2016 Online Course Development Grants Offer Three Tiered Options

12/17/2015 2:15 PM

Bradley’s Office of Summer and Interim Sessions and Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning (CTEL) are again partnering to offer grants to create and improve online courses. This is our third year of working together on this project, with funding coming primarily from the revenue generated by the online courses that are developed and delivered during summer and interim sessions. 

In 2016, workshops will be offered on three levels to provide enrichment for beginning, intermediate, and advanced instructors of online courses. 

Option 1: Online Course Design Institute (OCDI): The first tier is designed for faculty who are new to online teaching and online course design. This tier consists of a four-day intensive workshop covering online course design theory and best practices that result in the development of a new online course. In 2016, the OCDI will be offered May 16th-19th. A $3,000 stipend is included for full participation. 

Option 2: Online Course Improvement Workshops (OCIW): The second tier is aimed at helping faculty improve an existing online course. This tier is intended for experienced online instructors who have not completed the OCDI. It consists of one full-day and two half-day workshops and will allow faculty the opportunity to learn online course design theory and apply it by improving aspects of one of their existing online courses. In 2016, the OCIW will be offered March 18th (all day) and April 1st and 15th (two half days). A $1,000 stipend is included for full participation.

Option 3: Advanced Webinars about Online Teaching: The third tier is designed for faculty who have already participated in the OCDI and are interested in growing their skills. Offered to OCDI-completers as opportunities come available, this tier consists of a choice of two-hour, external online workshops on a variety of topics in online teaching. No stipend is offered, but the registration fee and the use of microphones and headsets is included.

This tiered professional development approach is designed to address the wide range of quality in Bradley’s currently-offered online courses. The idea is to continue offering the OCDI as well as to help online course instructors who have not completed the OCDI to improve the quality of their courses one step at a time. The tiered approach also provides an advanced professional development option for online course instructors who have completed the OCDI, are teaching high-quality online courses, and are ready for more.

The application form for Options 1 and 2 is now available on the CTEL Teaching with Technology web page. The deadline for application is February 1st. If you have questions, please contact Barb Kerns at [email protected].