Winthrop Online Teaching Certification

Faculty Requirements Related to OTC

Options for Meeting OTC

How to Apply for an Alternative Skills Evaluation

Maintaining OTC

Winthrop CPE Calendar

Frequently Asked Questions

The Winthrop University Office of Online Learning (WOOL) administers training and maintains records for the Online Teaching Certification (OTC). OTC consists of two levels which are taught in two mandatory online training courses:

WOTC 101: Online Course Design and Development Basics

WOTC 102: Online Course Facilitation and Management

Faculty Requirements Related to OTC

  • Successfully complete WOTC 101 or its equivalent before designing and developing an online or hybrid 25%+ course, and, by extension, before receiving a stipend for Master course development.

  • Successfully complete WOTC 101 or its equivalent before being offered additional support to help with the design and development of an online or hybrid 25%+ course.  Instructional design support will be maximized if faculty members have acquired basic skills prior to designing and developing online and hybrid 25%+ courses. 

  • Successfully complete WOTC 101 and WOTC 102 before teaching an online or hybrid 25%+ course.

NOTE: WOTC 101 is a prerequisite for WOTC 102.

Options for Meeting OTC

Beginning Fall 2019, faculty teaching online or hybrid 25%+ courses will be required to complete successfully WOTC 101 or its equivalent prior to beginning delivery of the course, and enroll in WOTC 102 or its equivalent prior to the end of the course.

  1. For new faculty, OTC may be met by completing either of these criteria:

    • Successfully completing WOTC 101 and WOTC 102.

    • Submitting evidence of successfully completing equivalent training offered by an approved university partner or vendor.

  1. Current faculty who have not previously designed, developed, and facilitated online or hybrid 25%+ courses at Winthrop University may meet OTC by completing either of these criteria:

    • Successfully completing WOTC 101 and WOTC 102.

    • Submitting evidence of successfully completing equivalent training offered by an approved university partner or vendor.

  1. Current faculty who have previous experience designing, developing, and facilitating online or hybrid 25%+ courses at Winthrop University may apply to meet OTC through an alternative skills evaluation. Faculty members requesting an alternative skills evaluation would need to (1) be nominated by their Department Chair or Dean, (2) have been teaching at Winthrop for at least three years, and (3) have taught two online or hybrid 25%+ courses in the last two academic years, one of which being from the most recent academic year. For current faculty members who qualify, OTC may be met in the following ways:

    • WOTC 101: At least three weeks prior to delivery, submit an existing Winthrop University course for review to WOOL to show successful design and development of an online learning environment. Courses will be evaluated using the Winthrop Online Course Review Checklist based on the Blackboard Exemplary Course Program to determine if the faculty member meets the Accomplished level for designing and developing a successful online or hybrid 25%+ course. The results of the alternative skills evaluation will be provided to the nominating chair or dean to share with the faculty member. The faculty member will be required to complete the corresponding modules in WOTC 101 for any Incomplete criteria. Further professional development may also be recommended. See How to Apply for an Alternative Skills Evaluation below.

    • WOTC 102: At least three weeks prior to delivery, submit an existing Winthrop University course for review to WOOL. Courses will be evaluated using the Winthrop Online Course Review Checklist to determine if the faculty member meets the Accomplished level for online or hybrid 25%+ course facilitation and interaction with students. In addition, submit copies of course evaluations from two online or hybrid 25%+ sections facilitated in the last two academic years, one of which being from the most recent academic year, to show ongoing successful online or hybrid 25%+ course facilitation supported by student feedback. The results of the alternative skills evaluation will be provided to the nominating chair or dean to share with the faculty member. The faculty member will be required to complete the corresponding modules in WOTC 102 for any Incomplete criteria. See How to Apply for an Alternative Skills Evaluation below.

      NOTE: It is strongly recommended that all faculty, regardless of their teaching history, complete WOTC 102.

  2. Current faculty who are teaching online or hybrid 25%+ courses but do not meet the requirements for applying for an alternative skills evaluation will have the option to meet WOTC 101 by submitting an existing Winthrop University online or hybrid 25%+ course for review at least three weeks prior to delivery to show successful design and development of an online learning environment.  Faculty members will also be required to enroll in WOTC 102 by the end of fall 2019 in order to continue teaching online. Courses will be evaluated using the Winthrop Online Course Review Checklist to determine if the faculty member meets the Accomplished level for designing and developing a successful online or hybrid 25%+ course. The faculty member will be required to complete the corresponding modules in WOTC 101 for any Incomplete criteria. Further professional development may also be recommended.

How to Apply for an Alternative Skills Evaluation (refer to item 3 above for eligibility)

  1. Download the Winthrop Online Course Self-Review Checklist to familiarize yourself with the criteria for online course design at Winthrop University. 

  2. If your course meets the criteria, request for your department chair or dean to complete the Alternative Skills Evaluation Nomination Form, nominating you for an alternative skills evaluation for WOTC 101 and/or WOTC 102. 

    NOTE: If your course does not meet the criteria, please e-mail instructionaldesign@winthrop.edu to request an instructional design consultation prior to submitting your course for review. 

  3. Complete the Request for Blackboard Exemplary Course Review Form. 

  4. Submitted courses are reviewed by a Winthrop University instructional designer. The reviewers use the Winthrop Online Course Review Checklist to evaluate each course. The results are compiled and the feedback is returned to the nominating chair or dean to share with the faculty member.

  5. All submissions will be acknowledged by e-mail within three business days of receipt of the submission form and will be reviewed within three weeks of the acknowledgement date. If you have any questions about the submission process, please e-mail instructionaldesign@winthrop.edu.

Maintaining OTC 

After 5 years, an OTC recertification is required for all faculty members teaching online or hybrid 25%+ courses. This is to ensure that faculty remain current with Winthrop’s Strategic Vision for Online Education.

  • For recertification, a faculty member must submit documentation of professional development to WOOL totaling at least 10 hours related to online teaching and learning completed within the last five years. Be sure to maintain a personal record of proof of completion for all of your professional development activities.
  • Acceptable forms of professional development are those completed at Winthrop or externally, and include training sessions, courses (e.g., ACUE courses), workshops, webinars, mentoring activities, conference sessions that were attended or led related to online teaching and learning, and course development/re-development/revisions.
  • A tutorial is available which explains how to submit your professional development recertificaiton documentation in Faculty 180. The Office of Online Learning will review the professional development hours logged in Faculty 180 and issue a new certificate after the recertification hours are approved.
  • A reminder e-mail will be sent at six months and again at three months prior to the expiration date of your certification.

Documentation must include the following:

  1. faculty member’s first and last name

  2. name and location of the sponsoring organization

  3. title and description

  4. date or semester completed

  5. contact hours or credit hours earned

 

Review Date

January 2018