Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning (COTL)

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The Certificate Program in Online Teaching and Learning is designed to meet the growing needs of online educators in a wide variety of teaching sectors like K-12 teachers, Higher Education faculty, Community College Professors, non-profits, governmental agencies and businesses that develop online training programs. The Online Teaching and Learning certificate is designed for both experienced trainers and educators and those interested in entering the field of online teaching and learning including:

•   K-12 teachers (blended classrooms and virtual schools)
•   Vocational and community college instructors (adjunct and full time)
•   College and university professors (adjunct and full time)
•   Doctors, Nurses and other Health educators involved in patient education, continuing education or in-service education, community
      health education professionals, or academic healthcare education
•   K-16 Curriculum consultants, professional development, technology coordinators, and distance education leaders
•   Continuing education facilitators and trainers in professional associations, nonprofit organizations, business, government, and
     military interested in teaching online and blended courses, or using web-based components to enhance face-to-face instruction.

Admission to the Program

In addition to University requirements for admission to graduate study, applicants must have:

1.   An earned baccalaureate degree from accredited institution of higher education with a 2.75 grade point average in the last
      60 semester units attempted.
2.   Official transcripts.
3.   An application for formal admission to the program through the Division of Applied and Advanced Studies in Education.

The following are the program objectives:

1.   To provide students with a basic theoretical foundation in online teaching and learning pedagogy.
2.   To make students’ understand the major themes that characterize online learning and how they differ from traditional classroom
        instruction.
3.   To prepare students with skills in online Instructional Design, development, implementation and evaluation.
4.   To provide students with skills and strategies for various pedagogies of online teaching and learning.
5.   To provide students’ with skills on new technology tools and universal design for authoring and delivering online courses and
        training programs.
6.   To provide personalized opportunities to diverse students (K-12, higher education, corporate, military, governments, non-profits,
        healthcare etc…)
        to create, teach and facilitate online programs and courses in their respective fields.
7.   To provide students with 21st century skills and knowledge to be able to critically evaluate online programs, tools used in online
        teaching and learning, online learning environments and online learners.
8.   To provide students with global perspectives on online education and engage in research related to the rhetoric and reality of online
        education.