Online Instructor Certification

Our Online Instructor Certification courses ensure that all Saint Mary’s instructors are up-to-date on the best practices in online education so they can deliver fully online courses. This series is a great opportunity to learn the basics of online teaching and learning and elements to include when designing weekly engagement.

Summer Schedule

CELT will offer the four-week Introduction to Online Teaching course this summer as part of professional development for online instructors:

  • Module 1 (June 2 – 6): Teaching with a Learning Management System
  • Module 2 (June 9 – 13): Teaching Adult Learners
  • Module 3 (June 16 – 20): Community and Communication
  • Module 4 (June 23 – 27): Assessment and Feedback

This course will be offered from June 2nd – 27th. To learn more about the purpose, outcomes, and expectations of the course, please read the course description below.

Please register by Monday, May 26th, 2025.

Course Description

This is an introductory course designed for instructors to gain the knowledge and skills to facilitate an online course. Using Canvas, the learning management system for Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, participants will explore best practices in online teaching including feedback and engagement strategies. Throughout the course, participants will gain first-hand experience in an online learning environment, connect and learn with peers through a variety of learning activities, and reflect on their own teaching persona in light of their values and the 12 Lasallian Virtues of a Good Teacher.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, participants are expected to be able to:

  1. Evaluate characteristics of being an online instructor and areas for personal and professional growth.
  2. Apply teaching strategies designed for the needs of adult learners.
  3. Develop methods to explicitly build relationships and community in an online course.
  4. Practice using various instructional technology tools to facilitate learning.
  5. Reflect, personally and professionally, on the LaSallian Virtues of a Good Teacher.

Module Outcomes

By the end of Module 1, participants will be able to:

  1. Define “Learning Management System”
  2. Explore the capabilities of the Canvas platform
  3. Discuss best practices for facilitating online learning using an LMS
  4. Reflect on the ways our values impact our teaching

 By the end of Module 2, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe different learning theories and their relation to character education at Saint Mary’s
  2. Distinguish andragogy from pedagogy and apply adult learning principles to teaching practice
  3. Reflect on how character strengths impact our teaching

By the end of Module 3, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the Community of Inquiry framework
  2. Facilitate discussions that promote human dignity
  3. Design community-building activities that promote social presence in the online classroom
  4. Reflect on how the 12 Virtues of a Good Teacher can impact our teaching

By the end of Module 4, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe different models of assessment and evaluation
  2. Practice effective feedback strategies with peers
  3. Use course analytics for continuous improvement
  4. Reflect on online teaching persona

Expectations for Engagement

The Online Instructor Certification courses are asynchronous. The learning activities and assignments are designed to model relationship and community building to enhance trusting teacher-student and student-student relationships. There are no required in-person or synchronous virtual session, but an optional synchronous session will be offered every week.

It is expected that participants will:

  • Log in to Canvas and engage in asynchronous activities multiple (2-3) days throughout the week.
  • Anticipate between 3-4 hours per week of work inside the Canvas course.
  • Complete all discussions and assignments in order to be successful.