Course Delivery
All the Instructional Technology Certificate courses are taught fully online. Both synchronous and asynchronous components are incorporated into the curriculum. The courses are facilitated through the learning management system Canvas; live sessions are hosted through either Big Blue Button, which is integrated into the adopted LMS, Adobe Connect, which is available to FGCU faculty and students, or Google Hangouts. WordPress is integrated into four of the six required courses (i.e., EME 6207 Web Design & Development, EME 6209 Still & Time-Based Media, EME 6284 Instructional Design, and EME 6675 Instructional Design for Informal Learning) to present course content and facilitate the synchronous discussions. Yet, from the student users’ perspective, the integration of WordPress is seamless as they don’t feel they ever left the Canvas system when accessing the externally hosted content. The synchronous sessions are intended to supplement the asynchronous components, and these live sessions are voluntary and archived for future references. Students are given the latitude to pick and choose tools as they see fit to complete course assignments.

Instructional Methods
Students build up their skill sets as they move the program. Their work is modeled on the faculty who teach the courses. Each instructor has a unique teaching style and technology teaching philosophy. Yet, all the instructors manage to demonstrate what and how to do, allow students to apply what is demonstrated, and encourage students to solve a real-life problem using the learned knowledge, skills, and abilities. Students are exposed to a variety of teaching methods and transformed at the end of the program. The faculty who teach the program all have an expertise (i.e., a doctorate) in educational technology or a related field and are award winners at some point of their career. A total of three professors who are currently teaching in the M.A. in Instructional Technology program are committed to facilitating the courses aforementioned. Several qualified part-time faculty in the M.A. program are also available. All faculty members have a terminal degree in Educational Technology or a related area and, most importantly, all have considerable (10+ years) online teaching experience. They show respect and concern for online students; they are willing to facilitate the instruction; they are capable of communicating ideas and information with the students.

Because the Instructional Technology Certificate program is integrated into the Master of Instructional Technology program (online), the certificate program is developed for web delivery. This consistency allows the prospective and present students to enjoy technology affordance the online program brings forth.

The online Master’s program has been in existence since the mid 90’s. Technology comes and goes. The program has evolved from a fully asynchronous delivery to where both synchronous and asynchronous methods are adopted using technology such as Canvas LMS and Adobe Connect.

Student Assessment
Student performance is assessed in each course using the letter grade system, as instructed by the FGCU College of Education's policy. Each course assessment (a.k.a. end-of-class grade) is the accumulation or a function of various grades from assignments and activities. See the syllabi on the Course Requirements page for more information.

As shown on the overview and courses pages, both formative and summative evaluation are integrated into the certificate program. The College of Education also uses LiveText software to assist in the assessment of student performance and program quality. Each course in the program requires a student to submit at least one critical task to LiveText for evaluation. Each critical task aligns with the course learning outcomes and standards for the program. This assessment strategy is in line with 2012 AECT Standards. Also on the program level, a confirmation evaluation will be conducted on a regular basis in conjunction with the annual master’s program evaluation for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Program Length
Courses are offered online through FGCU's Canvas learning management system. Full-time students (three courses) should be able to complete the program in two semesters. Part-time students can complete the program in three semesters. The program generally offers three courses per semester that are part of the Instructional Technology certificate program.