The Office of Distance Learning offers several self-paced and facilitated to prepare Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ of Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ at Lafayette faculty to teach and develop online and hybrid courses, or to supplement face-to-face courses with online instruction and resources.
Review opportunities below and email us at distancelearning@louisiana.edu to enroll.
Delivery: Facilitated, asynchronous
Time requirements: 8-10 hours per week
Duration: 3 weeks
The "Applying the Quality Matters Rubric" is a fully-online, three-week workshop which explores the eight general QM standards, the 5th Edition rubric, and the peer review process. This training is the foundation for the distance learning certifications available to UL Lafayette faculty.
The amount of time required to complete activities each week varies depending on each participant’s background and any revisions that may be required. Revisions are due within 48 hours after grading.
Participants must log in on the first day of the workshop and are expected to complete all course content and assignments by the due dates stated in the course schedule and checklist.
Those who do not meet the course deadlines will need to re-enroll in a national section at cost to their department.
Quality Matters is a "...leader in quality assurance for online education and has received national recognition for its peer-based approach and continuous improvement in online education and Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ learning." As part of a statewide consortium agreement, the Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ of Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ at Lafayette partnered with Quality Matters to deliver professional development, and has incorporated QM standards in the ULearn Course Certification process.
The "" explores the eight general QM standards, the 5th Edition rubric, and the peer review process. This training is the foundation for the distance learning certifications available to UL Lafayette faculty.
QM training is required for the following individuals:
To remain current, faculty will participate in refresher trainings as new QM standards are published.
Delivery: Self-paced, asynchronous
Time requirements: 6-8 hours
Duration: 365-day access
Participants receive a certificate of completion for this course once they have completed all course content and activities and passed all quizzes. Please note the course must be completed within 365 days of enrolling, otherwise, participants must re-enroll in the course to earn a certificate.
Moodle is the Learning Management System (LMS) used at the Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ of Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ at Lafayette. This course provides an overview of the core skills needed to create and deliver courses using Moodle and the EduTools supported by the Office of Distance Learning.
In this course, participants learn how to build basic course components, create video content, assess Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ learning, issue communication and feedback, and monitor and evaluate Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ activity. Additionally, participants learn how these components can be made accessible to all Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs.
At the end of the courses, participants are able to:
Delivery: Self-paced, asynchronous
Time requirements: 6-8 hours
¶Ù³Ü°ù²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô: 365-day access
Participants receive a certificate of completion for this course once they have completed all course content and activities and passed all quizzes. Please note the course must be completed within 365 days of enrolling, otherwise, participants will need to re-enroll in the course to earn a certificate.
With more Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs choosing to learn online, there is an even greater need to assure that online course content and activities are accessible to all Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs. While all Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs may not be able to access materials and participate in activities in exactly the same way, there is a legal mandate that they have the ability to access equivalent learning experiences.
Participants in this course learn about legislation and accommodations that involve accessibility. Next, they explore the Universal Design approach and how mindfulness in course design benefits all Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs. After this, participants focus on practical solutions for making different types of course materials and media resources accessible.
Participants complete quizzes to assess their knowledge of the topics covered. 
At the end of the course, participants are able to:
¶Ù±ð±ô¾±±¹±ð°ù²â: Self-paced, asynchronous
Time requirements: 6-8 hours
Duration: 365-day access
Participants receive a certificate of completion for this course once they have completed all course content and activities and passed all quizzes. Please note the course must be completed within 365 days of enrollment; otherwise, participants must re-enroll in the course to earn a certificate.
According to the Quality Matters Rubric, ensuring course alignment is a foundation of effective course design. The concept of alignment emphasizes that critical course components must support and assess the learner’s achievement of clearly stated learning objectives.
In this asynchronous course, participants learn how to write effective course- and module-level learning objectives from the learner’s perspective and that match the overall level of the course according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. They then identify how to ensure the alignment of these objectives with assessments, instructional materials, learning activities, and course technology tools. Finally, they explore how to demonstrate alignment to Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs through the use of a Course Map.
Participants complete quizzes to assess their knowledge of the topics covered.
By the end of this course, participants are able to:
Delivery: Facilitated, asynchronous
Time requirements: 8-10 hours
Duration: 14 days
For each session of this course, participants will be able to review the Getting Started Module to understand course expectations and deadlines. Once participants complete all course content and assessments, they are eligible to complete a course survey and receive a certificate of completion. The course must be completed within 14 days, or participants must to re-enroll in a future session.
Beyond planning and designing an online or hybrid course, instructors must also deliver the course to a live class. Many find that the process of teaching these courses is very different from the traditional, face-to-face technique. This facilitated, two-week course emphasizes the steps that instructors should consider during the term or semester.
