Register now! E-Learning for Educators UW-Stout Online

ONLINE COURSE EDUC 760 

E-Learning for Educators 3 semester hours graduate credit

Adjunct Professors, K-12 Educators, Corporate Trainers, Health Educators, Curriculum specialists: Hone your skills so you can compete in a growing job market!

Explore online and blended applications for e-learning using an open source learning management system, Moodle, and the D2L learning management system. You will have the opportunity to create your course content with Moodle, an inexpensive way for educators to create an effective online course.

The course provides a strong foundation in e-learning and online teaching theory and technology.  Emphasis is on developing a community of practice founded on critical reflection, personal interaction, and rich experiences with web 2.0 tools. E-Learning for Educators is is the recommended first course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program.

Activities include hands-on experience with Web 2.0 tools such as social bookmarking, blogs, podcasts,  personalized search tools, surveys, quizzes, and discussion systems.

This course prepares learners to lead and manage instructional challenges in a variety of online settings in educational institutions, corporations, the military, health care and government agencies. The emphasis is on what you can use right now in your teaching or training.

This course introduces educators to the hands on realities of teaching online. Using Moodle and D2L teach and learn as both a student and an instructor.  Discover e-learning best practices and create discussion forums, online surveys, quizzes and e-portfolios.

EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators 3 graduate credits
This is the introductory course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate, is an approved elective in the online Master of Science in Education degree program, and is open as an individual course to students seeking professional development.

Course Info
No Registration Fees
Free E-Books
Online Real Time Tutoring
Lynda.com subscription

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What students are saying:

"This is a 'MUST HAVE' series of courses for any teacher or trainer that is interested in learning how to teach online. The instructors have a strong virtual presence and made the courses very interactive and relevant to my personal learning, as well as providing high quality, research based content and facilitating thought provoking discussions among the participants. I was always 'in the know' of how I was doing throughout the courses due to timely and supportive feedback. For me, these courses set a new standard in online learning!"
~ Jen Hegna, Information Systems Manager
Byron, Minnesota

"It was a great first experience with online learning!  I would, I have, and I will, recommend the course to colleagues with whom I work, and I would consider another online course without hesitation. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!" 
~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California

"I enjoyed the instructor(s) and their focus on organization and professionalism."
~ Instructor at Waukesha County Technical College, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

"Prior to beginning the class, one of my most strongly held notions was that the interaction and level of engagement in an online course environment could not come close to the experience one has in a face to face class. While I don't know that I am ready to fully embrace the concept that one should be able to earn a high school diploma or a Bachelor's degree completely online,  I certainly believe there is tremendous value, rigor, and powerful sense of community that can be developed in a thoughtfully constructed course with a skilled teacher shepherding the process. "
~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California

UW-Stout E-Learning Professor to receive Sloan national online teaching award

November 18, 2013 

Susan Manning works in a virtual world.

Since 2007 she has taught exclusively online for University of Wisconsin-Stout. It makes perfect sense: she teaches classes on the subject of online teaching.

"For me, the world of work has always been online," she said.With no need to be on campus, Manning lives in Aurora, Ill. She has never been to UW-Stout, although she is very much a part of it because of daily interaction with students, faculty and administrators.

She will be representing the university in person, however, Thursday, Nov. 21, when she receives one of the highest honors available in her field, a national Sloan Consortium online teaching award.

"I'm very honored and excited to receive such a prestigious national award," said Manning, who cited administrative support from UW-Stout as a key to her effectiveness as an online instructor.

The award will be presented at the Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning in Florida. Manning and a professor from the University of Vermont will receive the award. The Sloan Consortium is regarded as the leading professional online learning society.

Strong online presence

Manning represents a growing aspect — and possibly the future — of higher education, a teacher who never walks into the classroom because there is no classroom.

In Manning's world that's not a problem. She sees it as a positive. She not only believes she can be highly effective as a virtual instructor but maybe even do some things better than a traditional teacher.

"I venture to say my students get more feedback and more personal attention than they would if they sat in a classroom with me," Manning said. "There's an ongoing dialogue I have with every student every week."

