Hybrid and Online Teaching Certification Program

What is required to teach Hybrid or Online at UW Tacoma?

To offer a course hybrid or online at the University of Washington Tacoma, the faculty teaching must be certified. The Hybrid and Online Teaching Certification Initiative is a collaboration between the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (EVCAA) Office, Executive Council, our academic programs, and the Office of Digital Learning. 

A certification course, currently called Teaching 101, will be offered every quarter (see below for information and registration forms).

This is a faculty-approved process that was originally passed by APCC and EC in 2016 and was most recently updated in the recently adopted 2022 Faculty Assembly DL policy. 

ODL currently offers two pathways to certification: 

Pathway 1:

1. Complete the Teaching 101 course offerings using the appropriate form linked on this page.
2. Prepare a course for review using the Tri-Campus Online/Hybrid Course Development and Teaching Evaluation Rubric.
3. Submit a Course Review Request, and pass the subsequent internal Review by the Office of Digital Learning.

Pathway 2:

For new faculty who arrive at campus with online teaching certification from a professional organization or program. 

1. Contact Office of Digital Learning.
2. Provide evidence of online teaching certification, such Quality Matters APPQMR or UW's TTFI program.
3. Prepare a course for review using the Tri-Campus Online/Hybrid Course Development and Teaching Evaluation Rubric.
4. Submit a Course Review Request, and pass the subsequent internal Review by the Office of Digital Learning.

Using the UW Hybrid/Online Course Development and Evaluation Rubric ensures that critical elements of design (not content) work together to ensure that your students will achieve your desired learning outcomes and that the review is the application of the rubric, not the opinion of the reviewer. 

Once you become a certified, you are free to teach any course that your program supports as hybrid or online

• List of UWT Faculty certified to teach hybrid or online. 

How does UW Tacoma define Hybrid and Online? 

The Distance Learning Policies are set by each school. Certification is required for all three of the UW course mode definitions below.  Instructors that successfully complete the UW Tacoma hybrid and Online Certification process become certified to teach online and hybrid courses without further review. 

'Definitions:

• Hybrid Some, but not all, required class meetings occur in a physical classroom. When not meeting in the physical classroom, students and instructors will attend class online, either through required synchronous sessions or required asynchronous activities. The time schedule contains information about the course’s required weekly physical classroom and synchronous meeting time.
   
• Synchronous Online Students and instructors interact online synchronously through regularly-scheduled, required meetings using applications such as Zoom. Students should also expect to interact with others and engage in course materials asynchronously. The time schedule contains information about the course’s regular, required synchronous meeting time.
   
• Asynchronous Online Students and instructors always interact with others and engage course materials asynchronously. While there are no regularly-scheduled, required synchronous class meetings, students are expected to meet all assignment deadlines and may be asked to schedule occasional, brief synchronous one-on-one check-in meetings with the instructors.

What is required to pass course review?

Once the instructor has attended the Hybrid and Online Teaching training course and completed building their hybrid or online course site in Canvas using the UW Hybrid/Online Course Development and Evaluation Rubric, they initiate their review by submitting a Course Evaluation Request form.

To pass the review, the course must demonstrate "Established Practice" for at least 85% (17/20) of the criteria, including Goals 1A and 1B.

What approvals do I need if I want to teach hybrid or online? 

A number of steps are involved for all courses offered in hybrid/online format. Be sure to have the permission of your dean/director/chair to develop and offer a course online.

IF this is a new course never offered in any modality, please have it approved as a UWT course for the catalog first. All UW standard paperwork will need to be completed and the course approved before applying for certification and taking it through review. Consult APCC for more information.

Are there any deadlines I need to keep in mind?

Check with your program on Time Schedule deadlines. Courses must have their mode of instruction determined and approved before the Time Schedule goes live. Faculty must be certified prior to teaching their first hybrid or online course. 

What else do I need to know?

It's not about the technology; it's about engaging our learners, demonstrating our passion for the subject matter, and learning from colleagues trying new pedagogies. Here's a quick list of 8 lessons learned:

8 Lessons Learned from Teaching Online from EDUCAUSE on Vimeo.

What if I was just hired and a certification course is not offered before I have to teach?

First, check with your department to see if you have approval to teach hybrid/online. We understand that sometimes timing is an issue. We have a temporary solution to allow faculty, who need to teach online or hybrid before a certification opportunity becomes available:

Build your course and take it through the review process. Once your course passes review, you can teach it. You will need to get EACH course you teach QM reviewed PRIOR to offering it. You will be expected to attend the next scheduled certification course and obtain certification, after which no further reviews are necessary.