1.    What are some of the benefits of teaching online?

2.    How long does it take to develop an online course?
3.    What are some of the tools/features that I can use in my online course?
4.    What specific activities can students do online?
5.    Who are the online students?

6.    How do I communicate with my online students?

7.    Can I develop a course without committing myself to teaching it?
8.    How much experience with computers, etc. do I need in order to teach online?
9.    What steps do I need to take to develop an online course?
10.  How do I go about teaching an online course that has already been developed by another faculty member?
11.  I have online teaching experience from other schools; is it mandatory that I complete BC's professional development training?
12.  I completed my professional development training this term, how soon can I teach online?
13.  If I want to talk to someone about teaching online, who should I contact?

1.  What are some of the benefits of teaching online?
The flexibility, the convenience, particularly during the summer, and the potential for additional earnings are among the many benefits experienced by faculty who choose to teach online. Faculty also enjoy the new and different ways of interacting with their students, the availability of quality online resources, the chance to explore new and different teaching strategies, and the advantage of staying current competitive in the academic field.

3.  What are some of the tools and features that I can use in my online course?
Blackboard, BC's Learning Management System, has web-based tools and features that will allow you to:

• Manage online discussions, including private small group discussions.

• Communicate with students via course e-mail.
• Create and receive assignments electronically.
• Set up and deliver assessments online, and provide individual evaluations to your students.

• Upload and organize course materials into learning modules.

• Create and organize online resources such as web links.

• Evaluate, track, and grade students' course work, and allow students to check their grades.

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4.  What specific activities can students do online?
Students can:

• Participate in class or group discussions.

• Communicate with instructors or classmates via course e-mail

• Receive and submit assignments electronically and receive feedback from instructor.

• Participate in private, small-group collaborations or projects.

• Take online quizzes, or self-tests, or exams;
• Check grades online any time.

5.  Who are the online students?
They are basically anyone your campus allows to enroll in your course. In a networked environment, students may be working from their home, from their campus, from their work site or "on the road." They may be as close as your same building, or half way around the world. Many will be working adults, but some will be traditional students.

6.  How do I communicate with my online students?

You can communicate with your students using Blackboard communications tools such as Announcements, Mail, Discussions, Chat, and Who’s Online.

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7.  Can I develop a course without committing myself to teaching it?

Yes. However, your department and Associate Dean would have to ensure beforehand that qualified instructors are available to teach it once the course is developed. We also strongly recommend that you teach/facilitate your online course at least for the first time so that you can better improve it.

8.  How much experience with computers, etc. do I need in order to teach online?

The skills necessary to teach/facilitate an online course are minimal and extensive technical expertise is not required. However, you should feel fairly comfortable working with computers, sending and receiving e-mails, and navigating the Internet. If you can browse the Web, enter a Web address, locate and open files on your computer, send e-mail with attachments, you already have the basic skills for teaching online. Please see Professional Development for the required workshop you need to take in order to take online at BC.

9.   What steps do I need to take to develop an online course?

First, discuss your desire with your Associates Dean and get his/her support/approval. Second, register and complete the required “Building Quality Online Courses” workshop (see Professional Development) and be officially certified to develop online courses. Third, contact Lisa Ciardulli in Instructional Technology (x6567) to sign a Course Development Agreement (CDA), which is required to begin the course development process.

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10.  How do I go about teaching an online course that has already been developed by another faculty member?

First, discuss your desire with your Associates Dean and get his/her support/approval. Second, register and complete required the Professional Development. Third, contact Lisa Ciardulli in Instructional Technology (x6567) to sign a Course Delivery Agreement, which is required to begin teaching an online course.

11.  I have online teaching experience from other schools, is it mandatory that I complete BC's professional development training?

YES. Professional Development is required from all faculty members who intend to teach/facilitate or develop online course at BC. Please see Professional Development.

12.  I completed my professional development training this term, how soon can I teach?

It is up to your department and your Associate Dean.  Normally, you should be able to teach an existing the following semester if there is a suitable course identified for you.

13.  If I want to talk to someone about teaching online, who should I contact?
First contact and discuss with your Associate Dean. Then contact Lisa Ciardulli (x6567), District Director of E-learning Programs and Services, for questions related to logistics and procedures. If you have questions about Professional Development or how to use specific tools and features in Blackboard, contact Yaping Gao (x6360), District Director of Instructional Design, or any e-learning faculty associate on your campus. Please see the e-learning contact list.

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