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Online Instructor Certification

The Online Instructor Certification (OIC) is a fully online four-week certification that prepares USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee instructors to teach online. The course includes strategies for planning instructor presence, active learning approaches for online presentations, assessment/feedback planning, and more. 

Please note that the stipend initiative expired in the June 2024 cohort. It has been our pleasure to offer this stipend to support our efforts in reaching the , which requires that 90% of faculty teaching fully online courses (AD/PD) complete a professional development activity for online teaching. The designated professional development platform for USF Tampa, St. Pete, and Sarasota-Manatee online faculty is the OIC. Faculty from USF Health can inquire about certification through their college representative(s) who specialize in online course design and support.  

Right here. 

 

We now offer an accelerated, live version of the OIC. In this format, attendees will participate in a comprehensive one-day training remotely facilitated through Microsoft Teams. Following this session, participants will have a week to complete all required assignments, which include the development of online teaching plans for each topic area and group-based peer interaction.

Requirements for OIC Boot Camp are as follows:

• Attendance of the one-day training for the full duration of the session (excluding lunch and breaks)
• Completion of all required assignments within the one-week timeframe
• Evidence of participation within all group activities

We are excited to offer this version of the OIC, allowing you to enhance your online teaching skills in a shorter timeframe while maintaining the program's high standards of quality and effectiveness.  

 

The OIC is required for those who are listed as the instructor of record for fully online courses (AD/PD) at USF. Per the , instructors teaching fully online courses (AD/PD) are required to complete a professional development activity for online teaching. The designated professional development platform for USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee online faculty is the OIC. Faculty from USF Health can inquire about certification through their college representative(s) who specialize in online course design and support.  

Priority was given to faculty teaching online. Faculty eligible for the stipend, in order of priority, were as follows:

1) instructors teaching a fully online course (AD/PD) in 2024 
2) instructors teaching a fully online course (AD/PD) in the next 2-3 years
3) instructors who were previously certified through the OIC and wish to recertify

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE STIPEND INITIATIVE EXPIRED IN THE JUNE 2024 COHORT. 

Stipend stipulations: 

• In order to receive stipend, participants had to complete all required assignments.
• Instructors were eligible for the stipend on a one-time basis. This applies regardless of whether they acquire it through the OIC, a recertification, or other pertinent training opportunities. The stipend was a singular disbursement per individual.
• Stipends were only available to USF employees with an active appointment and were required be an active instructor of record at time of payment processing. "" were not eligible to receive the stipend but may take the OIC without stipend. 
• Stipends generally require 1 to 2 pay periods for processing.
• Once the stipend initiative expires after the June 2024 cohort, no stipends will be awarded.  

The OIC stipend payment aligns with the retention category of regulation 10.202. 

 

Absolutely. We welcome anyone who was previously OIC certified and wishes to refresh their skills with a recertification. First priority in the OIC will be given to those who are still pending certification; however, space will be reserved in each OIC cohort for those wishing to recertify. Recertification enrollment will be granted based on cohort capacity and on a 鈥渇irst come first serve鈥� basis. If space is not available, you will receive notification and you can register for a future cohort. 

• In our traditional (four-week) OIC, participants will not be required to attend live lectures or meet at a specific time. However, online office hours will be available. The course is delivered over a four-week period, and participants typically spend one to three hours per week reviewing presentations, engaging with peers, and completing assignments. To ensure the best possible experience, each module will be rolled out weekly. 
• In the Boot Camp OIC, participants will be required to attend a one day Teams session followed by one week in Canvas where participants will typically spend one to three hours reviewing presentations, engaging with peers, and completing assignments.

Certification requires the completion of all assignments and participation within peer-review discussions. The OIC fosters a collaborative approach where you will connect with peer faculty through rich discussions. 

 

Absolutely! The OIC has been designed to accommodate everyone regardless of technical background or experience teaching online. We recognize the challenge of learning anything new (especially technology), and the OIC provides ample tutorials and facilitator support to ensure that you can complete the required assignments and master the skills. 

 

Yes. The OIC is required for anyone teaching a fully online course (instructor of record) at USF and previous experience teaching online or certifications from other institutions are not a substitute. To meet the goals set in the , instructors teaching fully online courses (AD/PD) are required to complete a professional development activity for online teaching. The designated professional development platform for USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee online faculty is the OIC.

 

If you are not the instructor of record of an online course but would like access to the OIC, we offer the OIC Open. The OIC Open is a replica of the certification-based OIC, but it is self-paced and does not count toward certification. You can use this as an opportunity to preview the OIC and/or use it as a training resource to build your skills as an online instructor. 

 

Only those who are instructor of record with an active appointment can receive the stipend. Those who are not instructor of record may still acquire certification without stipend. Or, for immediate access to the OIC materials, you can . If you are unsure if you are instructor of record you can check with your department coordinator or the person in your college who schedules courses. Your depatment chair will be a contact point for this as well and/or check Student Self-Service (formerly OASIS) .