CAPC requires faculty members to participate in a Teaching and Learning Center training
program before obtaining their CAPC Training Credential and teaching a distance education
course. This program is known as the Online Faculty Development program (OFD).
OFD Overview
OFD is a self-paced, always available online program that introduces faculty to best
practices for the various forms of online learning that take place at WCU.
After completing the certification program, faculty will be able to:
- Develop a relationship with their assigned instructional designer and associated university
resources.
- Formulate a course delivery plan.
- Create a module that follows best practices of online course design.
To earn a CAPC Distance Education Training Credential, faculty must complete:
- An onboarding survey
- Four required modules
- Introduction to Inclusive Teaching Practices
- Alignment Basics
- Organizing Your Course
- Creating a Capstone
- Three additional modules of their choice.
- An exit survey
Faculty can expect to spend about 1-3 hours per module reviewing program content and
completing assignments. Some assignments require engaging with your assigned instructional
designer.
Additional Module Options
At this time OFD has ten additional modules available. More are in development and
will be available by August 2024.
Blended Teaching
This module overviews how to structure a blended course to maximize student engagement
and learning.
100% Asynchronous Teaching
This module reviews the considerations for effectively delivering instruction in a
100% asynchronous environment.
Remote Synchronous Teaching
An overview of strategies to engage students in video conference-based teaching including
techniques for structuring the course.
Developing Learning Activities
This module extends the introduction to learning activities in the required alignment
module with opportunities to explore different types of learning activities and considerations
of sequencing.
Incorporating Published and Unpublished Works in Your Course
This module identifies campus resources that assist with finding and using works legally
and overviews how to legally use published or unpublished works in instruction.
Game-Based Learning and Gamification
This module introduces ways to integrate game-based learning and gamification into
teaching practices.
Building a Community of Learners
This module assists faculty with strategic planning to build connections with students
and develop a community of learners in distance education courses.
Basics of Instructional Video Creation
In this module you are introduced to the steps of creating a high quality instructional
video and to available video creation resources.
Creating & Assessing Online Discussions
This module builds on the information provided in both the alignment module and the
assessing and providing feedback module by taking a focused look at strategies for
creating different types of online discussions and the ways in which faculty can assess
those discussions.
Select Response Assessment Design
This module builds on the information provided in both the alignment module and the
assessing and providing feedback module by walking you through the considerations
of creating, delivering, and reflecting on select response assessments in digital
environments.
The How and Why of Assessment
This module extends the introduction to assessments in the required alignment module
by introducing a variety of assessment styles.
Beyond Bloom's: A Deep Dive on Learning Frameworks and Taxonomies
This module builds upon the foundational knowledge of objectives introduced in the
alignment module by explaining the role of learning taxonomies in creating objectives
and structuring learning experiences.
Prerequisites
Before participating in OFD, make sure you have basic knowledge of the following items
within D2L:
- Gradebook
- Assignments
- Quizzes
- Discussion Board
To get up to speed on any of these items, reference D2L Services' website for tutorials and information about D2L Subscription Training.
Getting Started
Use the button below to enroll in OFD and get started!
Self-Enroll in OFD
A CAPC Distance Education Training Credential expires after five years. Choose one
of the following options to renew a training credential for an additional five years.
Online Faculty Development Program (OFD)
OFD is a self-paced, always available online program that introduces faculty to best
practices for the various forms of online learning that take place at WCU.
After completing the recertification program, faculty will be able to:
- Develop your relationship with your assigned instructional designer and associated
university resources.
- Evaluate your instructional delivery in online environments.
To recertify your CAPC Distance Education Statement faculty will complete:
- An onboarding survey
- One required module - Introduction to Inclusive Teaching Practices
- Three additional modules of their choice
- An exit survey
Faculty can expect to spend about 1-3 hours per module reviewing program content and
completing assignments. Some assignments require engaging with your assigned instructional
designer.
Additional Module Options
Alignment Basics
An introduction to the concept of aligning objectives, activities, and assessments
in learning environments.
Organizing Your Course
This module provides strategies and best practices for effectively organizing course
materials to optimize student learning and streamline instructor workflows.
Creating a Capstone
This module guides you to practically apply the information from the required online
faculty development program units to create a single capstone module.
Blended Course Design
This module overviews how to structure a blended course to maximize student engagement
and learning.