Manning creates an interactive environment through a variety of methods. She's part of small discussion groups with students so they "see evidence that I'm there every day." She gives them detailed weekly feedback, more via technology than she most likely could provide in person. She appears in videotaped weekly lesson introductions, does real-time video presentations three times a semester and video chats — just like stopping by the professor's office — by appointment.

One of her strengths is using interactive games and simulations; her students in turn learn how to use them to assess their students. She presented research last summer on the educational application of games at a national conference on distance learning.

She teaches, on average, three Graduate School courses per semester for UW-Stout, Games for Learning and Assessment; Instructional Design for e-Learning; and Instructional Strategies and Assessment.

Many students in her classes are pursuing either a master's degree in education or UW-Stout's e-Learning and Online Teaching Certificate. "Most are either K-12 or higher ed faculty who want to learn how to move from the traditional classroom to teaching online," she said.

An 'A' for the teacher

In student evaluations, Manning consistently receives marks of 4.75 or higher on a five-point scale."Her teaching is exemplary in regard to well-designed curriculum and student engagement. We're very fortunate to have Dr. Manning as an instructor for UW-Stout," said Mary Hopkins-Best, dean of the UW-Stout College of Education, Health and Human Sciences.

Hopkins-Best added that Manning breaks down technology as a barrier and helps her students embrace it to enhance learning. "She is described (by students) as not only having content expertise but as a role model," she said.

Manning has a bachelor's degree in communications from Truman State in Missouri, a master's in student personnel from Bowling Green in Ohio and a doctorate in adult education from Ball State in Indiana. She taught at the University of Illinois prior to UW-Stout.

As a virtual instructor, Manning could teach anywhere. She chose UW-Stout and has stayed because of outstanding administrative support for online instructors, she said.

"It was very clear to me after the first year how much better UW-Stout was at supporting its faculty so that I can really teach — I love to teach — and not have to deal with administrative issues. It's phenomenal," Manning said.

"There are thousands and thousands of other good online teachers who interact with students, but I think it's the use of tools available to me at UW-Stout that allow me to communicate with students instantly that make a difference," she added.

Manning's virtual world even goes beyond teaching. She works part-time for a New York-based company that produces online events for museums, libraries and other organizations. She hosts webinars and online conferences. "I've been a virtual employee for a long time," she said.

UW-Stout Online

UW-Stout is a leading UW System school in online and distance education, with students from 46 states and 36 countries. 

The university offers more than 700 courses online for students either on or off campus. 

The number of online courses at UW-Stout has nearly tripled since 2008, according to Doug Stevens, director of UW-Stout Online.

Learning to learn online as you learn to teach online

Many traditional learners who enter the Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program at UW-Stout go through a period of adjustment during the first course, E-Learning for Educators.   There is so much information in the class, so many new ideas, so many intriguing resources that the desire to read everything and click every link can be overwhelming.

I like to remind folks that our classes are "8 week intensives".  The courses earn the same number of credits as a traditional face to face 18 week graduate course.  I think that helps when to adjusting to the work load.

The other thing I do is send our students to Joan Vandervelde's Tips on reading during an online class.  Joan's great advice goes a long way to help students learn hypertext reading habits.  
I also remind our students that each course remains open at least a year. This means they return and review the resources and discussions as they see fit.  Indeed, those that go on to the E-Learning Practicum class are expected to revisit each of their courses as part of a culminating e-porfolio project.

Traditional students are stuck on the idea that they have to read everything and follow every link.  You just can't do that in 8 weeks or 8 years. Reading hypertext resources requires persistence, and focus. The information filtering theme in the first e-learning course is about selectively pursuing interests, and using the Diigo social bookmarking system to save, tag, annotate and share resources you want to revisit or remember in the future.

When I first started as an online student I made a notebook of printed pages for each of my classes.  I recall the sense of old time order and control it gave me to print the assignments, punch three holes, and divide it all into flip book order.  I think I did that for the first 4 courses of my masters degree.  
Luckily I evolved out of that habit; saving a forest over the last 10 years!

