Introduction - Cynthia J. Charles - POT 2013-2014

Hi All! My name is Cynthia J. Charles, Library Director at Dillard University. I have been the director of the library since 2008.

Born and raised in the "Big Easy" (New Orleans), I take great pride in where I was born, where I work and how much my city has changed since Hurricane Katrina.

Instructional design and teaching online has been a passion of mine for the past three years. I plan to learn alot about online teaching by taking this course and utilizing what I learn in our information literacy curriculum. Thank you!

Program for Online Teaching Certificate Class: Pedagogy First FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Hosted by MiraCosta College's Professional Development Program, the Program for Online Teaching offers a certificate in online teaching. Certification is based on learning pedagogical techniques, mastering online tools, and contributing to the online teaching community.

Our in-house program differs considerably from other certification programs in that it emphasizes pedagogy over tool use. Our philosophy is that technology tools should always be at the command of the instructor's pedagogy, and not the other way around. It is similar to other programs in that it requires significant time spent working in the online environment itself.

The Class What is this class and whom is it for? Who teaches this class? Is this a MOOC? How much does it cost? When can I start? Can I get flex time or professional development credits? Is this class offered by an accredited institution? When does the class meet? How many hours a week does this class involve? What do I have to do each week? Will my work be seen by others? Where do I go for help? The Certificate What is the certificate, really? How do I enroll for the certificate? What if I'm not sure yet whether I want the badge or certificate? Can I join if I'm from another college? How will my work be evaluated? I already completed the certificate or was in the class before. How can I help?

The Technology What are the technology requirements for the class? What browser should I use? What other tools might we be using? What is a blog and why do I need one? Where do I get a blog? How do I set up my blog? What's the terminology when blogging? How do I participate at the POT Cert Class site? How do I share my blog post each week? Help! I can't comment! I can't get x to work? Oh, no - I just messed up something at the POT Cert Class site! MiraCosta Faculty Can I get my blog at MiraCosta? Is training provided? I just want to attend a few weeks where I'm interested in the topic. Can I still get flex credit?

The Class

What is this class and whom is it for?
This class is an open, online learning experience designed for those who want to teach online. Although it is primarily intended for college instructors new to teaching in the online environment, it is appropriate for y K-12 teachers, independent learners, educational administrators, e-business owners, technology trainers, educational technologists, and others. Participants are expected to have familiarity with the internet (including email) and the web (including surfing, searching, and social networking). Our typical participant is a teacher or trainer who has rarely if ever used the web to teach students; however, we welcome experienced participants engaged in professional groups and invite them to help as moderators and mentors.
Who teaches this class?
The Program for Online Teaching is a small, volunteer group of faculty at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California. We offer workshops to faculty at our college and elsewhere in the pedagogy and techniques of teaching online. Some of our leaders help facilitate this class by organizing content, creating the syllabus, moderating, and providing assistance. For 2013-14, the leadership for the class includes Lisa M Lane (director), Jim Sullivan (blogger), and Laura Paciorek (tutorials). There is no central instructor, and all participants help teach each other.
Is this a "MOOC"?
Over the last few years, we've seen the development of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Sometimes these have thousands of students, sometimes they are offered by a large university or company, sometimes they are more like huge social networks where every participant develops their own path and content to study. The huge open classes that have more open topics (mostly in education) feature hundreds of people blogging about whatever they wish, with many people engaging in complex arguments and activities on the open web. In that sense, this is not a MOOC. We are an open, online class with a set curriculum and tasks to complete on your blog each week. Open discussion generates from those activities.
How much does it cost?
There is no tuition, but certificate participants are expected to "pay it forward", by helping mentor and moderate future students.
Additional costs include $30 or so for the textbook, $40-80 for hosting your own blog with a service, plus occasional small amounts for particular applications (such as Jing Pro or other "freemium" products).
When can I start?
The next Certificate Class begins each year on September 1. New participants are accepted, depending on prior experience, for two weeks after the class begins. Participants with online experience may start on February 1 for the spring semester, then continue through fall or earn the badge for spring.
Can I get flex time or professional development credit?
If you are a MiraCosta College faculty member, you may claim flex credit for reading, creating and blogging. The POT Cert Class is a pre-approved Category II activity. Participants and certificate students may claim credit at the end of the year by putting the URL of their blog in the "Location" field on the Category II form at http://www. miracosta.edu/flex, and uploading a pdf or screenshot of the main page of their blog. Both full-time and associate faculty are welcome in this program. At 4-5 hours per week, possible participation may total the full 50 hours of the flex contract for full-time faculty.
Moderators and mentors may claim their time by using their thank you letter, send by Lisa early in the year.
Faculty from other colleges should consult with their own professional development programs about credit.
Is this class offered by an accredited institution?
No. The Program for Online Teaching, a consortium of volunteer faculty, offers this class. Although many of them teach at accredited institutions, the class is not offered as part of any college's official curriculum, and no college assigns official credit for this class.
When does the class meet?
Class is in session for 12 weeks during both fall and spring semesters. The schedule is designed to avoid the very beginning and end of the semester, when faculty are busiest. Fall semester begins September 1, 2012 and Spring semester begins February 1, 2013. Most activities are asynchronous. No on-campus attendance is required.
How many hours per week does the class involve?
For most instructors, about 4-6 hours per week will be needed to successfully complete readings and tasks.
For fast readers, fast writers, or those with educational technology experience, it may be less. For those with little web experience, it may be more.
What do I have to do each week?
Each week you will:

