Athabasca University, Canada’s leader in online post-secondary education, through the Centre for Distance Education (CDE) and the Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC), the premier distance learning partner for primary and secondary education in Alberta, are excited to present an innovative module offering for the professional development of practicing teachers.
Nine – four week modules are the equivalent to the study of three graduate courses, and each of the nine modules is tailored to allow completion within a four week period. BOLT participants gain professional knowledge, building on and extending the art and craft of teaching in the digital world.
BOLT Modules
Throughout all the modules, BOLT students will:
- Build, curate and maintain professional learning networks (PLN) for online and blended teachers.
- Explore Webinars, Online PD, MOOCs, Social Software, and Open Educational Resources (OERs) for ongoing professional learning.
- Develop contributions to a professional learning network via sharing, collaborating and providing feedback.
- Engage in evidence-based, professional conversations with colleagues regarding digital learning and teaching.
Areas of Study
While students can take BOLT modules in any order, the curriculum is grouped into three main subject areas:
BOLT 671 – Introduction to K-12 Online Learning
BOLT 672 – Online Teaching for K-12
BOLT 673 – Advanced Study in K-12 Online Teaching
Learning Theory and Systems Analysis
BOLT 674: Learning Theories
BOLT 675: Instructional Design Elements
BOLT 676: Systems Theory and Learning
BOLT 677: K-12 Digital Tools for Change
BOLT 678: Evaluating K-12 Digital Tools
BOLT 679: Pedagogy for Digital Learning
Online Interaction
Students communicate with the instructor and each other through computer-mediated communication (e-mail and computer conferencing). Assignments are submitted by electronic file transfer. Options for web conference (e.g. Adobe Connect) participation are provided and, to some degree, are dependent upon decisions of individual instructors and students.
Weekly Time Commitment
The recommended amount of time to spend upon a module will vary from student to student. However, the originating graduate courses have been designed so that successful students will spend between 10 to 12 hours each week. For the four weeks of a module, the first three weeks will include weekly online activity. During the fourth week, the online activity becomes optional and is intended as a time to complete the final assignment. Early access will allow BOLT students to prepare in advance of each module offering.
Apply to BOLT
Important: If you already have an Athabasca University (AU) student ID number, please login using your AU student ID number before completing your application.
Apply Online – you will need to submit the $100 application fee.
Once accepted into BOLT students may register for modules through their MyAU portal.