The journey from online student to online teacher is an intense and fascinating experience.  Changing ingrained learning habits, understanding how to think with technology, figuring out how to project your voice and mind across the Internet, and being able to tolerate the ambiguity of a constantly changing digital landscape will help us all be lifelong learners in the 21st Century!

A question for all who teach and learn online: Which 'old school' habits do you want to change? Which will you hold on to?

Online Adjuncts Needed: UW-Stout

Open Invitation to Apply: http://www.uwstout.edu/cec/adjpool.cfm 

University of Wisconsin-Stout maintains a pool of qualified individuals who would like to teach online courses. This is an open invitation to apply for the University’s Adjunct Instructor Pool. Individuals with online teaching experience and appropriate degrees in instructional areas offered at University of Wisconsin-Stout are encouraged to apply.

Candidates with e-learning and online teaching certificates and online e-portfolios should emphasize that experience when completing the the web-based application.

The university is building a pool of qualified subject experts with professional online teaching skills to teach general education courses at the undergraduate level. Additional opportunities are available at the graduate level for teaching instructional design, reading/literacy, using games to assess learning

Please do not send resumes or applications to this blog. Only applications submitted to the Adjunct Pool will be reviewed for spring 2012 openings. 

Learn to teach online: Fall 2011

ONLINE COURSE EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators 

Learn to teach online!


Adjunct Professors, K-12 Educators, Corporate Trainers, Health Educators, Curriculum specialists: Hone your skills so you can compete in a growing job market!

Explore online and blended applications for e-learning using an open source learning management system, Moodle, and the D2L learning management system. You will have the opportunity to create your course content with Moodle, an inexpensive way for educators to create an effective online course.

The course provides a strong foundation in e-learning and online teaching theory and technology.  Emphasis is on developing a community of practice founded on critical reflection, personal interaction, and rich experiences with web 2.0 tools. E-Learning for Educators is is the recommended first course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program.

Activities include hands-on experience with Web 2.0 tools such as social bookmarking, blogs, podcasts,  personalized search tools, surveys, quizzes, and discussion systems.

This course prepares learners to lead and manage instructional challenges in a variety of online settings in educational institutions, corporations, the military, health care and government agencies. The emphasis is on what you can use right now in your teaching or training.

This course introduces educators to the hands on realities of teaching online. Using Moodle and D2L teach and learn as both a student and an instructor.  Discover e-learning best practices and create discussion forums, online surveys, quizzes and e-portfolios.

EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators 3 graduate credits
This is the introductory course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate, is an approved elective in the online Master of Science in Education degree program, and is open as an individual course to students seeking professional development.

Sections are nearly full:

Dates: Choose one section:


EDUC 760 901 October 3 – November 30, 2011 Instructor: Dennis O'Connor
EDUC 760 902 October 3 – November 30, 2011 Instructor: Sara Turansky

Register Now Course Info

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What students are saying:

"It was a great first experience with online learning!  I would, I have, and I will, recommend the course to colleagues with whom I work, and I would consider another online course without hesitation. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!" 
~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California

"I enjoyed the instructor(s) and their focus on organization and professionalism."
~ Instructor at Waukesha County Technical College, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

"Prior to beginning the class, one of my most strongly held notions was that the interaction and level of engagement in an online course environment could not come close to the experience one has in a face to face class. While I don't know that I am ready to fully embrace the concept that one should be able to earn a high school diploma or a Bachelor's degree completely online,  I certainly believe there is tremendous value, rigor, and powerful sense of community that can be developed in a thoughtfully constructed course with a skilled teacher shepherding the process. "
~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California

The Advantages and Realities of Teaching Online

National and International Reach

The courses at UW-Stout are open to learners from around the world. Over the years in addition to North America, I've worked with people from most of the countries of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.  In addition to a large group from the Wisconsin, last semester we had participants from Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Vermont, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Georgia, Florida, California, and Alaska. From overseas there were teachers connecting from Korea, China, Taiwan, Okinawa, Dubai, Germany, Austria, and England.

Joining our classes means you are preparing to learn and make a living well beyond the boundaries of our home towns.

