This poster is about a new faculty training initiative at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The program is designed for faculty new to teaching online and blended classes. It consists of two online courses that cover major pedagogical and technological competencies necessary for online instructors. The courses were created to help instructors and teaching assistants understand the differences between face-to-face and online and blended teaching, familiarize them with best pedagogical practices and the LMS environment, and develop their technical skills. We will provide an overview of the training courses, along with their structure, content, and technologies used. We will also outline specific technological competencies (e.g., use of communication and assessment tools) and pedagogical competencies (e.g., instructor presence and maximizing course interactions) necessary for teaching online.
