UToledo Online

Pathway to Master Online Instructor Program

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The Pathway to Master Online Instructor Program is a series of free professional development courses for UToledo faculty and teaching assistants developed and offered by UTo­ledo Online. In this program, you will learn the fundamentals of online course development and delivery and current trends in the field of online learning. The program is comprised of five courses offered throughout each academic year. Upon successful completion of all five courses, participants are recognized as Master Online Instructors. To learn more about the courses in the program, please see the course descriptions below. 

Registration

At the beginning of each semester, faculty will receive an email from UToledo Online with links to register for upcoming courses and workshops. You can also check our training and faculty development schedule below for currently open registrations for Pathway Program courses, as well as Blackboard trainings and other topical workshops from UToledo Online:

Training Schedule and Registration

Program Update as of Fall 2026

We are excited to share a brand-new course in the Pathway to Master Online Instructor Program – AI for Teaching and Learning Certificate! This new offering will replace the QM Peer Reviewer Course as the fifth course in the program. The QM Peer Reviewer Course is still available as a professional development training option for faculty (see the Quality Matters page for more information), but it will no longer be a part of the Pathway Program.

If you have already taken the QM Peer Reviewer Course, don’t fret! We will still honor this course in the Pathway Program for anyone who completed it prior to August 20, 2026.


Course Descriptions

Online Teaching Certificate 

Description: This three-week online course prepares faculty and teaching assistants at The University of Toledo to effectively facilitate teaching and learning in an online environment, through discussion and active learning activities. The course also enables participants to practice using various online communication and assessment tools as they complete learning activities from the student perspective.

Semester Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer


Online Course Design Certificate

Description: This four-week online course prepares faculty and teaching assistants at The University of Toledo to effectively design instructional materials, learning activities and authentic assessment for online delivery. Participants will gain insights about online pedagogy and best practices through a wide range of authentic tasks. A capstone project enables participants to demonstrate what they have learned in an applied setting, while building a foundation for additional course development in Blackboard.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the Online Teaching Certificate course.

Semester Offered: Summer.

Please Note: A registration link will be sent by invitation only to those who meet the prerequisite.


ADA Compliance in Online Courses

Description: This three-week online course prepares faculty and teaching assistants at The University of Toledo to address accessibility when designing and developing their online courses. This course covers topics such as cultural and legal aspects of ADA, course design considerations for accessibility, and includes hands-on activities in formatting electronic documents and preparing multimedia content with accessibility in mind.

Semester Offered: Spring, Summer


AI for Teaching and Learning Certificate

Description: In this three-week online course, faculty and teaching assistants at The University of Toledo will explore the effective, responsible, and practical use of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. Participants will engage with real-world examples, emerging tools, evidence-informed instructional strategies, and thoughtful discussions. The course culminates in a reflective project in which participants will develop a practical, personalized action plan for integrating AI into their teaching, grounded in the course learning and tailored to their specific instructional context. 

Semester Offered: Fall, Summer


Applying the Quality Matters Rubric 

Description: Quality Matters (QM) is designed to improve the quality of online courses though a peer-reviewed quality assurance review process. In this workshop, you will learn about the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric, the course review process, the concept of alignment, and how to draft helpful recommendations for course improvement. This workshop is offered either as a full day synchronous virtual workshop or it can be divided into two half-day sessions. Workshop sessions are taught by UToledo Online or other member institutions from the Ohio Quality Matters Consortium.

Semester Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer


Master Online Instructors

Upon successful completion of all five courses in the Pathway Program, participants are recognized as Master Online Instructors. Congratulations to our Master Online Instructors, listed below:

Year Awarded Instructor College/Unit
2015 Barbara Mauter University College
2016 Ruthie Kucharewski College of Health and Human Services
2016 Daniel French College of Arts, Social Sciences and Education
2016 Jessica Sloan Kruger College of Health and Human Services
2017 Barbara Saltzman College of Health and Human Services
2017 Barbara Kopp Miller University College
2017 Michael Douglas UToledo Online
2018 Jill Humprhies College of Arts, Social Sciences and Education
2018 Sely-Ann Headley-Wilson College of Health and Human Services
2018 Jennifer Perion College of Health and Human Services
2018 Melissa Gleckler UToledo Online
2018 Shujuan Wang Judith Herb College of Education
2018 Chelsea Chandler UToledo Online
2019 Michelle Arbogast Judith Herb College of Education
2019 Colins Imoh Judith Herb College of Education
2019 Kelly Lewandowski School of Nursing
2019 Krizia Melendez College of Health and Human Services
2019 Colleen Quinlan School of Nursing
2019 Monica Williams College of Health and Human Services
2019 BethAnn Hatkevich College of Health and Human Services
2019 Daniel Hickey College of Medicine and Life Sciences
2019 Jeanna Tran College of Health and Human Services
2020 Sylvia Suh UToledo Online
2020 Holly Monsos College of Art and Letters
2020 Yolanda Mora-Calderon College of Art and Letters
2021 Nancy Snow College of Business and Innovation
2021 Dhurba Raj Sapkota College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
2021 Diana Franz College of Business and Innovation
2021 Nicole McKenzie College of Health and Human Services
2021 William Weaver College of Health and Human Services
2021 Mathew Varughese College of Health and Human Services
2021 Anthony Daniels College of Arts & Letters
2021 Fuad Al-Daraweesh American Language Institute
2021 Christa Black College of Health and Human Services
2022 Claire Copa College of Health and Human Services
2022 Michelle Walker UToledo Online
2022 Robert Langenderfer College of Engineering
2025 Akram Khattab College of Business and Innovation

Participant Testimonials

View the videos below featuring UToledo faculty who have participated in the Pathway Program. Hear more about what they learned and how these professional development courses have enhanced their teaching:

 

Last Updated: 8/20/26