andragogy vs. pedagogy)
• Developing personal and professional qualities needed to effectively lead an online class
• Creating an online course syllabus and other course start documents
• Leading effective discussion boards and creating objective-based assignments
How much does it cost? The cost is normally $298 But we very often run coupon specials and email those out to AdjunctWorld members in the weeks leading up to the course starting. (Note: Premium Members always get an additional 25% off, deducted automatically at checkout!).
Do I have to be online at any certain time? Nope. This class is completely asynchronous. That means there is no time you have to be “in class”. There are no “live” components. There are, however, assignment due dates each week. As long as assignments are turned in by the due dates, you can structure your time as you see fit and as works in your schedule.
How much time will this take me? OT 101 grads tell me they spend roughly 5-7 hours each week on the class.
What does each week of the 4-week class consist of? Assigned readings (no textbook to buy!), videos to watch, a discussion board assignment, an individual assignment, and a 10-question quiz. I join you in the discussions every week and provide guidance, support, and feedback on the assignments you turn in.
Who is this class intended for? Everyone! If you want to teach online and haven’t yet, if you are just teaching online for the first time, or if you have been teaching online for years, this class offers information, inspiration, community, guidance, and practice…in addition to documentation of your professional development, which you can highlight in your application materials. On our reviews and testimonials page, you’ll see comments from folks who have been teaching online forever and those who are hoping to start – and everywhere in between!
What makes this a “certificate” course? To successfully complete this course and earn your certificate, you must participate as an effective online educator would. This means you must be timely, thoughtful in your discussions and contributions, successful with your assignments, and demonstrate good communication and facilitation skills. In so doing, you prove that you have learned and internalized the best practices taught throughout the course. Thus, the certificate represents your readiness to use online teaching best practices in your own classrooms. There is a minimum point value you must earn to receive the certificate.
Can I read some student reviews? Certainly! Here is a link to our reviews and testimonials page.
Who teaches the course? What are his/her credentials? Right now and for the foreseeable future, I teach the course. I also wrote the content for it and developed it. My name is Dr. Brooke Shriner. I am a licensed clinical psychologist by profession and I have been teaching psychology online at a variety of academic institutions for over 12 years. Currently, I teach online for five institutions of higher education in addition to teaching OT 101. I taught professional development in distance education courses for a company called The Learning House, Inc. for many years and, in a separate role – of subject matter expert – at this same company, I developed and wrote the content for nearly an entire online undergraduate psychology program. In my role at AdjunctWorld, I’ve been finding and uploading jobs, interacting with our community and supporting their job search efforts, and creating professional development opportunities for over 6 years.
Do I need any special equipment or do I need to purchase a textbook? Nope. Just your computer. I provide all of the learning content. No textbook required.
I’ve never taught online before. Will I fit in? Certainly! OT 101 provides a supportive, encouraging atmosphere for prospective online instructors. A lot of our testimonials are written by prospective online instructors.
I’ve taught online for years. Will I benefit from OT 101? I’ve been told by many of our OT 101 students who have productive online education careers that OT 101 was helpful in providing some fresh perspectives, ideas, and documentation of recent professional development which supplements their application materials. You can read testimonials from several seasoned online instructors on our reviews and testimonials page.
Will I learn how to set up a class in a Learning Management System (i.e. Canvas, Blackboard, D2L, etc.)? OT 101 focuses on adult learning theory, qualities and behaviors of online instructors that render them effective distance educators, how to develop engaging discussion questions and assignments that facilitate transformative learning, and how to structure a course via a syllabus to meet the needs of an adult learner. Thus, OT 101 focuses on the “big picture” of what it takes to successfully bring an online course to life for distance learners. It does not necessarily cover the nuts and bolts of setting up a class in any particular LMS. However, the course is hosted on Moodle, so if you have never had any exposure to that LMS, taking OT 101 will give you a little of that exposure.
What is OT 101’s Net Promoter Score? Calculated from net promoter question responses on our OT 101 Course Evaluation and as of Feb 17th, 2020 (with 166 ratings), OT 101’s Net Promoter Score is 90.
