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From Subject-Matter Expert to Expert Educator

Faculty who have earned an ACUE credential can teach effectively online or in person in a way that motivates all students to stay enrolled and succeed.

Deliver Excellence with ACUE

Microcredentials for Maximum Impact

The Flexibility That Today’s Faculty Need

Today’s higher education professionals are busier than ever and becoming certified may seem like a daunting prospect. With ACUE’s stackable microcredentials, any educator—regardless of teaching load—can transform their teaching in a way that’s realistic and relevant. 

As more institutions make strides to build flexibility into the higher education experience for students, ACUE now makes it possible to take a similar approach for faculty development. 

Educators

Endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE)

ACUE certification is endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE). That means faculty can rest assured that the ACUE mark of distinction will serve them well for the rest of their career.

Microcredential Course Options

The ACUE microcredential courses shown below can stack to lead to the full ACUE Certificate in Effective College Instruction, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE). ACUE-credentialed faculty can return to complete microcredentials to earn an Advanced Certificate in Effective College Instruction. Each of the microcredential courses is available in Effective Teaching Practices and Effective Online Teaching Practices.

Effective Teaching Practices

Gain proven techniques in using active learning, planning and facilitating discussions, and more.

ACUE’s microcredential course in Promoting Active Learning will provide you with practices proven to more actively engage your students in learning and thinking critically.

This course is organized around six competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

Competencies addressed in this course are aligned with ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework:

  • Developing Effective Class Sessions and Lectures
  • Teaching Powerful Note-Taking Skills
  • Using Groups to Ensure Active Learning
  • Using the Active Learning Cycle
  • Planning Effective Class Discussions
  • Facilitating Engaging Class Discussions

Educators who complete the requirements for this open enrollment course earn a microcredential in “Promoting Active Learning.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Learn how to ensure equitable access to learning, embrace diversity in your classroom, provide useful feedback, and more.

ACUE’s microcredential course in Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment is foundational in teaching practices that enable you to create an optimal environment to support learning—including how to increase student engagement, embrace diversity, and help students persist in meeting academic challenges.

This course is organized around seven competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

Competencies addressed in this course are aligned with :

  • Leading a Productive First Day
  • Promoting a Civil Learning Environment
  • Ensuring Equitable Access to Learning
  • Helping Students Persist in Their Studies
  • Embracing Diversity in Your Classroom
  • Checking for Student Understanding
  • Providing Useful Feedback

Educators who complete the requirements for this open enrollment course earn a microcredential in “Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

ACUE’s microcredential course in Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners addresses practices from motivating students to using visualization tools that deepen learning and help students take greater ownership for their own learning.

This course is organized around six competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

Competencies addressed in this course are aligned with ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework:

  • Motivating Your Students
  • Providing Clear Directions and Explanations
  • Using Concept Maps and Other Visualization Tools
  • Using Student Achievement and Feedback to Improve Your Teaching
  • Using Advanced Questioning Techniques
  • Developing Self-Directed Learners

Educators who complete the requirements for this open enrollment course earn a microcredential in “Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Learn evidence-based practices for designing more equitable and learner-centered course outcomes with aligned assessments, assignments, and learning experiences that prepare students for success. In addition, you’ll learn to use grading practices and syllabi design in support of equity. 

ACUE’s microcredential in Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses fully supports both instructors who are building a course from the ground up as well as those teaching a predesigned course.

This course is organized around six competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

Competencies addressed in this course are aligned with ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework:

  • Ensuring Learner-Centered Course Outcomes
  • Designing Aligned Assessments and Assignments
  • Aligning Learning Experiences with Course Outcomes
  • Creating Equity with Checklists and Rubrics
  • Developing Equitable Grading Practices
  • Preparing an Inclusive Syllabus

Educators who complete the requirements for this program earn a microcredential in “Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Effective Online Teaching Practices

Gain proven active learning techniques to engage students, plan and facilitate discussions, and more—in the online learning environment.

More students than ever are learning online, and faculty need more than the technical basics—they must be fully prepared to use pedagogical approaches that enhance students’ online experience.

Built on the same evidence-based pedagogy outlined in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework, ACUE’s microcredential course, Promoting Active Learning Online, will provide you with practices to more actively engage your students in varied learning formats including small- and large-group activities, discussions, and microlectures.

