Teaching Forward: CTL/OLC Faculty Development Series
Learn it. Build it. Teach it.
Build practical skills, apply evidence-based strategies, and strengthen student learning across modalities through a number of custom pathways created by the Center for Teaching Excellence that bundle nationally-recognized courses from the Online Learning Consortium. Each pathway features focused learning sequences aligned with institutional priorities and the evolving needs of teaching in higher education.
This professional development is available for free to anyone who teaches online or blended classes at UNK. This includes faculty, lecturers, and adjuncts. Those who complete Tier 2 requirements are also able to earn a stipend.
This program has two tiers that faculty can complete:
In Tier 1, instructors receive funded seats in the CTL/OLC professional development pathway of their choice, valued at more than $500.
After completing all courses within their selected pathway, participants may submit their earned OLC course badges to CTL. Upon verification, they will receive a CTL Pathway Badge issued by the Office of Graduate Studies and Academic Innovation, formally recognizing their professional development achievement.
Tier 1 provides
Funded enrollment in a complete OLC pathway
Nationally recognized course credentials from OLC
A CTL-issued Pathway Badge recognizing focused professional growth
Individuals who choose to participate in the Tier 2 can gain some additional benefits in exchange for helping the Center for Teaching and Learning expand our professional development offerings. Instructors who choose this tier, in addition to the benefits in Tier 1, will receive a $500 stipend in exchange for completing the following tasks:
Give a live professional development presentation related to what you learned in your pathway. This presentation can take several forms (traditional presentation, hands-on workshop, etc.) and be dedicated to the audience of your choice (all faculty, faculty in a specific college, new faculty, adjuncts, etc.)
Create a one-hour self-paced module on a topic related to the pathway you chose for the CTL.
Create a one-pager for the Teaching Resources section of Teach UNK.
How to Participate
Tier 1
Step 1: Submit the Interest Form Complete the interest form to indicate which of the six available CTL / OLC professional development pathways you would like to pursue.
Step 2: Enroll in and Complete the OLC Courses Successfully complete all OLC courses that make up your selected pathway.
Step 3: Submit Your OLC Course Badges After finishing the required courses, submit the digital badges you received from OLC to CTL for verification.
Step 4: Receive Your CTL Pathway Badge Once your completion is confirmed, you will receive a CTL Pathway Badge from the Office of Graduate Studies and Academic Innovation recognizing your achievement.
Tier 2: Additional Steps for Stipend and Leadership Contribution
Participants in Tier 2 complete all Tier 1 steps above, plus the following:
Step 5: Deliver a Live Professional Development Session Facilitate a presentation or workshop related to your completed pathway for a campus audience of your choice (e.g., all faculty, a specific college, new faculty, adjuncts).
Step 6: Develop a One-Hour Self-Paced Module for CTL Create an asynchronous professional development module aligned with your pathway topic for use in future CTL programming.
Step 7: Create a One-Page Teaching Resource for Teach UNK Develop a practical, implementation-focused resource to be published in the Teaching Resources section of Teach UNK.
Step 8: Receive Your $500 Stipend Upon completion and approval of all Tier 2 deliverables, you will receive the $500 stipend
Pathways
Effective Online Facilitation
The Effective Online Facilitation pathway provides learners with the option take the following courses:
Engaging Learners in Online Discussions (offered July 27, 2026 - August 2, 2026) OR
Engaging Learners in Online Discussions Self-Paced (can be taken at anytime before the deadline)
Facilitating Online Group Work Self-Paced (can be taken at anytime before the deadline)Increasing Interaction and
Engagement Self-Paced (can be taken anytime before the deadline)
Accessibility (Accessible Course Design Badge)
The Accessible Course Design pathway provides learners with option take the following courses:
Accessible Course Design using WCAG
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
March 5, 2026 - April 5, 2026
May 18, 2026 -May 24, 2026
July 27, 2026 - August 2, 2026
October 26, 2026 - November 1, 2026
ADA and Digital Accessibility Self-Paced (can be taken at any time before the deadline)
Practical Applications for Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
July 13, 2026 - July 19, 2026
November 9, 2026 -November 15, 2026
AI for Teaching and Learning
The AI for Teaching and Learning pathway provides learners with the option take the following courses:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Demystified
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
March 23, 2026 - March 29, 2026
July 20, 2026 - July 26, 2026
September 28, 2026 - October 24, 2026
AI-Powered Course Design
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
April 6, 2026 - April 12, 2026
June 1, 2026- June 7, 2026
August 24, 2026 - August 30, 2026
October 19, 2026 - October 25, 2026
AI & Assessment
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
July 13, 2026 - July 19, 2026
November 9, 2026 -November 15, 2026
Emerging Technologies
The Emerging Technologies pathway provides learners with the option take the following courses:
Augmented and Virtual Reality in Higher Ed
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
June 1, 2026 - June 7, 2026
AI for Collaborative Brainstorming
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
May 11, 2026 - May 17, 2026
September 14, 2026 - September 20, 2026
AI-Informed Learning Analytics: From Data to Impact
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
May 4, 2026 - May 10, 2026
September 21, 2026 - September 27, 2026
Alternative Modalities
The Alternative Modalities pathway provides learners with the option take the following courses:
Flipped Learning Course Design
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
April 20, 2026 - April 26, 2026:
October 5, 2026 - October 11, 2026
Blended Learning: Creating Your Own Blend Self-Paced
Hy-Flex Learning Design with Ai Tools
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
April 6. 2026 - April 12, 2026
November 2, 2026 - November 8, 2026
Assessment
The Assessment pathway provides learners with the option take the following courses:
Alternative Assessment: Grading for Growth
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
March 16, 2026 - March 22, 2026
Assessment Strategies that Engage Students
This course is offered the following times over the next year:
June 8, 2026 -June 14, 2026
September 14, 2026 - September 20, 2026
December 7, 2026 - December 13, 2026
OR
Assessment Strategies that Engage Students Self-Paced
