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Clark State Faculty Members Complete ACUE Effective Online Teaching Course

Clark State Faculty Members Complete ACUE Effective Online Teaching Course

December 13, 2021

Six Faculty members from Clark State College have completed a 25-week Effective Online Teaching Practices course offered in collaboration with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).

The teachers joined more than 150 faculty members from 22 Ohio community colleges as they learned and implemented equity-promoting, evidence-based teaching practices shown to improve student engagement, persistence, course completion, and learning.

The program is part of a collaboration between the Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC) and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). ACUE programs in effective teaching practices are based on more than three decades of research that demonstrates effective teaching improves learning for all students.

“The faculty were asked to volunteer to participate in the ‘Effective Online Teaching Practices’ course by the academic deans,” said Dr. Tiffany Hunter, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Clark State. “We were looking for those individuals who had an interest in learning new teaching strategies for online instruction.”

Hunter explained that criteria for selection was flexible as each college has different needs for faculty professional development.

“Consideration was given to faculty who had expressed a need for professional development related to online teaching, faculty who teach high D-F-W rate courses, faculty in disciplines where students typically struggle and faculty actively teaching during the spring and fall terms, 2021,” said Hunter. “Participants were placed into professionally facilitated cohorts of peers across institutions to create communities of practice.”

Hunter said the 25-week course prepares faculty in evidence-based online teaching practices proven through independently validated research to improve student achievement and close equity gaps. Faculty who completes the program earn a nationally recognized Certificate in Effective College Online Instruction, the only college teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).

“We are excited to have faculty that expressed an interest in being included in this online course and we look forward to how their increased knowledge will benefit our students taking online courses,” said Hunter.

Considered a graduate-level course, the program consists of 25 modules separated into four blocks—Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Online Learning Environment, Promoting Active Learning Online, Inspiring Inquiry and Lifelong Learning in Your Online Course, and Designing an Effective Course.

Equity-promoting teaching practices are among the hundreds of recommended approaches that faculty learn about and develop in ACUE courses, as demonstrated in ACUE’s Inclusive and Equitable Teaching Curriculum Crosswalk.

“This course exceeded my expectations,” said Pamela Ball, associate professor of management at Clark State. “Each weekly lesson provided useful and practical strategies for improving online teaching and learning that I could immediately incorporate into my courses.”

The Ohio Association of Community Colleges held a pinning ceremony for those who completed the Effective Online Teaching Practices course on December 2.

Clark State Faculty who completed the ACUE Effective Online Teaching Practices course include:

  • Katherine Cass, Instructor, Registered Nursing Program
  • Pamela Vaughn, Assistant Professor, Registered Nursing Program
  • Robert Adkins, Professor, Business & Applied Technologies
  • Michael Lander, Assistant Professor, Business & Applied Technologies
  • Pam Ball, Associate Professor, Business & Applied Technologies
  • Carol Miller, Assistant Professor, Arts & Sciences
  • Dr. Monnica Gavin, Associate Professor, Arts & Sciences

Media Contact

Lori Common Communications Coordinator

937.328.6086 commonl@clarkstate.edu