This course is an ideal way to expand the impact of technology and instructional support offices and promote effective online instruction that leads to stronger student outcomes.

This course is organized around six competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

  • Developing Effective Modules and Microlectures
  • Teaching Powerful Note-Taking Online
  • Using Groups to Ensure Active Online Learning
  • Using the Active Learning Cycle in Online Courses
  • Planning Effective Online Discussions
  • Facilitating Engaging Online Discussions

Educators who complete the requirements for this open enrollment course earn a microcredential in “Promoting Active Learning Online.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Learn how to ensure equitable access to learning, embrace diversity in your classroom, provide useful feedback, and more—in the online learning environment.

More students than ever are learning online, and faculty need more than the technical basics—they must be fully prepared to use pedagogical approaches that enhance students’ online experience.

Built on the same evidence-based pedagogy outlined in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework, ACUE’s microcredential course, Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Online Learning Environment, will provide you with practices to enable you to create an optimal online environment to support learning—including how to increase student engagement, embrace diversity, and help students persist in meeting academic challenges.

This course is organized around seven competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

  • Welcoming Students to Online Learning
  • Promoting Civil Online Learning
  • Ensuring Equitable Access to Online Learning
  • Helping Students Persist in Online Learning
  • Embracing Diversity in Online Learning
  • Checking for Student Understanding in Online Learning
  • Providing Useful Feedback for Online Learning

Educators who complete the requirements for this course earn a microcredential in “Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Online Learning Environment.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Hone your ability to motivate your students, provide clarity of expectations, develop self-directed learners, and more—in the online learning environment.

More students than ever are learning online, and faculty need more than the technical basics—they must be fully prepared to use pedagogical approaches that enhance students’ online experience.

Built on the same evidence-based pedagogy outlined in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework, ACUE’s microcredential course, Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners in Your Online Course, addresses practices from motivating students to using visualization tools that deepen learning and help students take greater ownership for their own learning in a variety of online courses.

This course is organized around six competencies and takes approximately 8 weeks to complete.

  • Motivating Your Students
  • Providing Clear Directions and Explanations in Your Online Courses
  • Integrating Visualization Tools in Online Courses
  • Using Data and Feedback to Improve Online Teaching
  • Using Advanced Questioning in Online Courses
  • Developing Self-Directed Online Learners

Educators who complete the requirements for this open enrollment course earn a microcredential in “Inspiring Inquiry and Lifelong Learning in Your Online Course.” This microcredential may be utilized in meeting partial requirements necessary to earn the American Council on Education (ACE)-endorsed Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Students can master course outcomes when they have clarity about what they are learning, why it matters, and how they will be assessed. Supercharge students’ motivation and interest with a transparent course design that puts learning at the heart of their experience.
 
Faculty who are building a course from the ground up or working to ensure student success in a predesigned course will engage in a sequential and reflective learning process, fully supported with instructional resources and opportunities for peer review. 
 
In this offering, instructors will develop learner-centered course outcomes, align their assessments and learning experiences to those outcomes, and learn how to craft an inclusive syllabus with an equity-focused grading system. 
 
This intentionality builds instructors’ confidence that students know how the course supports their learning and clearly signals to students that faculty care about their success.
 

Fostering a Culture of Belonging

Enrich your campus by making equity and inclusion everyone’s responsibility.

ACUE’s Fostering a Culture of Belonging (FCB) microcredential equips any campus professional with actionable practices to ensure students and colleagues feel seen, heard, and valued.

Topics covered in this microcredential include:

  • Managing the Impact of Biases
  • Addressing Imposter Phenomenon and Stereotype Threat
  • Reducing Microaggressions
  • Cultivating an Inclusive Environment 

This microcredential expands on the “Embracing Diversity in Your Learning Environment” module from ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).

Credentialing Path

Chart breakdown of ACUE's Microcredentials
Chart containing ACUE's microcredentials

Learning Never Stops

Microcredentials Keep Excellence Within Reach 

Faculty members spend endless time and energy ensuring students have the skills and knowledge they need for success in higher education and beyond. We believe faculty deserve the very same.

ACUE microcredentials offer every instructor, adjunct, assistant professor, or professor access to the teaching toolkit they need to excel at any stage of their teaching career—no matter where they teach and no matter where and when they prefer to learn.

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