To complete Level 1, participants must work through UMA’s Faculty Orientation to Brightspace and successfully complete the quizzes or successfully complete the corresponding assessment.

Estimated time for completion: 3-5 hours 

Pre-Requisite: None

Level 1 Outcomes

• Competency 1: Developing intentional course design for ease of use and navigation within the LMS
  • Describe the basic toolset in the LMS
  • Describe how the instructional goals inform tool selection
• Competency 2: Engaging students and creating community
  • Identify the communication and collaboration tools within the LMS
  • Describe the UMS approved options available to bring instructor voice/presence into the course
• Competency 3: Providing constructive and effective feedback
  • Identify tools for providing feedback in the LMS and other UMS supported tools
• Competency 4: Creating learning spaces that contain inclusive content and activities, as well as support resources
  • Identify support resources for designing inclusive content and activities
  • Describe practices for utilizing accessibility features in the LMS
  • Describe options for various types of content in the LMS
  • Identify tools for reviewing content for accessibility outside of the LMS
• Competency 5: Designing a variety of assessments that guide student learning and align to outcomes
  • Identify the various assessment tools in the LMS

To view the credential information in Badgr, please open Online Teaching Fundamentals Level 1. 

To complete Level 2, UMA participants will participate in UMA’s LEAD Course, successfully completing the course and earning the certificate. This course completion required the following elements:

• Four application activities to demonstrate course development skills,
• Seven module introduction videos with embedded quizzes,
• Six discussions in the LEAD Course Google Space and/or six live chats (you can pick one or both on a weekly basis).

Participants will have their participation, journals, and assignments evaluated on the Online Teaching Fundamentals Level 2 Checklist. 

Estimated time for completion: 6 weeks with 4-5 hours per week

Pre-Requisite: Successful completion of Level 1

Level 2 Outcomes

• Competency 1: Developing intentional course design for ease of use and navigation within the LMS
  • Evaluate the options in the LMS to support a diverse audience of learners.  
  • Examine course design choices based on their understanding of design concepts
• Competency 2: Engaging students and creating community
  • Explain options for establishing instructor and social presence within the LMS and other approved tools
  • Evaluate options for communicating instructor and social presence
  • Describe strategies for facilitating community in a course
• Competency 3: Providing constructive and effective feedback
  • Evaluate opportunities and strategies for providing effective feedback to guide student learning
  • Select from available tools to support feedback methods
  • Evaluate options for communicating instructor availability and response times
• Competency 4: Creating learning spaces that contain inclusive content and activities, as well as support resources
  • Describe the three main principles of UDL 
  • Analyze UDL guidelines and identify their implications for online learners 
  • Analyze support resources for designing inclusive content and activities
  • Identify practices of creating for accessibility outside of the LMS
• Competency 5: Designing a variety of assessments that guide student learning and align to outcomes*Describe the relationship between outcomes, content and assessments
  • Examine a variety of authentic assessment options that could align with learning outcomes
  • Differentiate between the ways formative, summative, and reflective assessments gauge progress and inform the learning process.

To view the credential information in Badgr, please open Online Teaching Fundamentals Level 2. 

To complete Level 3, UMA participants will develop a completed learning experience that will be evaluated using UMA's Online Teaching Fundamentals Level 3 Rubric with Assessment. Participants must score a minimum of 80% (demonstrate proficiency in at least thirty-one  out of thirty-nine  criteria) to complete Level 3. Participants will have the opportunity to revise aspects of their learning experience design that don’t yet meet the criteria.

Participants will also complete a guided reflection on the development process based on the Level 3 Rubric. 

There are two paths for UMA faculty and staff to earn Level 3:

• Path 1: After completion of the LEAD Course, faculty and staff will fully develop a new learning experience or course or revise an existing learning experience or course that applies skills developed from the LEAD Course.

• Path 2: Faculty (full and part time) can apply for the UMA Distance Course Development Grant Process and work with an LXD in the grant process.

  • If you complete the Distance Course Development Grant Process, you will work with two different tools to assess completion. The Development Process uses a checklist that does not evaluate the quality of the work. Instead, it checks for completion and offers feedback that fulfills the requirements of the course development experience. Earning the micro-credential requires the learning experience to be evaluated by a traditional rubric that assesses both completion and quality. that demonstrates your implementation of the skills and competencies, and complete a guided reflection on the development process based on the Level 3 Rubric.

To determine the path that would best meet each individual’s needs and experience, please consult with one of UMA’s learning experience designers. Email uma-lxd@maine.edu

Estimated time for completion: 

• Course Development Track: 12-14 weeks
• Independent Development Track: To be determined by the participant

Pre-Requisite: Successful completion of Levels 1 and 2

Level 3 Outcomes

• Competency 1: Developing intentional course design for ease of use and navigation within the LMS
  • Utilize LMS tools to enhance the learner's experience in the course 
  • Develop well-designed course materials using effective course design concepts
• Competency 2: Engaging students and creating community
  • Choose communication and collaboration strategies and tools that foster community and promote engagement
  • Select the option that best communicates instructor presence, engages and creates community
• Competency 3: Providing constructive and effective feedback
  • Establish feedback opportunities and strategies based on the assessment method and student needs
  • Select tools and establish effective feedback practices
  • Communicate routines to provide timely, frequent, meaningful, objective, and actionable feedback
• Competency 4: Creating learning spaces that contain inclusive content and activities, as well as support resources
  • Establish course design practices that support inclusivity
  • Establish course design practices that support universal design 
  • Develop and integrate accessible course content
• Competency 5: Designing a variety of assessments that guide student learning and align to outcomes
  • Establish alignment between selected assessments, content, and learning outcomes
  • Design authentic assessments that align to learning outcomes 
  • Design a variety of formative, summative, and reflective assessments to guide student learning

To view the credential information in Badgr, please open Online Teaching Fundamentals Level 3. 

Micro-credential

Once you complete all three levels of training and meet the required competencies at each level, you will be awarded the Online Teaching Fundamentals micro-credential.

What is a Micro-Credential?

A “micro-credential” showcases your competency in skills that are needed in today’s workforce. A verified micro-credential is earned when learners are able to demonstrate what they know — and what they are able to do — related to a specific topic.

University of Maine System (UMS) micro-credentials are made up of stacked digital badges, which highlight the skills employers are seeking. They are offered to University of Maine System students and as professional development opportunities for individuals already in the workforce to advance or increase their marketability. Micro-credentials earned through the University of Maine System are: Validated, evidence-based, sharable, portable, and stackable.

Badging Platform Public Page for all UMS Micro-credentials

University of Maine System Micro-credentials