putting the pieces together

We continue to work toward an institutional vision for online undergraduate instruction. It continues to be good and challenging work. In regard to the challenges, we have many. The biggest (at this point -- today) may be effectively communicating or providing a clearing house for information regarding online teaching and learning. Should it be web-based, a dedicated site, a series of road shows, or frequent workshops? Should it be all of the above? There is no way currently to share best practices here; no forum in which to vet and consider options, policies, procedures, etc. On the tail of that challenge: Getting faculty to understand that the LMS -- the platform -- is not the process of teaching online. We need to broaden their understanding of online teaching and learning, then help them find the appropriate technology to support the teaching processes. 

So here are my random thoughts regarding faculty preparation/development options:

• New Instructor Orientation/Workshop
• Continuous Development Series (monthly online sessions)
• Instructor Webinar Meetings (includes veteran online instructors
• Comprehensive Faculty Resource Site (OLS)
  -- We can/should base this within Blackboard (?)
  -- Wiki for best practices
  -- Instructor news blog -- should be external facing (?)
• Online Teaching and Learning Newsletter - monthly. What feature? Sustainable? How much work?
• Online Faculty Certification Program (you are certified to teach an online course at SU)

Get 'em while they're starry eyed: During new faculty orientation, can we survey or discover new faculty preferred mode of professional development. Also inquire about experience teaching online; interest in teaching online. This is what I need to do. What is her frequency of the new faculty sessions? Is there a first-year community/forum to engage with this population? What about adjuncts? This is the bulk of SOM and IST instructor cohort.

We have the technology/LMS training opportunities, but they are not required. How do we require them? How do we get a sign-off or performance of some level of competency before we let them "use" Blackboard for F2F courses?

Lots of pieces to come together -- one piece at a time.