How to Earn the Fundamentals of Teaching in Higher Education CAT Micro-Credential:

WORKSHOPS

Instructors will complete a total of eight workshops - two workshops from each of the following categories for a total of eight workshops:

• Access
• Design
• Methods
• Tools

Spring 2025 Offerings

REFLECTION

Fundamentals of Teaching in Higher Education CAT Micro-Credential Worksheet 

This journey will be accompanied by a reflective practice. Using the Fundamentals of Teaching in Higher Education CAT Micro-Credential Worksheet, you will set a goal as you begin this micro-credential, reflect on what you’re learning as you attend workshops and complete a final reflection when all workshops are completed. This document will be submitted when you complete all of your workshops to earn the micro-credential.

More Information about the Process

Workshops that fall within the categories of Access, Design, Methods and Tools will be identified in the CAT workshop registration system. Instructors may also use “custom workshops” - workshops requested by specific departments and colleges that are not part of our public schedule - to fulfill micro-credential requirements where they are designated as aligning with one of these four categories.

To earn the micro-credential, you will upload the completed Fundamentals of Teaching in Higher Education CAT Micro-Credential Worksheet to Smartsheet. Once CAT staff have confirmed that you completed the listed workshops and that they align with the intended categories, and that you have completed the Goal-Setting and Reflection Document, you will receive a letter of completion and a digital badge provided by Credly. The Credly Fundamentals of Teaching in Higher Education CAT Micro-Credential badge may be added to your LinkedIn profile, email signature, website, etc. and when clicked, links to a description of the requirements of the micro-credential.

More Information about the Workshop Categories and Sample Workshops

Access

Workshops that fall within this category relate to ensuring that course design and delivery is accessible to our diverse body of learners. They will address skills and concepts such as understanding and applying Universal Design for Learning, creating accessible course materials, and effectively addressing student accommodations.

Examples of workshops:

• Supporting Belonging and Student Mental Well-Being in the Classroom
• Questions About Accommodations?
• Creating Accessible Course Materials
• An Introduction to the Principles of Universal Design for Learning

Design

This element of the Fundamentals micro-credential centers on elements of course design and includes topics such as writing learning goals, drafting your syllabus, integrated course design and creating assessments. 

Examples of workshops:

• Writing a Syllabus for Inclusion and Engagement
• Short Format Course Design Intensive
• A Holistic Approach to Assessment
• Designing Courses for Deep Learning

Methods

In these workshops, instructors will learn strategies for motivating and engaging students in your classes, whatever the modality of those classes may be. Topics may include the motivation framework, active learning strategies, leading effective in-class discussions and educational technologies that support student participation and engagement.

Examples of workshops:

• Tools and Strategies for Creating Engaging Learning Experiences in Synchronous Online Sessions
• Annotate and Motivate: Engaging Students with Social Reading Tools
• Chapter Group: How Learning Works: 8 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching
• Transform Your Teaching: Discover the Impact of Critique in Every Classroom

Tools

These workshops address the educational technologies most commonly used by instructors at Temple to support different aspects of instruction.

Examples of workshops:

• Getting Started with Canvas for New Faculty and TAs
• Canvas: Organizing and Structuring Content Effectively
• Panopto Introduction: Video Creation and Sharing Platform
• Poll Everywhere Basics: Engaging and Interactive Polling Made Easy

The Online Teaching Institute and Advanced Online Teaching Institute are part of the CAT Micro-Credential Program. By completing the OTI or AOTI, you will earn a CAT Micro-credential and receive a Credly digital badge.

More information on the OTI and AOTI

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is research focused on your teaching and your students’ learning and classroom experience. This Micro-Credential offers a unique opportunity for Temple educators such as yourself to advance your professional skills and pedagogical knowledge while simultaneously gaining additional recognition for your teaching and learning scholarship. The SoTL Micro-Credential is a prestigious marker highlighting your deep commitment to teaching practices and dedication to the pursuit of educational excellence via research.

More information on the SoTL Micro-Credential

The Digital Accessibility in Instruction CAT Micro-Credential recognizes that faculty have acquired the knowledge and skills essential for ensuring that the digital materials used in teaching and learning are accessible to all students. 

How to earn the Digital Accessibility in Instruction Micro-Credential: 

Faculty earn the micro-credential by completing any one of the following in its entirety:

• All day in-person Accessibility Academies. These all-day academies allow you to complete the CAT’s digital accessibility training in one day and provide hands-on support while you are learning.
• Synchronous online workshop series. This 3-part series on Zoom will allow you to complete the CAT’s digital accessibility training virtually in 3 synchronous sessions.
• Asynchronous online course. This facilitated online course will allow you to complete the CAT’s digital accessibility training without scheduled meeting times.

Go to catbooking.temple.edu to see the dates of these options and register.

More INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS

Upon completion of either the all-day Accessibility Academy, all three-part synchronous online workshop series or the asynchronous online course, you will receive a letter of completion and a digital badge provided by Credly.

The Digital Accessibility Champion in Instruction CAT Micro-Credential provides the skills and knowledge to design courses that ensure digital accessibility and implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. UDL is a framework that lowers barriers for students and ensures that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities. Faculty earn this micro-credential by completing the Digital Accessibility in Instruction CAT Micro-Credential, the 3-part CAT workshop on UDL, and an implementation plan.

How to earn the Digital Accessibility Champion in Instruction Mirco-Credential: 

DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY TRAINING

The first step in completing the Digital Accessibility in Instruction Champion micro-credential is to complete any one of the following in its entirety:

• All day in-person Accessibility Academies. These all-day academies allow you to complete the CAT’s digital accessibility training in one day and provide hands-on support while you are learning.
• Synchronous online workshop series. This 3-part series on Zoom will allow you to complete the CAT’s digital accessibility training virtually in 3 synchronous sessions.
• Asynchronous online course. This facilitated online course will allow you to complete the CAT’s digital accessibility training without scheduled meeting times.

Go to catbooking.temple.edu to see the dates of these options and register.

Note that upon completion of either the all-day Accessibility Academy, the three-part synchronous online series or the asynchronous online course, you will receive the Digital Accessibility in Instruction Micro-Credential.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING TRAINING

Complete all three sessions of our three-part Universal Design for Learning workshop series. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework for creating learning environments that proactively address the diverse needs of learners. In this three-part series, you will learn about the three key elements of the framework - providing multiple means of engagement, representation and action & expression — and how to apply the framework to your course design and instruction.

Go to catbooking.temple.edu to see the dates of these options and register.

Instructors may use a previously completed three-part UDL series to fulfill this requirement of the micro-credential. CAT must have documented attendance at all three sessions and must approve the series as equivalent to the currently offered series.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Using the Digital Accessibility Champions CAT Micro-Credential Worksheet, you will create a plan for implementing at least one change in your course design and delivery in each of the three parts of the UDL framework (engagement, representation and expression). This document will be submitted when you complete all of your workshops to earn the micro-credential.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS

To earn the micro-credential, you will upload the completed Digital Accessibility Champion in Instruction CAT Micro-Credential Worksheet to Smartsheet. Once CAT staff have confirmed that you completed the listed workshops and that you have submitted the implementation plan, you will receive a letter of completion and a digital badge provided by Credly.