Teaching Tactics: Notes Become Grade Book Comments

I'll often write my responses into the grade comments area of the course management area as I read the posts. This helps me capture my thinking, without jumping into the discussion too early or too often.
D2L allows me to make preliminary notes in a grade field invisible to participants. This way I capture my thinking about each post as I read and work a bit on my comments for the week. I can then paste my reactions into the public discussion when I'm ready to wrap up the week.

Discussion Dynamics

You might ask, why not just post what you have to say in the discussion? An instructor already has a big voice in a class. I write my own classes, so my voice is present in both the content and the discussions.  I don't want to dominate a conversation or cut it short. At the same time I want students to know I'm present, and attentive.  Walking this fine line between either hijacking a conversation or disappearing as the discussion rushes by is one of the skills all online instructors must constantly practice.

Seasoned Faculty

All of the instructors in our program are highly experienced professionals with exceptional online teaching abilities.  At the same we're all teachers and learners tuned to the needs of those just entering the field.  Our goal is to help you learn both the theory and practical every day technology driven realities of working and teaching online.

How Dreams Become Goals

If you've ever dreamed of giving up the commute to the classroom for the freedom of e-learning, now's the time to turn your dreams into goals.  Join us for a great semester of online teaching and learning!

Register now for the  University of Wisconsin-Stout's Fully Online Classes in E-Learning and Online Teaching!

Certificate Home Page
Last Call for Summer 2011
EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators Two start date options: Begins June 20, 2011.  

Where will you be a year from now? Register now!

Make Money Teaching Online! (Part 5)

The best time to look for work is when you already have a job. This is when you make your plans.  Planning to leave the face to face classroom for virtual work takes preparation as well.

Finding a job is so much more than shooting resumes out via email.  Certainly the a good resume is part of the picture, but it's just one tool of many you need to sharpen as you work toward a career change. 

Be prepared!

I went back to school and got a certificate in online teaching and learning as well as a Masters Degree in Education with an emphasis on distance learning. I could see the future coming and I loved the work. I taught part time for Connected University and held on to my classroom job.  I chased grants and learned to both design and teach online. I believed hard work, dedication, and setting goals would change my world.  Eventually I took the leap to full time online employment. Despite my preparations,  it took me several years to learn the ropes.

I wish I knew then, what I know now.

I recall attending a conference just after I left the 'security' of the classroom and a traditional job.  I was at the conference to learn and to network, but I really didn't know what I was doing.  An educational sales rep took pity on me and briefly schooled me. 

• Get a business card.
• Establish a web presence.
• Network with decision makers.
• Join and participate in professional groups.

I did all that and more. Over the first few years of my career, working with dial up modems from a small mountain town, I learned project my work and experience across the country using the Internet.

The first year as a consultant and online teacher involved a lot of trial and error.  I remember sending out hundreds of reasonably crafted and targeted emails with resume.  The silence was deafening.  The offers were few, far between, and underpaid.  It was very discouraging. But that's what it took for me to realize I needed to reach out to the people I knew and truly network. My Eureka Moment came when I reconnected with some great teachers I'd met via ISTE.  After that door open to more opportunities than I could have imagined.

To prepare for an academic online teaching career I recommend reading: Make Money Teaching Online: 2nd Edition: How to Land Your First Academic Job, Build Credibility, and Earn a Six-Figure Salary: Revised and Updated
The book helps you get organized and set goals. When I read this book I didn't learn anything new. I did see  much of what I'd learned by trial and error and hard knocks laid out chapter by chapter.  If you are just getting started, or if you are stalled and wondering how to grow your academic career, read the book.  It's filled with solid advice.  Follow the advice and you'll be better prepared when opportunity comes your way.

Read More about Finding E-Learning Jobs! 

Here are more articles about strategies for finding online work, and the kinds of preparation and paperwork you should be working on:

1. Where and How to Find E-Learning Jobs
2. Finding E-Learning Jobs* This will help you see the big picture! 
3. Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
4. E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
5. Make Money Teaching Online 
6. Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work