3. Faculty Preparation | Faculty Handbook

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The Pasadena Area Community College District Policy for Distance Education states that all new online and hybrid faculty must have previous online experience or training prior to teaching distance education courses.

Technological Readiness

Faculty members who wish to teach online should not only possess basic proficiency in computer skills but should also be acquainted with and feel comfortable using more advanced programs and applications. The following technical skills, listed from least to most complex, are examples of what would be needed to teach online and hybrid courses:

Basic Computer Skills	Keyboarding Audio recording (microphone)
Database Management	Data entry Data editing Database creation
File Management	Create & name files Understand file formats (doc, .docx, rtf, text, JPEG, GIF, PDF, WAV, MPEG etc.) Understand file storage Organize and manage files
Wordprocessing	Create, edit & save documents Use formatting techniques (bulleted/numbered lists; page numbers, etc.) Insert tables, graphs, and graphics into documents Create Table of Contents (TOC) and Indexes
Presentation Software	Create, edit & save presentations Add multimedia to presentation Record audio narration for presentation
Email	Send & receive email Attach documents & pictures Participate in email discussion groups/listservs Create & manage contact groups Create & manage discussion groups
Internet	Understand & use different browser types Know how to do targeted searches Understand how to use online databases Be familiar with YouTube, Skype, podcasts, blogs, webinars & wikis
Social Networking	Use Facebook Create Facebook group Use Twitter
Learning Management System	Upload content Create, design, and edit course modules Make content accessible Create announcements, discussion forums, blogs, and wikis Create assessments, surveys, and polls/use the Grade Center Upload multimedia Use IM or chat Understand & use other learning management system tools

Pedagogical Readiness

The following pedagogical skills are needed to teach online and hybrid courses:

Fundamental Principles	Understand the differences between face-to-face and online instruction. Utilize learner-centered pedagogy where concepts of interactivity, instructor-led facilitation and feedback are core elements. Create learning activities that actively engage students and which encourage top-down cognitive processing skills (such as synthesis and problem-solving tasks) Accommodate a variety of learning styles and strategies in both content delivery and learning activities.
Management and Interaction	Follow guidelines for regular effective contact with students in both synchronous and asynchronous modalities. Communicate and maintain learning objectives. Cultivate and develop learning communities through group activities. Create and maintain an atmosphere of trust. Clarify clear participation requirements, facilitate and monitor interaction accordingly. Integrate practical tasks into learning activities to illustrate practical real-world content applications. Lead discussions rooted in inquiry that challenge students to question and develop their own conclusions. Provide ongoing personalized feedback and suggestions for improving student performance. Make additional resources available for learning.
Technology Integration	Identify the most appropriate technologies for content and learning outcomes. Determine the modalities that are best used for course communication, discussion and assessment. Present content that is easily navigable and accessible to all learners. Integrate multimedia content that meets the learning styles and needs of all students as well as accessibility requirements. Encourage cooperative learning through group activities that utilize current technology.
Assessment	Provide multiple opportunities for ongoing authentic assessment that measure both student understanding of course content and participation. Ensure that assessment tools are linked to learning objectives. Use a variety of asynchronous assessment techniques in which students are able to demonstrate higher-order critical thinking skills. Employ multiple assessment strategies to maintain active student engagement. Make use of data from the assessment tools in Bb9.1 to evaluate the validity and reliability of the various assessment instruments. Incorporate surveys to receive regular constructive student feedback and integrate it into the course structure. Understand the unique challenges that affect academic integrity and student authentication in the online environment.
Accessibility	Create or modify all course content so that it is accessible to students with disabilities. Design the course layout so that it is easily navigable and readable and has alternate options for students with special needs.

Training Process & Requirements

New Online or Hybrid Instructor Training

Faculty who are new to distance education and would like to teach using online technology will need to take four 4-week courses before being cleared to teach at PCC. These fully online classes are offered through the @One Project:

Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning*
Building Online Community with Social Media
Creating Accessible Online Courses
Designing Effective Assessments

Contact the Distance Education Department prior to registering to receive a scholarship code to waive the course fees and then register directly with @One to take these courses.

For information about training to use PCC’s LMS, CANVAS, check out the Learn Canvas page for on-site workshops, walk-in labs and links to self-paced tutorials.

In addition to the required @One courses, faculty will be required to participate in a PCC Distance Education Orientation which meets on campus. The orientation details the PCC course development process as well as the College’s policies and procedures as they relate to distance education. The orientation also introduces faculty to the PCC’s learning management system. It is best if this orientation is taken after they have completing the Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning course.

Before faculty can teach an online or hybrid course for the first time, it must be formally reviewed and approved by the Distance Education Department and their Division Dean to ensure the course meets all College requirements in addition to accreditation guidelines and State and Federal laws.

Training Waivers

Previous Online Teaching Experience

Faculty who have taught online at another institution within the past 5 years but not at PCC may be eligible to waive some of the faculty training requirements. They will need to arrange a meeting with their Division Dean and the Director of Distance Education to discuss their experience and present a course (or courses) that have been taught online. Courses should include all the required elements in an online course from PCC’s Rubric for Online Instruction PDF. Even if some of the training requirements have been waived, in order to become acquainted with distance education at PCC, faculty will need to take the Distance Education Orientation prior to being cleared to teach, and, because of changes in the Learning Management System, training on the the CANVAS LMS is highly recommended (see the Learn Canvas page for more information about upcoming workshops and self-paced tutorials).

Previous Online Training/Certification

Faculty who have not taught online but have taken the equivalent coursework, meaning courses that cover the same material as the required four @One classes listed above, within the past 5 years may be eligible to waive some or all of the PCC training requirements. The courses must cover the same content as the New Online or Hybrid Instructor Training. Proof of completion, as well as course descriptions are required.Since technology changes so quickly, if there was any coursework that was finished more than 5 years ago, all of the required PCC training courses for new online and hybrid instructors will need to be completed prior to being cleared to teach.

Even if some of the training requirements have been waived, in order to become acquainted with distance education at PCC, faculty will need to take the Distance Education Orientation prior to being cleared to teach.