A Distance Education Institute is a faculty-led learning space designed to support instructors in exploring and implementing new strategies and teaching modalities in distance education. It provides a structured professional development experience where faculty learn from peers, engage with emerging teaching strategies and technologies, and apply best practices to course design and instruction. Through collaborative learning and hands-on application, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of a new area in distance education, ensuring they are well-prepared to enhance their online teaching effectiveness.
DE Institute: 8-Week Course Design and Teaching Strategies
The DE Institute: 8-Week Course Design and Teaching Strategies is designed to support faculty prepare to teach 8-week semester course sections. This supportive cohort focuses on applying effective practices for the skillful use of educational technology and the integration of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities in an 8-week learning environment and provides a framework for the unique needs of teaching an 8-week term.
DE Institute: HyFlex Teaching and Learning
The DE Institute: HyFlex Teaching and Learning is designed to help you prepare for teaching a HyFlex class. This supportive cohort will focus on applying effective practices for implementing HyFlex delivery in your own course, demonstrate how to utilize HyFlex technology in the classroom, and provide tips for integrating synchronous learning activities and engagement in a HyFlex learning environment.
Summer 2025 Offerings
JUNE, 2025
INSTITUTE: 8-Week Course Design and Teaching Strategies
| Dates | Times | Location | Registration Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 30 July 17, 18, 25 |
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom meeting | Applications Closed |
- Note: Applicants are allowed to apply for only one DE FLC or DE Institute each semester.
- Deadline to Apply: Friday, June 20 at 5 p.m.
Schedule & Topics:
Monday, June 30 – Thursday, July 17: Asynchronous Online Activities
- Unit 1: 8-Week Teaching and Learning: What, Why, How (1.5 hours)
- Unit 2: Effective Short Course Design: Modular Course Design (1.5 hours)
Friday, July 18, 9am – 12pm: Zoom
- Unit 3: Effective Orientation for an 8-Week Course (1 hour)
- Unit 4: Create a Learning Community in an 8-Week Course (1 hour)
- Unit 5: How to Assess 8-Week Learning (1 hour)
Friday, July 25, 9:30am – 11:30am: Zoom
- Unit 6: Finalize Your Own 8-Week Course Plan (2 hours)
Facilitator: Dr. Lei Ji, Professor, Economics
Applicant Prerequisites: All levels of teaching experience and technology skills are welcome. Faculty teaching 8-week courses will be prioritized. Faculty are recommended to have completed APPQMR training.
Stipend: $1000 stipend (total) will be paid after participating in the institute, successfully meeting all requirements, and completing a redesign of your 8-week course section.
Professional Development: 8 hours To self-report credits, go to Workday > Profile icon > View Profile > Career > Training > Add Training
Registration Cap: Minimum: 6 Faculty / Maximum: 15 Faculty
Deadline to Apply: Friday, June 20 at 5pm
Participants will receive an acceptance letter from the Distance & Alternative Education Office after the application deadline has passed.
Please note: Faculty can participate in only one Distance Education Faculty Learning Community (FLC) or Distance Education Institute per semester.
Contact: For any questions, please email [email protected].
JULY 2025
INSTITUTE: HyFlex Teaching & Learning
| Dates | Times | Location | Registration Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 12 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. |
Zoom meeting & In-person |
Apply Now |
- Note: Applicants are allowed to apply for only one DE FLC or DE Institute each semester.
- Deadline to Apply: Monday, July 7 at 5 p.m.
This learning opportunity will be delivered in three sessions: AM, PM, and One-on-One:
- AM Session: This session will cover the topics of Orientation, Getting Started with HyFlex, and Designing your HyFlex Solution.
- PM Session: This session will cover the topics of Develop Engagement Approaches, Implementing HyFlex in your Own Course, and Explaining and Evaluating your HyFlex Course Design.
- One-on-One Session: This session will cover the topic of ACC HyFlex Technologies.
The training is divided into three sessions. The first two sessions are delivered as HyFlex. Faculty have the choice of which of the first two sessions (AM or PM) they will attend on campus or online; however, faculty must attend one session online and one session in-person on the Highland Campus to gain the student experience in a HyFlex meeting. After the first two sessions, faculty must attend a one-on-one meeting in-person on campus to learn the HyFlex technology in their own classroom and step through the process of running a HyFlex class meeting.Consultations with Distance Education Instructional Designers will be available after the training. Faculty who are accepted will be part of a research study assessing this modality and should be prepared to participate in documenting how students attend throughout the semester.
Facilitator: Stephanie Long, Professor, Geographic Information Systems, Associate Dean, Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI)
Applicant Prerequisites: All levels of teaching experience and technology skills are welcome. Faculty teaching HyFlex courses will be prioritized. Faculty are recommended to have completed APPQMR training. Faculty planning to teach a HyFlex course in the future must attend this HyFlex training first.
Stipend: $1000 stipend (total) will be paid after participating in the institute, finishing HyFlex course design, and scheduling the HyFlex course.
Professional Development: 7 hours
To self-report credits, go to Workday > Profile icon > View Profile > Career > Training > Add Training
Registration Cap: Minimum: 6 Faculty / Maximum: 15 Faculty
Deadline to Apply: Friday, June 6 at 5pm
Participants will receive an acceptance letter from the Distance & Alternative Education Office after the application deadline has passed.
Please note: Faculty can participate in only one Distance Education Faculty Learning Community (FLC) or Distance Education Institute per semester.
Contact: For any questions, please email [email protected].