Introduction to Online Teaching: Applications for the Spring 2019 cohort are now open

The Big Ten LCTL Partnership, housed in the Center for Language Teaching Advancement (CeLTA) at Michigan State University, has focused on developing online models of LCTL instruction, promoting proficiency-oriented teaching practices, and collaborating across the Big Ten Academic Alliance. As part of this continued effort, they are happy to put out a call for applications for their Introduction to Online Language Teaching course, which is free of cost and open to LCTL instructors within the Big Ten Academic Alliance in Spring 2019!

Introduction to Online Language Teaching is a fully online course designed for experienced classroom instructors who want to make the transition to teaching languages online. While each participant will bring his/her own pedagogical background, the course presupposes a task-based, proficiency-oriented view of language instruction, as well as a basic ability to use a Learning Management System (e.g., Canvas or Blackboard). Course participants will gain an understanding of key criteria and conceptual frameworks used to describe online pedagogy, and will develop expertise in the areas of course quality and design, accessibility, and media. The online nature of the course exposes participants to all of the affordances and constraints of online language teaching and learning, allowing them to experience a student’s perspective firsthand. This includes engaging in a variety of tasks and discussions, which are meant to be a non-comprehensive sampling of the possibilities of online learning. Participants will receive feedback, and, by the end of the course, will have developed a principled plan for developing an online course at their own institution. For more information, see the course outline below:

  • Length: 10 weeks
  • Weekly expected workload: 3-5 hours (mostly asynchronous with 2-3 synchronous meetings required during the course of the semester)
  • Dates: February 4 – April 12, 2019
  • Cost: free!
  • Learning Platform: D2L (MSU’s LMS)
  • No required materials other than those provided within the learning platform
  • Technology Requirements: computer with stable internet connection; webcam and microphone; mobile device (recommended)
  • Instructor: Luca Giupponi, LCTL Partnership Technology Directo

Because demand for the course is high and space is very limited, participants will be selected based on the strength of the application (note: a strong application does not require previous online teaching experience).

Applicants should submit a resume and a cover letter describing their interest in online language teaching, detailing how taking this course will impact their career and department/institution, and committing to the workload described above. All of the above application components must be submitted in ONE email (preferably one PDF) to lctlpartnership@celta.msu.edu by Wednesday, January 23, 2019.

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