Description
We’re pioneers in the design and delivery of digital teaching, learning and assessment. This certificate is available globally and offers you the unique opportunity to study the theory and practice of online and blended teaching through content created by experts from The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology. You’ll study ways in which new media and cutting-edge educational technologies can be used effectively and equitably across multiple sectors to engage diverse learners and meet their needs.
Key features of the course
- Deepens your understanding of online teaching, learning and assessment, and learning that blends face-to-face and distance education
- Designed to meet the needs of practitioners using new technologies in their professional context
- Encourages you to link your studies with your own practice throughout
- Relevant for non-practitioners with an interest in online learning
Planning your studies
You must be prepared to study at postgraduate level. This usually means holding a bachelors degree - whether from a UK university or from one outside the UK - or its equivalent.
All teaching is in English, and your proficiency in the language needs to be adequate for postgraduate study and for contributing to online discussions by text and voice. If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend that you make sure you can achieve a score of at least seven in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To assess your English Language skills in relation to your proposed studies, you can visit the IELTS website.
Although experience of distance education may be an advantage, it is not essential.
If you are not sure whether your qualifications and experience are suitable, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice.
How long it takes
Most students study the Postgraduate Certificate in Online Teaching part-time, completing 60 credits over one year. Typically, this means 18 study hours each week.
Career relevance and employability
The Postgraduate Certificate in Online Teaching is closely focused on developing knowledge and skills that can immediately be applied to professional practice. You will explore the implications of learning design and educational technology choices made across a wide range of contexts and organisations, both formal and informal, and for diverse learners. You will advance your skills in selecting and designing with educational technologies and your understanding of how educational technologies can be evaluated.
This qualification is relevant for professionals including teachers, trainers, lecturers, educational technologists, learning designers, librarians, project managers, entrepreneurs and practice educators in nursing and other subjects.
Modules
To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits as follows:
60 credits from:
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
On completion
On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Postgraduate Certificate in Online Teaching. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PG Cert (OT) (Open) after your name.
You can progress from this Postgraduate Certificate in Online Teaching to our MA in Online Teaching (F98).
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification