Basic competence in online teaching: Preliminary lessons learned from a university's approach to assure faculty readiness in teaching online

Abstract

While there have been studies into the roles and competencies of faculty in online learning environments, scholarly literature in the context of faculty accreditation is limited. This paper reports on the implementation of Technology Enhanced Learning framework in a university that aims at empowering the faculty members to use the best appropriate technology that enhance students’ learning outcomes. We present the process of overcoming multi-faceted challenges of designing and implementation of a work-in-progress initiative intended to ensure its faculty will be ready to teach online (and remotely) on their own. The initiative was designed to identify the most essential competencies of teaching online at a university, help faculty understand these competencies, evaluate their current skill level in relation to these competencies, and close any gaps in skills. Change management strategies of challenging current teaching and learning regime, sharing common vision, motivating for actions are used. Preliminary observations from the pilot indicate that this approach allowed faculty to measure their current skills and take steps to address skill deficiency, though various challenges in ensuring the entire faculty population is prepared for online teaching still exist.