The federal government recently awarded Thomas Jefferson University Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a needs assessment conducted with faculty and feedback from deans and other academic leaders, the University’s Digital Learning Initiative earmarked a portion of those funds for faculty development.
Specifically, the University released funds to support any educator interested and committed to improving their online teaching skills. Faculty can self-select asynchronous micro-courses from one of two providers—Quality Matters (QM) or the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).
Both programs provide evidence-based practices and strategies that will empower faculty to design impactful online courses and ensure student success today and in the future.
Both programs are
- Available fully online
- Offered through the year
- Delivered through a facilitated faculty community
- Designed for all educators seeking to improve their online teaching skills
The University invites all Jefferson educators to take advantage of this professional development opportunity at no personal cost.
Quality Matters
There are seven courses required to earn the Teaching Online Certificate from Quality Matters (QM).
Title of the seven courses:
Gauging Your Technology Skills
Exploring Your Institution’s Policies
Orienting Your Online Learners
Connecting Learning Theories to Your Teaching Strategies
Creating Presence in Your Online Course
The duration of each course ranges between 1 week and 3 weeks. Learners could earn their certification in as little as 11 weeks if they were to complete the courses sequentially. Use the links above to explore individual course titles, learning objectives, and course duration.
Effective Online Teaching, written by Tina Stavredes, is required reading for the QM program. Jefferson Libraries offers it as an eBook, available via the library website. A hard copy of Effective Online Teaching is available at Gutman Library.
ACUE
Faculty who complete the four ACUE micro-credentials will earn the ACUE Certificate in Effective College Instruction, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).
Titles of the four courses:
Designing Student-Centered Courses
Creating an Inclusive & Supportive Online Learning Environment
Promoting Active Learning Online
Inspiring Inquiry & Preparing Lifelong Learners in Your Online Course
ACUE awards separate micro-credentials for each of the four courses that constitute the Effective College Instruction certificate. ACUE classes begin with a 75-minte synchronous virtual session on Saturdays.
They recommend that participants budget 2-3 hours per week or 12-18 hours total to complete the assigned coursework, including reading, application, and reflection. ACUE micro-courses run between 6-8 weeks. If taken sequentially, learners could earn the ACUE certification in 8 months.
Which certification program is right for me?
Choosing the right program will depend on your time availability and preferred area of concentration within the program. QM is the recognized leader in online teaching certification, and its courses are focused on the mechanics of online learning. The ACUE program provides a liberal arts approach to the course contents but is an in-depth program that will require more time to complete.
Course Schedules
Take a look at the Online Certificate Training Schedules table below for a snapshot of the QM and ACUE courses. Each course name is a clickable link with more details and additional training dates.
Quality Matters Schedule
| Course Name | Duration | When Offered |
| Gauging Your Technology Skills | 1 week | Sept 22 – Sept 29 Sept 29 – Oct 6 Oct 6 – Oct 13 Oct 20 – Oct 27 Nov 3 – Nov 10 |
| Evaluating Your Course Design | 2 weeks | Sept 15 – Sept 29 Sept 29 – Oct 13 Oct 6 – Oct 20 Oct 13 – Oct 27 Oct 22 – Nov 3 |
| Creating Presence in Your Online Courses | 2 weeks | Sept 15 – Sept 29 Sept 22 – Oct 6 Oct 6 – Oct 20 Oct 13 – Oct 27 Nov 3 – Nov 17 Dec 1 – Dec 15 |
| Orientating Your Online Learners | 1 week | Dec 1 – Dec 8 Dec 8 – Dec 15 |
| Connecting Learning Theories to Your Teaching Strategies | 2 weeks | Spring 2022 |
| Assessing Your Learners | 1 week | Spring 2022 |
| Exploring Your Institution’s Policies | 2 week | Spring 2022 |
ACUE Schedule
| Course name | Duration | When offered |
| Creating an Inclusive and Supportive [Online] Learning Environment | 6-8 weeks | Sept 25 Jan 22 March 26 |
| Promoting Active Learning [Online] | 6-8 weeks | Sept 25 Jan 22 March 26 |
| Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners [In Your Online Course] | 6-8 weeks | Oct 9 Jan 22 March 26 |
| Designing Student-Centered Courses | 6-8 weeks | Oct 9 Jan 22 March 26 |
How do I register?
To sign up for QM, complete the online registration process on the QM website. Enter your Jefferson email address when signing up, and the Academic Commons will receive the invoice for payment.
To sign up for ACUE, complete the online registration process. Enter the Scott Memorial Library address (1020 Walnut Street, Scott Memorial Library, Philadelphia, PA 19107) as the billing address.
Forward the email you receive from ACUE titled “Congratulations on your acceptance (ACUE Open Enrollment Course) to Anthony.Frisby@jefferson.edu for payment.
For more information, contact Dr. Anthony Frisby at Anthony.Frisby@jefferson.edu.