iTEACH

iTEACH is a faculty development program that provides an opportunity to learn to design a pedagogically sound and interactive online or hybrid course. Its primary focus is to develop a solid foundation which will enable you to evaluate and analyze all aspects of your curriculum and change the way you and your students interact in and out of the classroom. iTEACH will provide both pedagogical and technical instruction to best adapt and integrate learning technologies into your curriculum.

iTEACH is an exclusive program for qualified full and part time faculty who are expanding their teaching to the online format. iTEACH is an intense blended training program with the focus on the pedagogy required to successfully teach online/hybrid courses based on a modified CIT Online Course Rubric for exemplary course development. The blended curriculum will consist of both face-to-face sessions and online coursework. This is accomplished by placing you, the participant, in a dual role as both prospective online teacher and online student enrolled in a training course. This Faculty & Student approach is an experiential foundation to apply proven instructional principles to the course being developed and to integrate them into the online electronic environment supported by the Center for Instructional Technology.

Program Objectives:

At the end of iTEACH, you, as an active participant, will be able to:

• Apply the CIT Online Course Rubric to design and create a course for online delivery
• Instruct an online course based on sound pedagogical approaches and best practices
• Use effectively the hardware and software essential to teach an online course effectively
• Establish a partnership with participants and CIT staff members
• Understand the online experience as both an online teacher and online student

Format:

iTEACH is basically a spring semester program that begins with an orientation dinner in December. The face-to-face meetings and online coursework start late January and conclude in May with three full-day workshops (See Meeting Schedule).

As a participant of iTEACH, you will attend several face-to-face sessions during the semester and complete activities that will provide the skills you will need to develop online/hybrid coursework. At the conclusion of iTEACH, you will present two modules (units, elements, chapters) of the course you are developing in WebCT. While iTEACH is not required for teaching online classes at NECC, it is highly recommended for those who intend to teach online. Enrollment and completion of iTEACH does not guarantee an online course assignment. This will be at the discretion of the academic dean.

iTEACH will consist of four major components:

• Pedagogical and Technical Training
• Partnering
• Online Coursework
• Face-to-face Meetings

Pedagogical training consists of the application of sound pedagogical approaches and best practices in the online environment. iTEACH will be based on the CIT Online Course Rubric for exemplary course development with a focus on the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education by Chickering and Gamson.

Technical training focuses on the use of the software and hardware that are essential to complete an online course. Because of the intensity of the training in iTEACH, basic computer skills are a pre-requisite (See Criteria).

Partnering is a key component of iTEACH. You will be working with a colleague/partner throughout the program. The partnership is for creating a community of learners and a supportive learning environment. The activities in the program are designed for collaborative work and mutual feedback.

Online coursework, which will take place in a WebCT environment, is designed to allow participants to work both as a student and as a course designer. The online coursework will be mainly divided into group discussions and individualized course development.

Face-to-face meetings are divided into seven (7) two-hour sessions. The face-to-face (f2f) meetings will include the following:

• Faculty presentations
• Group discussions on best practices
• Hands-on computer lab time

How to Apply:

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis with a priority for participants approved to teach online. Please Click Here to apply electronically. The application deadline date is Monday, December 1, 2008.

Review of applications will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2008. Following the review meeting, applicants will be informed of their project status.

This project is supported by the Office of Faculty and Staff Development.

If you have any questions, please contact
Judith Kamber, Dean of Professional Development at
978-556-3955 or via e-mail at jkamber@necc.mass.edu
or Alan Foucault, Director of the Center for Instructional Technology at afoucault@necc.mass.edu.

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