• read and view the weekly introduction at the POT Cert Google Site - they should appear in the Discussion for that week
• do some reading in the textbook and/or online (from the syllabus)
• view any assigned videos or screencasts (from the syllabus)
• create a post on your own blog reflecting on the materials and/or using some technologies
• announce your post in the Discussion for that week
• read and comment on the posts of your colleagues in the class in the community

Will my work be seen by others?
Yes, all work for this class is done in public on the open web, as part of the wider community of online teachers and facilitators. Interested parties from the global educational community are invited to participate. This is part of the philosophy of the program, which emphasizes sharing and community. If you have privacy concerns, you may use a pseudonym by permission only. Use of Google is required to participate in the class - participants should make sure they are comfortable with public exposure via Google.
Where do I go for help?
First, try the Help forum. Also, we have a list of mentors, who is there to advise. Reading the blog posts and comments of others is also very helpful, and each participant is expected to provide help and support to other participants, and to actively use the resources provided to seek help on their own. Also participants may feel free to contact any of the POT leadership:Jim Sullivan, Lisa M. Lane, or Laura Paciorek at any time.

The Certificate

What is the certificate, really?


At the successful conclusion of the program, each participant will be given a Program for Online Teaching certificate file (pdf) suitable for printing, and a virtual logo (in png, jpg or gif format), which can be displayed on the instructor's online classes and websites. It's available in three colors to match your class website.
A badge for completion of one semester consists of a virtual logo badge which can be displayed.
How do I enroll for the certificate?
Contact Lisa M. Lane, program director, to join the class.
What if I'm not sure yet whether I want a badge or the certificate?
All participants who follow the assignments and blog weekly are eligible for a certificate at the end of the year, so long as all requirements have been fulfilled. There is no need to declare ones intention to earn a certificate at the start. A participant can begin by joining the class and blogging weekly, and decide they want a certificate. Similarly, a participant can intend to earn a certificate at the start, and then decide just to blog or participate more casually.
Can I join if I'm from another college?
Yes, we welcome instructors from other colleges, business people, and independent learners all over the world, to either earn a certificate or just participate on their blogs. Space may be limited for that year's certificate, so please contact Lisa M Lane to make sure there's space. All classes thus far have had space to accomodate faculty from elsewhere. MCC flex credit is only available for MCC faculty.
How will my work be evaluated?
This program is designed for self-motivated, self-directed instructors. Participants will use their blog posts to document their work for the certificate and/or for independent flex activities. Reflection and community are key components of the certificate program. Participants will need evidence of ongoing reflection, participation in an online environment, and fulfillment of all requirements, but it is the responsibility of the participant to develop documentation for the certificate. The POT leadership makes the final determination of whether all requirements have been fulfilled.
I already completed the certificate or was in the class before. How can I help?
Certificate holders and experienced online instructors are always welcome (and often requested) to become mentors and moderators in the class. Just contact Lisa to volunteer!

