Description:

Learning-Centered Course Design (LCCD) provides the essential concepts required for teaching in higher education, whether in person or online (synchronous, asynchronous, or hybrid), in post-secondary or other types of programs.

In this certificate, you will develop robust learning outcomes that are aligned with assessments and instructional strategies. Through engagement with learning theories, you will recognize the effectiveness of taking a learning-centered approach to teaching. Further, you will come away with the information you require to teach a diverse community of learners and have a new or redesigned course completely developed.

Throughout the asynchronous certificate, you will be assessed through uploaded documents and online quizzes. To attain the certificate, you must pass all quizzes at 100%. You may retake quizzes as many times as needed. The certificate is mastery and outcomes based, designed to be completed in 30 hours. However, you will have six months to complete, so that you can proceed through the certificate at the rate comfortable for you. Once you have satisfied all learning outcomes required to successfully complete this certificate, you will be issued your certificate of completion and a letter outlining the competencies and learning outcomes you achieved (as detailed below). All materials required to successfully complete the course are provided through the learning management system.

Who is the certificate developed for?

Anyone teaching adults, whether in higher education or other types of programs, online or in person.

Competencies:

You will demonstrate your ability to:

• Design learning-centered courses that –
  • support diverse learners,
  • holds learners to high expectations,
  • provides high support for learners, and
  • uses appropriate supportive technology.
• Align learning outcomes, assessment, and instructional strategies that –
  • include robust learning outcomes that clearly state the learning activity, criteria, and conditions,
  • outlines  appropriately sequenced and chunked diagnostic, formative, and
  • summative assessments, and
  • utilizes active and peer learning to meet outcomes.
• Develop a learning-centered syllabus that –
  • uses warm personalized language,
  • is transparent and supportive, and
  • provides structure.

Certificate Learning Outcomes (CLO)

By the end of the certificate, you will:

1. Intentionally cultivate and expand your teacher identity through reflection, resources, and other aspects of the certificate.
2. Appropriately identify the relevancy of a context-driven practice to ensure that students are supported in their learning.
3. Expertly craft learning outcomes with all three components.
4. Successfully recognize the importance of appropriately sequenced and aligned diagnostic, formative, summative assessment.
5. Personally distinguish a range of active instructional strategies suitable for in and out of the classroom, online, and in blended formats that align with learning outcomes and assessment.
6. Expertly develop a learning-centered syllabus.

Course Plan

The course is comprised of three modules:

Module 1 How People Learn: The theories behind the practice

By the end of this module, you will:

1. Critically examine your underlying beliefs, assumptions, goals, conceptions, and pedagogical approaches to teaching and student learning.
2. Fully recognize the difference between teacher-centered/content-oriented teaching to learning-centered teaching.
3. Compare and contrast the varying learning theories, paradigm shifts, and misconceptions about learning.

Module 2 Course Design: Beginning at the end

By the end of this module, you will:

1. Thoroughly examine the components of the Course Design Model.
2. Clearly recognize how context, the learning environment, and students’ prior knowledge impact student learning.
3. Expertly develop learning outcomes at the course, module, and lesson level.
4. Adeptly distinguish the purpose and use of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment.
5. Competently chart assessment sequence and grading scheme for each assignment.
6. Purposely develop different types of instructional strategies that align with your learning outcomes to support student learning, whether in person or online.

Module 3 Pulling it all together

By the end of this module, you will:

1. Expertly organize course components into a learning-centered syllabus.
2. Competently develop learning-centered lesson plans.

Cost:

$247.00 USD or $325.00 CAD per module
Total cost: 3 modules = $741.00 USD or $975.00 CAD for the complete certificate

To register for this certificate, go here:

Testimonials:

About me

I have over 20 years experience in Educational Development in Higher Education and over 35 years related to workplace learning. As the former Director of Teaching Excellence at the University of Victoria, I garnered significant experience in developing programs and courses, teaching undergraduates, graduate students, and professors, and mentoring many about learning and teaching in higher education. In 2017, I was honoured with the Educational Developers Caucus Leadership Award for my national work related to educational development. My research focuses on early career academics’ first teaching in the academic workplace. This work and my expertise has been and continues to be shared with institutions around the world, such as Canada, the United States, China, Uganda, Pakistan, and Ghana.