100% Asynchronous Teaching
This module reviews the considerations for effectively delivering instruction in a
100% asynchronous environment.
Remote Synchronous Teaching
An overview of strategies to engage students in video conference-based teaching including
techniques for structuring the course.
Developing Learning Activities
This module extends the introduction to learning activities in the required alignment
module with opportunities to explore different types of learning activities and considerations
of sequencing.
Incorporating Published and Unpublished Works in Your Course
This module identifies campus resources that assist with finding and using works legally
and overviews how to legally use published or unpublished works in instruction.
Game-Based Learning and Gamification
This module introduces ways to integrate game-based learning and gamification into
teaching practices.
Building a Community of Learners
This module assists faculty with strategic planning to build connections with students
and develop a community of learners in distance education courses.
Basics of Instructional Video Creation
In this module you are introduced to the steps of creating a high quality instructional
video and to available video creation resources.
Creating & Assessing Online Discussions
This module builds on the information provided in both the alignment module and the
assessing and providing feedback module by taking a focused look at strategies for
creating different types of online discussions and the ways in which faculty can assess
those discussions.
Select Response Assessment Design
This module builds on the information provided in both the alignment module and the
assessing and providing feedback module by walking you through the considerations
of creating, delivering, and reflecting on select response assessments in digital
environments.
The How and Why of Assessment
This module extends the introduction to assessments in the required alignment module
by introducing a variety of assessment styles.
Beyond Bloom's: A Deep Dive on Learning Frameworks and Taxonomies
This module builds upon the foundational knowledge of objectives introduced in the
alignment module by explaining the role of learning taxonomies in creating objectives
and structuring learning experiences.
Prerequisites
Successfully earned an initial CAPC Distance Education Training Credential.
Getting Started
Use the button below to enroll in OFD and get started!
Self-Enroll in OFD
Quality Matters (QM) Options
Attend Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR) Training (One-Day, In-Person)
This full day workshop will renew your CAPC Distance Education Training Credential
and award you the official QM APPQMR Certificate of Completion. It is facilitated
by a WCU instructional designer. Participants must attend the whole day from 8:30
AM to 4:00 PM. Complete the APPQMR interest form.
Obtain QM Course Certification
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the QM Initiative
Earning the QM certification for one of your courses will renew your CAPC DE Training
Credential.
Complete the Official QM Peer Reviewer or Master Reviewer Course
Prerequisite: Successful completion of APPQMR Training
Completing either course will renew your CAPC DE Training Credential. Both courses
are typically 2 to 3 weeks in length and asynchronous. QM workshops are rigorous and
have firm deadlines, so be sure you have adequate time to complete the required assignments.
Faculty interested in either course should contact their instructional designer for
registration information.
Participate on a QM Course Review Team
Prerequisite: Successful completion of QM Peer Reviewer (PRC) Course
Serving on a QM Peer Review team for an official QM course review will renew your
CAPC DE Training Credential.
CAPC Handbook
This section of the website presents the policies and procedures of the Curriculum
and Academic Policies Council (CAPC) with the implementation processes of the Teaching
and Learning Center.
Purpose of Distance Education and the Teaching and Learning Center
APSCUF and PASSHE have agreed via the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that the “purpose of distance education is to increase access and the availability
of the curriculum offerings” (Article 41, Section A, paragraph 1). West Chester University
established the Office of Distance Education in 2011; it was renamed to the Office
of Digital Learning and Innovation in 2020; and in 2023, it merged with the Teaching,
Learning, and Assessment Center to become the Teaching and Learning Center. It is
a centralized office that supports the development, promotion, implementation, and
assessment of distance education programs and courses at West Chester University.
The Center works closely with deans, department chairs, and faculty to expand existing
distance education programs as well as identify and develop new programs. The Center
provides comprehensive services to support distance education faculty and students
to offer high-quality distance education courses and ensure student success.
Faculty are strongly encouraged to work collaboratively with the office on all facets
of their distance education instruction including preparing courses for CAPC approval
or revision.
Distance Education Training Credential
According to the Policy on the Training of New and Experienced Distance Education Faculty , faculty are required to have a CAPC Distance Education Training Credential if they
want to teach a distance education course or get a course approved for online delivery
by CAPC.
A Distance Education Training Credential is good for five years before it must be
renewed. To learn more about earning and renewing these credentials, visit the Online Faculty Development page.
