Teaching Effectiveness Certificate (TEC)

The Teaching Effectiveness Certificate is a foundational professional learning program designed for educators and trainers who are new to teaching in adult learning environments as well as for experienced educators and trainers seeking to revisit and reflect on the fundamentals of effectively teaching adult learners. This certificate provides essential training in key areas such as curriculum design, instructional strategies, assessment methods, and creating a community of learners. Participants who complete the certificate will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to confidently teach adult learners. The certificate consists of four courses, offering a comprehensive introduction to the core principles of adult teaching and learning.

Upon successful completion of the four core courses, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion.

TEC 001: Principles and Foundations of Teaching and Learning (12 hours)

This course introduces the principles of teaching and learning in adult learning environments. Participants in this course will reflect on the process of learning and how they can ensure their teaching practices include meaningful learning interactions that center all learners. The content in this course introduces the connection between teaching practices and learning processes, highlighting how prior knowledge and the organization of knowledge can impact a learner’s experience in a learning environment.

TEC 002: Planning Instruction (9 hours)

This course examines the importance of preparation and planning in a teaching and learning environment. It introduces participants to the importance of learning outcomes and backward design when approaching course and lesson planning. It also introduces the benefits of creating a structured lesson plan based on the 4A’s principles (i.e., activating, acquiring, applying and assessing knowledge) that helps to align various lesson components to the course outcomes and lesson learning objectives. Participants will also continue to learn strategies for creating an inclusive and equity-minded course by keeping in mind Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TiLT) during course planning.

TEC 003: Assessment and Evaluation (9 hours)

This course explores various issues in assessment and evaluation such as the rationale for choosing a specific assessment, assessment alignment with course learning outcomes, types of assessments, evaluation tools (e.g., rubrics) and evaluation techniques (e.g., giving feedback). This course also discusses the importance of authentic assessments, and assessments informed by the Universal Design for Learning Framework. Considerations for developing fair assessments include responding to learner variability, including offering accommodations for some, and responding to challenges of academic integrity. The practical component of this course includes designing an assessment activity and an evaluation tool.

TEC 004: Applying the Principles of Teaching and Learning (12 hours)

This course is the capstone of everything that has been learned in the Teaching Effectiveness certificate, as participants apply their learning in the development of an equitable, engaging and ethical lesson plan.

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