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Program Overview

The Electronic Learning Institute Online Faculty Certification Program is the only PERFORMANCE BASED program available outside a specific institution or organization. This is not a certificate given for participating in a training class, by going to a workshop or two, or even attending university courses. This program certifies that the individual meets or surpasses all of the certification criteria and has demonstrated the skills necessary for successful online course delivery.

Through this certification program an institution, organization, or an individual instructor can be assured that the highest quality of online teaching and learning is taking place. This program also provides a very high level of instructional consistency. It has been shown that the higher the levels of instructional quality and consistency, the higher the student retention rate.

Distance Learning Associations and Higher Education Accreditation bodies are establishing specific certification criteria or standards for online, web-based distance learning programs. As this occurs, we will meet them immediately. We are in contact with all primary accrediting associations and distance learning associations. The Electronic Learning Institute PERFORMANCE BASED certification criteria has been developed through the insights, suggestions, and experiences of online, web-based practitioners the world over; from the U.S., to Great Britain, to Germany, to Australia, to Hong Kong.

Teaching and facilitating learners in an online, web-based environment is significantly different than teaching in a face-to-face classroom. Just because an instructor was successful in one environment does not mean that they will be equally successful in the online environment.

Program Specifications

This Online Faculty Certification Program begins with an analysis of the online teaching skills of the Certification Candidate. Each individual is a Certification Candidate regardless of their prior classroom experiences or position in an institution.

A certified Electronic Learning Institute Mentor is assigned to each Certification Candidate. Each Mentor has received specific Mentor training from the Electronic Learning Institute. The Mentor assists, helps, and encourages each Certification Candidate throughout the teaching of the online course the Certification Candidate selects for this certification process.

Each Certification Candidate teaches their course of the duration used by the institution where the online course is taught. The Mentor remains "in the shadows" of all parts of the course.
The mentor evaluates the teaching skills and the course design used by the Certification Candidate.
Learners in the online class taught participate extensively in the evaluation process.
The Mentor and the Certification Candidate together review the learner evaluations and the Mentor’s recommendations.
The Certification Candidate makes the Mentors recommendations to the course prior to the course being taught again.
The course is then taught again with the recommendations incorporated by the Certification Candidate. The Mentor participates as in the initial online class.
It is anticipated that the course evaluations will indicate positive results.
The e-Learning Institute then certifies the Candidate to be certified.
In the situation where the Certification Candidate does not successfully complete the second teaching of the course, they will have the opportunity to teach their course for a third time if they wish. There will be an additional cost for this opportunity.

With the mentor providing a positive recommendation and the learner evaluations from both of the courses indicate positive results, the Electronic Learning Institute then certifies the candidate as a Certified Online Instructor.

The Electronic Learning Institute has researched various higher education accreditation associations and distance learning associations regarding Performance Based Certification Criteria and Standards for Online Web-based Instruction and Delivery. The Electronic Learning Institute has also developed Criteria and Standards Used in Evaluating Web-based Instruction and Delivery Guidelines. These Guidelines contain six broad criteria that encompass 96 quality process standards used in evaluating web-based instruction and delivery.