The Technology

What are the technology requirements for the class?
Participants need a reliable internet connection for frequent access, and either a recent desktop or powerful laptop computer. There is some multimedia creation in the class that may not be possible with mobile devices. Participants must be willing to download applications and use web-based technologies. A Google account is required.
What browser should I use?
Any browser should work for the main website. Firefox may be best for your blog. But Chrome is best for Google, including the class website and synchronous meetings (Hangouts).
What other tools might we be using?
Our emphasis is on web-based tools, rather than those you download or purchase. Some of our favorites are:

• Wordpress - a blogging platform, available through a host (MiraCostans can access the college's installation) - this is where you'll post your work each week
• Google - we'll be using the POT Cert Class site for discussion and interaction - you'll need a Google account
• Diigo- social bookmarking - you can save a website to share with other class and POT members
• Crocodoc - group annotation - several of the optional articles are posted in this system, where we can annotate and comment on the article
• Slideshare - allows you to upload a PowerPoint and add audio, synchronized with the slides
• SoundCloud - lets you record audio that can be linked or embedded in a page
• Eyejot - record video messages for students - can be linked, emailed or embedded
• Twitter - a place for posting links and comments in 140 characters or less - the hashtag for this class is #potcert
• Prezi - a less linear way than slides to create a presentation

What is a blog and why do I need one?
The word "blog" is short for "web log", an online record or journal. When you create an entry (called a post), it's marked by date, with the recent posts at the top. Conversation happens on blogs when people reply to a post, then you reply to their reply. All your work in this class will be posted on your blog.
Your blog is your space that you control, so it is very different from a Learning Management System like Blackboard or a social media site like Facebook. It is your website, and learning to use one is one of the most important skills in learning about the web.

Where do I get a blog?
There are several options for getting a blog. See Creating your own space on the web.

How do I set up my blog?
See Laura's tutorials for good suggestions on settings for a Wordpress blog.
What's the terminology when blogging?
Blog noun = web log, also used to refer to the whole website where your blog is ("Wanna see my blog?", "I gotta work on my blog!")
Blog verb = the act of writing posts on your blog ("I'd better blog this afternoon - that Week 3 assignment is due!")
Post noun = a single entry on a blog ("I read your post from last week")
Post verb = the act of creating a single post ("I posted this afternoon")
Comment noun = A reply to a particular post ("Did you get a comment on that post?")
Comment verb = To post such a reply ("Did you comment on that post?")
Feed noun = The URL that makes it possible for the posts on a blog to show elsewhere ("Where's the feed for my blog so it can be seen on the website?")
Feed verb = the action of pushing posts from one website to another site, reader, or email ("I'd like this blog to feed into my Google Reader.")
RSS noun, adj = one of several formats for feeds ("I'll use the RSS feed for that.")

How do I participate at the POT Cert Class site?
The site is located here.
In order to participate with posts and comments, you need to be added to the site manually. When you fill out the registration form, the gmail address you entered will be used. You should receive confirmation by gmail.
How do I share my blog post each week?
Log in to Google using the gmail account you're using for the class, then select that week under Discussion. Open the Discussion link.

Then post a Comment below. Include a link to your blog post (if you use the full URL, it will make a link automatically). You can also Edit or Delete your post, or someone can Link to your comment using the same dropdown box.

Help! I can't comment!
You must be (a) a member at the site, and (b) logged in to your Google account to comment.
Lisa adds members manually using the gmail address on your Registration Survey. If you have not been added within a couple of days after completing the survey, please contact Lisa.

I can't get x to work?
We will be using many different applications, programs and websites for creating audio, video, slideshows and more. Various options will be recommended, but participants are expected to play with the tools as we go along, and learn by doing. Each tool has help on its website, and tutorials can be found on the POT Website and YouTube. Post on your blog or in the Help forum at the POT Cert Class Site to tell others how you got things to work, or how they're not working -- we're all learning together, and mistakes and problems are part of the journey.
Oh no! I just messed up something at the POT Cert Class Site!
Giving permissions to class members at a Google Site means anyone can edit the site. Sometimes things go wrong. Just contact Lisa M Lane or Todd Conaway and tell us what happened.

MiraCosta Faculty

Can I get my blog at MiraCosta?
Contact Anthony Ginger to get a Wordpress blog. If you would like to continue to blog on your own, in your own space, after the class, you can export your blog and import it into any Wordpress installation.
Is training provided?
Not at this time. POT is an independent entity and the MiraCosta installation is the result of a pilot in offering Wordpress to all of MiraCosta. This is why only MiraCostans can have their blog set up on MiraCosta's servers. As a pilot, there is not yet a training program.

I just want to attend a few weeks where I'm interested in the topic. Can I still get flex credit?
Yes, MCC instructors can get flex credit as an individual project for participating in readings and activities, just like those formally enrolled in the Certificate Class. To document the activity, you must post at your own blog for that week, then include it with your documentation to PDP.

For more information, contact Lisa M. Lane.

Last updated 17 August 2013.