Advanced Online Teaching Institute (AOTI)
The AOTI is a two-week, intensive, asynchronous course for moderately and highly experienced online instructors offered in June. Through this actively facilitated course, instructors evaluate and improve one of their existing online offerings using Universal Design for Learning principles, evidence-based practices, and a focus on peer feedback. Participants identify barriers to learning, assess, plan, and revise aspects of their course, and brainstorm an improvement plan for their course going forwards. Throughout the AOTI, you will engage in active learning and critical self-reflection, exchange meaningful feedback with peers, and commit to continual improvement of teaching practices to meet students' evolving needs.
The course is fully asynchronous with no scheduled meetings and a time commitment of about 15 hours over two weeks. Participants who successfully complete the course gain a micro-credential from Credly attesting to their commitment to online teaching and learning.
Topics covered include: Creating welcoming and inclusive learning environments; collaboration techniques for active learning; generative AI for designing course materials; scaffolds and reinforcement for building knowledge; supporting meta-cognitive and strategic approaches to learning; and creating equitable and rigorous learning assessments online.
By the end of this course, participants will:
- Conduct a course review that clarifies barriers and priorities using a self-assessment tool, focusing on UDL principles and evidence-based best practices for online teaching and learning.
- Strengthen online learning climate, interaction, and persistence by designing for engagement that moves beyond instructor presence and towards learner agency, including through peer-to-peer interactions that emphasize collaboration and reciprocity.
- Explore the knowledge-building practices and scaffolds that maximize generalization and learning transference while designing for diverse perspectives and approaches to learning.
- Experiment with using GenAI in your courses to increase inclusivity, whether or not you decide such use fits well with your course goals.
- Redesign assessments toward equity and effectiveness by supporting strategic approaches to learning and increasing transparency, feedback quality, and options for expression, all while maintaining standards.