Tag: faculty training

Effective Working Relationships – Faculty and Staff

by Jul 31, 2017

Introduction What is at the core of a successful online course development or revision? A really great collaboration between a faculty member, a  Learning Designer, and an Instructional Technologist. Working with a course development team for the first time can feel new or overwhelming. There are so many new terms and roles to figure out! So, what can be done to build effective working relationships that last from the kickoff meeting through the course launch? Inspired by the May 2017 Inside Higher Ed article, “Quashing Tension, Boosting Cooperation,” we asked School of Professional Studies faculty what worked for them. Although

,

Professional Development Opportunities for Online Instructors

by Jul 11, 2017

Introduction You may be a seasoned online instructor or new to teaching online. Either way, you’re looking for a professional development opportunity: something to refresh your skills or spark new ideas, a way to connect with your peers, or a way to distinguish yourself in your practice. Here are 8 professional development ideas, ranging from free activities you could start tomorrow through more considered options that require a significant investment of time and resources. 1. Join an academic community at Northwestern. Northwestern has many different academic communities and fellowship programs that you may consider participating in, either from a distance

Getting Your Feet Wet: Introduction to Course Design Workshop

by Mar 06, 2017

In October 2016, the Distance Learning Team launched its first iteration of a fully online Course Design Workshop. This workshop is designed to help instructors become familiar with our course design process and to allow them to step into the shoes of an online student. In addition, being in the workshop allows instructors to practice using Canvas and to see what a well-structured SPS course looks like. If instructors have not designed an SPS course or are revising a course, they should take this workshop before they begin course development. Here is a sneak peek of what to expect during

,

Chicago-Area Distance Teaching and Learning Conferences 2016

by Jul 25, 2016

Introduction As an online instructor for adult and professional students, you know that it’s important to stay current with research and trends in learning science, learning design practice, and learning technologies. That can involve any number of research activities, including reading scholarly journals and teaching and technology blogs like this one. But what about distance learning conferences? Panels, roundtables, poster presentations, oh my! You might discover a new web technology to use in your course or an innovative assignment you want to try. Maybe a key presentation will even provoke you to change your teaching style. And don’t forget the

New Faculty Training Begins Monday, November 16

Nov 09, 2015

Each quarter, the School of Professional Studies hosts a four-week, asynchronous training for faculty and teaching assistants who will be facilitating SPS online courses for the first time. Run through Canvas, the training follows the basic format of an SPS online course, which allows faculty and teaching assistants to experience a course from a student perspective while learning about technology, SPS policy and procedures, and best practices for facilitating an online course. Upon completion of the faculty training course, new faculty will be able to: Use Canvas and Adobe Connect to facilitate student engagement and learning in your course. Apply

,