POET – Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I sign up?

A: There are two ways.

1. The first way is to click here and self-enroll at this link —https://palomar.instructure.com/enroll/GBMM7H
2. The second way is to register through the PD Portal for 10 hours of Professional Development credit. When you log on to PD, note that it is not on the calendar. Look at the tab Learner Home and scroll down to Suggested Trainings.

Q: What if I want the PD credit to count for next year?

A: You can still take the POET course at your convenience. For part-time faculty, don’t submit it in the PD Portal until Aug 1 so the hours can go to your Fall PD Contract. Full-time faculty can complete hours year round.

Q: Do I have to take it by a certain date or sign up for it before the semester ends?

A: It is open to enrollment at any time. You can sign up now and do it later or sign up later and complete it later.

Q: How long does it take to get certified once I complete it?

A: A week or less.

Q: What if I am hopeless with computers and feeling overwhelmed by all of this?

A: You are not alone. You can still do POET, but first you need a little TLC. We suggest you begin with one-on-one sessions with our talented ATRC staff. They are only 30-minutes and address your specific challenges. Sign up here http://www.palomar.edu/atrc/appointments/ .

Q: How do I know if I am on the list of instructors certified to teach online?

A: Check the current list here.

Q: Can I take/review POET if I am already certified?

A: Yes. In fact, we encourage certified instructors to self-enroll and use the Best Practices Discussion Boards in the last module learn from other Palomar instructors about online teaching. You don’t have to take the course to use the Discussion Boards.

Q: What if my course area doesn’t work well for online learning?

A: You would be surprised how others have managed to make it work out of necessity. This course has Best Practices Discussion Boards (in the last module) by discipline so that, for example, online science instructors can talk to other science instructors about effective ways to teach material online. Also, we will add Best Practices we learn about from other schools into the appropriate subject Discussion Boards.

Q: What other ways can I be certified if I don’t want to take this course?

A: According to our “Administrative Procedure 4105: Distance Education,” faculty can be certified, or validated, to teach online in three ways:

1. Evidence of successful completion of Faculty Senate-approved distance education pedagogy workshops.

1. 1. The Faculty Senate approved distance education course is called Palomar Online Education Training (POET).
   2. Faculty are added to the list of certified instructors upon successful completion of POET.

2. Evidence of coursework, certificates and/or degrees that focus on online teaching and were completed at other accredited higher education institutions.

2. 1. Proof of a coursework, degrees or certificates completed at another higher education institution can be sent to the Distance Education coordinator for review and approval to be added to the list of certified online instructors.

3. Evidence of a successful course design and facilitation as demonstrated by alignment with the criteria approved by the Faculty Senate.

3. 1. The criteria approved by the Faculty Senate that is used to demonstrate successful online course design and facilitation is the CVC-OEI rubric.
   2. Instructions for conducting a review of an existing course showing alignment with the CVC-OEI rubric.

For more information, email Erin Hiro at ehiro@palomar.edu.