Harpur Instructors
Winter 2027 student instructors required to complete the training during the Fall 2026 semester will be contacted directly.
Successful completion of the Harpur Program on Online Teaching Pedagogy is REQUIRED before student instructors are allowed to teach online/hybrid courses in Harpur College, unless the instructor applies for, and is granted, an exemption.
The Harpur Dean's Office will consider petitions for exemption from the program and will contact the instructor via email with a decision.
Instructors who have previously completed this Certification OR the Harpur Program on online Teaching Pedagogy are not required to do so again. If you have any questions, please contact Kaitlin Maynard.
Course Information
The program consists of a fully online course in Brightspace. As per your online teaching contract, you must complete this course in order to successfully complete the program. Your course will be canceled if you fail to successfully complete the program or gain an exemption prior to the start of the course.
Description
In this course, we will discuss pedagogical approaches to teaching online and hybrid courses and effective organization, communication, and management of online/hybrid courses. This course consists of 7 units, each with several lessons. Every unit contains various types of content (text, video, etc.) that you will interact with and one or more assignments to complete. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn the basics of the Brightspace LMS and features.
Topics
- Module 1: Intro to Online Teaching and Learning
- Module 2: Organization and Planning
- Module 3: Creating Engaging Content
- Module 4: Building Community and Managing Your Course
- Module 5: Assessment, Feedback, and Grading
- Module 6: Making Your Course Accessible and Equitable
- Module 7: You've Only Just Begun!
Enrolling in the Certification Course
This is a self-enrollment course located on Brightspace.
- Login to Brightspace.
- Click Discover in the main navigation bar.
- Select the BU Certification for Advancing Teaching Online.
- Click Enroll in Course.
Course Completion
To earn the certificate of completion for this course, you must complete the following:
- Earn at least an 80% on each unit quiz
- Complete the Brightspace Training Assignment
Once you have completed all that is listed above, your certificate will appear under Awards in the course navigation. You can generate a PDF of this certificate by clicking on the certificate name and selecting generate.
Program Completion & Due Date
Completion is due by December 8, 2026 for those instructors teaching in the Winter 2027 term.
At the close of the program, the Harpur Dean’s Office is sent the names of those who have successfully completed the program. These individuals’ online/hybrid courses will be approved. Failure to complete the Certification or receive an exemption by the indicated date will result in course cancellation.