Participants start by learning the importance of steady, reliable communication for both Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs and instructors. They then examine the most recommended methods by which classroom discussions can be best facilitated in an online setting. Next, they address what constitutes effective feedback, how to deliver this feedback reliably to Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs, and how rubrics can be used as a feedback tool to enable Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ success. After this, participants learn how to identify and re-engage Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs who might be disengaged from their course. Finally, participants tour the many Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ support systems in place and learn how to direct Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs to the support they require, no matter where they are located.
Participants complete assessments such as discussion forums, assignments, and quizzes to evaluate their knowledge of the topics covered.
By the end of this course, participants are able to:
Delivery: Facilitated, asynchronous
Time requirements: 8-10 hours
Duration: 14 days
For each session of this course, participants will be able to review the Getting Started Module to understand course expectations and deadlines. Once participants pass the assessment and complete all course content, activities, and forums, they receive a certificate of completion. The course must be completed within 14 days, or participants must re-enroll in a future session.
Interactivity is a key element of online course design. Incorporating interactive learning content into online learning has been proven to be a best practice that adds outstanding value to Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ's learning experience. As technology advances, instructors have access to an increasing number of tools that allow them to include interactivity into their online classes.
In this facilitated, two-week course, participants review the benefits of various types of interactive content and activities, discuss how to create specific types of interactive content (e.g., interactive presentations, interactive video lectures, interactive discussions, and interactive activities), and gain some hands-on experience with creating different types of interactive content using various tools.
Participants complete assessments such as discussion forums, assignments, and quizzes to evaluate their knowledge of the topics covered.
By the end of this course, participants are able to:
Delivery: Facilitated, asynchronous
Time requirements: 8-10 hours
Duration: 14 days
For each session of this course, participants will be able to review the Getting Started Module to understand course expectations and deadlines. Once participants pass the assessment and complete all course content, activities, and forums, they receive a certificate of completion. The course must be completed within 14 days, or participants must re-enroll in a future session.
Video is a powerful tool in education, offering dynamic and engaging ways to present content that cater to diverse learning styles. It allows Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs to pause, rewind, and review materials at their own pace, enhancing understanding and retention. Furthermore, videos humanize the learning experience, fostering connections between instructors and learners, even in online or asynchronous environments.
In this facilitated, two-week course, participants review the benefits of various types of instructional videos, identify key components and strategies for creating effective instructional videos, and plan out and implement a custom instructional video production.
Participants complete assessments such as discussion forums, assignments, and quizzes to evaluate their knowledge of the topics covered.
By the end of this course, participants are able to:
Delivery: Facilitated; asynchronous/synchronous blend
Time requirements: Variable, based upon participant
Duration: Variable, based upon participant
In this workshop, participants build a new online or hybrid course in Moodle with the aid of their own dedicated instructional designer. Courses are designed in six separate phases, with a synchronous web conferencing call at the end of each phase to verify progress and review suggestions for improvement.
To earn certification, participants must complete all six phases as described below as evaluated by their instructional designer.
Through guided course design in this workshop, faculty develop mastery of creating measurable course objectives with aligned assessments, creating and implementing a plan for modular course design, and ensuring an online or hybrid course meets the Quality Matters Essential Standards.
The participant and their corresponding instructional designer proceed through the following six phases of course design. Each participant receives their own sandbox course in Moodle with the Standard Layout to use throughout this process.
The pace of the course is set by the participant’s schedule and when the course should be ready for Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵs. After completing all six phases of design, participants earn a course completion certificate.
This course can be taken as the final step in reaching the Course Designer Certification, or it can be taken on an as-needed basis.
Delivery: Facilitated; asynchronous/synchronous blend
Time requirements: Variable, based upon participant
Duration: Each cohort lasts one semester
ODL 400 prepares faculty who are participating in a Quality Matters course review. Courses are selected the semester preceding the start of the intended course review, and faculty are enrolled in ODL 400 as part of a course review "cohort".
Before the Quality Matters review process begins, participants submit a link to their course, their course and module objectives, and the course map. Additionally, course designers should perform a self-review to determine what improvements need to be made to the course to best meet the 44 standards.
The purpose of this workshop is to provide feedback on the objectives and course map, and to guide course designers through all 44 Specific Review Standards, offering tips and resources on how they can be met for any course. At the end of each module of content, participants are invited to complete a checklist to evaluate if the course has met the relevant standards and provide evidence. Facilitators review the submitted checklists and offer feedback where possible. Finally, participants complete a Course Worksheet (including approved objectives and course map) in preparation for an actual review. After completing this workshop, participants should be better prepared to complete an official subscriber-led Quality Matters course review.
At the end of this course, participants are able to: