Online Teaching and Learning

Certificate Program

The California State University, East Bay Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning (OTL) meets the needs of university and college faculty, K-12 teachers, corporate and military trainers, educational administrators, curriculum designers, technical support staff and others who design, implement and teach online courses. Those with experience in online education and those who seek the necessary training will both find the program appealing.

The program's online-only format makes it convenient for anyone in the world, not just those who live or work in the San Francisco East Bay Area. Students can look forward to a hands-on, rigorous curriculum in which both the instructors and fellow students provide detailed feedback on every project and should expect to spend 10-12 hours or more per week on each class. They can communicate with their instructors and advisors in a variety of ways: email, telephone, chat room office hours and/or videoconference. A high-speed Internet connection is strongly recommended.

The program's four courses also fulfill the initial course requirements of the Cal State East Bay Master of Science in Education with an Option in Online Teaching (MS-OTL), a program accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Program Objectives

• To give graduates a grounding in the pedagogy of online teaching and learning.
• To prepare graduates to create fully online courses, all built on up-to-date best practices in OTL, from whatever current teaching or training materials they now use.
• To give graduates the confidence and up-to-date knowledge necessary to design, implement and teach effective online courses.
• To provide graduates who decide to enter the master's program the required foundation coursework.

Who Should Attend

• University and college faculty, K-12 teachers, corporate and military trainers, educational administrators, curriculum designers, technical support staff and others who want to learn how to convert teaching or training materials currently delivered face-to-face into a completely online course or program.
• Educators and trainers who already design, implement or teach online courses who seek to update their skills and knowledge of evolving best practices in online learning.

Program Highlights