eLearning Academy

What is the eLearning Academy?

The Berks eLearning Academy provides an opportunity for faculty to design and develop online and hybrid courses.

The program focuses on a mixed process based upon Designing Courses for Significant Learning by Dee Fink and Conquering the Content: A Step-by-Step Guide to Online Course Design by Robin M. Smith. This process is based upon proven course design, instructional, pedagogical, and online student assessment strategies. The Academy guides faculty through the stages of effectively transforming courses from a face-to-face environment to a hybrid or online modality.

Cohort-based Hybrid Course

The eLearning Academy is conducted as a cohort-based hybrid course with five modules. Each module will include a one-and-a-half hour face-to-face or synchronous Zoom session, corresponding online work, and related assignments. There is also one course-wide individualized consultation. Specific session dates and times are based on the selected participants' schedules. The eLearning Academy is an intensive process that serves the dual purposes of professional development and preparation of a participant?s future hybrid/online course offering.

Participation in the eLearning Academy requires approximately 30 hours of work including the face-to-face or Zoom sessions. Participants will:

  • Attend at all five face-to-face or synchronous Zoom sessions
  • Select your needs and participate in an individual consultation
  • Complete all eLearning Academy assignments

After the completion of the eLearning Academy, participants will:

  • have a hybrid or online course designed
  • be awarded Penn State digital badge that you can publicly display
  • continuously receive prioritized CLT assistance related to the course development

Selection for Faculty Cohort

Up to ten applicants will be accepted for each cohort. Consideration for individuals to audit the eLearning Academy will be given on a case-by-case basis as well.

Applied Course Design and Development

The online course design and development process will involve a thorough examination of the structure of the course, course level learning outcomes, lesson level objectives, instructional material and activities, and assessment techniques.

The outcome is to create the basis of a hybrid/online course design that adheres to the Penn State Quality Assurance Standards and focuses on increasing student learning.

For more details about each session, please see the Face-to-Face Session Topic Descriptions »

Application Process

Faculty may apply for the eLearning Academy during the application period. To apply, complete the Online Application Form.

Selection Considerations

  • Proper completion of application
  • Number of students impacted
  • Suitability of course for hybrid/online format
  • Prior experience of faculty member with Canvas, web-enhanced courses, and hybrid/online courses
  • Potential to improve student learning and/or retention
  • Ability to replicate to other courses
  • Course supports a program moving to a hybrid/online format
  • Commitment to the Berks eLearning Academy participation requirements

Need more information?

Contact Hongyan (Red) Yuan, at [email protected] 610.396.6343 or Dr. Daonian Liu at [email protected] 610.396.6189