Teach Online
Online Instructor Certification
What is the OIC?
The Online Instructor Certification (OIC) is a fully online four-week certification that prepares USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee instructors to teach online. The course includes strategies for planning instructor presence, active learning approaches for online presentations, assessment/feedback planning, and more.
important update / extention of $500 stipend
We are pleased to annouce that we will continue to offer a one-time $500 stipend to faculty who acquire certification in 2024 in order to meet our FLBOG's 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education. The FLBOG goal requires that 90% of faculty teaching fully online courses (AD/PD) complete a professional development activity for online teaching. The designated professional development platform for USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee online faculty is the OIC.
Where can I register?
Right here.
Please note that space is limited and first priority will be given to those who are the instructor of record teaching a fully online (AD/PD) 2024 course.
***NEW***
OIC Boot Camp (One Week Version)
We now offer an accelerated, live version of the OIC. In this format, attendees will participate in a comprehensive one-day training remotely facilitated through Microsoft Teams. Following this session, participants will have a week to complete all required assignments, which include the development of online teaching plans for each topic area and group-based peer interaction.
At this time, we can only offer this option to instructors who 1) are currently teaching, or are scheduled to teach, a fully online course (AD or PD) and 2) who have not been previously certified.
Requirements for OIC Boot Camp are as follows:
- Attendance of the one-day training for the full duration of the session (excluding lunch and breaks)
- Completion of all required assignments within the one-week timeframe
- Evidence of participation within all group activities
Upon completion, participants will receive the $500 stipend and OIC certification. We are excited to offer this version of the OIC, allowing you to enhance your online teaching skills in a shorter timeframe while maintaining the program's high standards of quality and effectiveness.
Register for the OIC Boot Camp
Who is required to take the oic?
The OIC is required for those who are listed as the instructor of record for fully online courses (AD/PD) at USF. Per the FLBOG 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Instruction, instructors teaching fully online courses (AD/PD) are required to complete a professional development activity for online teaching. The designated professional development platform for USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee online faculty is the OIC.
Who is eligible for the OIC $500 stipend?
Priority will be given to faculty teaching online. Currently, faculty eligible for the stipend, in order of priority, are:
1) instructors who are teaching a fully online course (AD/PD) in 2024
2) instructors who plan to teach a fully online course (AD/PD) in the next 2-3 years
3) instructors who were previously certified through the OIC and wish to recertify
Stipend stipulations:
- In order to receive stipend, participants must complete all required assignments.
- Instructors are eligible for the stipend on a one-time basis. This applies regardless of whether they acquire it through the OIC, a recertification, or other pertinent training opportunities. The stipend is a singular disbursement per individual.
- Stipends are only available to USF employees with an active appointment and must be an active instructor of record at time of payment processing. "Courtesy faculty" are not eligible to receive the stipend but may take the OIC without stipend. If you are unsure, you can verify this with your department coordinator, department chair, or the person in your college who schedules courses.
- Stipends generally require 1 to 2 pay periods for processing.
The OIC stipend payment aligns with the retention category of regulation 10.202.
If I previously took the OIC, can I "recertify" and receive the stipend?
Absolutely. We welcome anyone who was previously OIC certified and wishes to refresh their skills with a recertification. Upon completion, participants will receive the $500 stipend.
First priority in the OIC will be given to those who are still pending certification; however, space will be reserved in each OIC cohort for those wishing to recertify. Recertification enrollment will be granted based on cohort capacity and on a “first come first serve” basis. If space is not available, you will receive notification and you can register for a future cohort.
Recertification stipulations:
- In order to receive stipend, participants must complete all required assignments. Those who took the most recent iteration of the OIC (launched in 2020) will be submitting updated plans and sharing with peers how those plans and teaching strategies have evolved.
- Instructors are eligible for the stipend on a one-time basis. This applies regardless of whether they acquire it through the OIC, a recertification, or other pertinent training opportunities. The stipend is a singular disbursement per individual and if you previously received an OIC stipend, you are welcome to recertify without stipend.
- Recertification stipends are only available to USF employees with an active appointment and must be an active instructor of record at time of payment processing. "Courtesy faculty" are not eligible to receive the stipend but may take the OIC without stipend. If you are unsure, you can verify this with your department coordinator, department chair, or the person in your college who schedules courses.
- Stipends generally require 1 to 2 pay periods for processing.
The OIC stipend payment aligns with the retention category of regulation 10.202.
what is the required attendance? how much time is required?
- In our traditional (four-week) OIC, participants will not be required to attend live lectures or meet at a specific time. However, online office hours will be available. The course is delivered over a four-week period, and participants typically spend one to three hours per week reviewing presentations, engaging with peers, and completing assignments. To ensure the best possible experience, each module will be rolled out weekly.
- In the Boot Camp OIC, participants will be required to attend a one day Teams session followed by one week in Canvas where participants will typically spend one to three hours reviewing presentations, engaging with peers, and completing assignments.
Certification requires the completion of all assignments and participation within peer-review discussions. The OIC fosters a collaborative approach where you will connect with peer faculty through rich discussions.
I have never taught online. will i be able to do this?
Absolutely! The OIC has been designed to accommodate everyone regardless of technical background or experience teaching online. We recognize the challenge of learning anything new (especially technology), and the OIC provides ample tutorials and facilitator support to ensure that you can complete the required assignments and master the skills.
I previously taught online at another institution. Is it still required?
Yes. The OIC is required for anyone teaching a fully online course (instructor of record) at USF and previous experience teaching online or certifications from other institutions are not a substitute. To meet the goals set in the FLBOG 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Instruction, instructors teaching fully online courses (AD/PD) are required to complete a professional development activity for online teaching. The designated professional development platform for USF Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee online faculty is the OIC.
What if I don't need to get certified but just want access to the OIC presentations and resources?
If you are not the instructor of record of an online course but would like access
to the OIC, we offer the OIC Open. The OIC Open is a replica of the certification-based
OIC, but it is self-paced and does not count toward certification. You can use this
as an opportunity to preview the OIC and/or use it as a training resource to build
your skills as an online instructor.
Enroll in the OIC Open
What if I am not an instructor of record? Am i eligible for the stipend?
Only those who are instructor of record are eligible for the stipend. Those who are not instructor of record may still acquire certification without stipend. Or, for immediate access to the OIC materials, you can enroll in the OIC Open. If you are unsure if you are instructor of record you can check with your department coordinator or the person in your college who schedules courses. Your depatment chair will be a contact point for this as well and/or check Oasis.