Frequently Asked Questions

To enroll in one of the certificates, please complete the process outlined for each certificate on the CTDP webpage. Please note that enrollment is specific to the semester so if you do not complete the certificate during that semester, you will need to enroll again in a different semester.

Once you are accepted into the specific certificate program for that semester, you will have access to its Brightspace site, where all content and submissions are housed.

The two certificates are both standalone and can be completed in any order.

It is totally up to you! You can complete either or both in any order. There are no restrictions on who can complete the Certificate of Foundations. To complete the Certificate of Practice, you must have some type of teaching role (which might include any of the following: leading a recitation or lab, holding office hours, grading, holding review sessions, etc.). See the requirements for each certificate for further details.

No, our certificates are not an “official” certificate program offered by the university. However, we encourage you to include the certificates on your CV when applying to positions related to teaching and learning to illustrate your interest and commitment to improving your teaching skills.

In order to complete the Certificate of Foundations, you must:

• Complete all modules in the online program within the specified dates.
• Complete all reflections and discussions within each module in the program.
• Complete an overall guided reflection following completion of the entire series of modules.
• Plan to devote approximately three hours each week during the four-week online program.

The Foundations Certificate must be completed in a single semester. If you enroll in the certificate but cannot complete all required modules, you must re-enroll in the certificate in a different semester in order to complete it.

No, our series of modules is created such that each modules builds on the others. If you cannot complete all of the required modules this semester, you must wait until the next semester in order to participate in the program.

No, because the modules are designed to create a community and build on each other, you must complete all of them in the same semester within the specified dates. Even if you have completed several of the modules in a previous semester, you must complete them all again during the semester in which you complete the Foundations Certificate.

No, since the series of modules always includes the same basic topics, you can only complete the Foundations Certificate once.

In order to complete the Certificate of Practice, you must:

• Follow the two-step process to sign up for the Certificate of Practice.
• Read and summarize several scholarly articles related to your topic.
• Meet with a mentor at least three times during the semester to discuss your topic.
• Apply what you have learned to your teaching.
• Complete a guided reflection (using the provided template) on your experience dealing with your challenge/opportunity this semester.

Please see the Brightspace site for templates for the proposal and guided reflection.

The Certificate of Practice must be completed in a single semester. In order to complete the certificate, you must submit your proposal by the end of the first week of the semester and you must turn in your final guided reflection by the end of semester.

Yes! The Certificate of Practice is designed so that you will be focusing on a specific topic or emphasis. You are welcome to enroll in the certificate each semester that you have some sort of teaching role, as long as you pick a different emphasis to investigate.

The topic is largely up to you, but there are many themes found throughout literature on teaching and learning that you may wish to address, including:

• Documenting evidence of learning.
• Building meaningful relationships with students.
• Giving effective and supportive feedback.
• Creating an inclusive environment in the classroom.
• Providing supplemental materials to assist students with difficult topics.