Online facilitation and tutoring course

The Online Facilitation and Tutoring (OFAT) course is an introduction to the skills required to promote learning in an online community, the learning philosophies underpinning learning in an online community and how learning is manifested online.

The next step from OFAT is OFAT 2, which provides an opportunity to extend your skills in promoting learning in an online environment and to explore a range of models, techniques and applications in order to develop effective blended learning along with effective knowledge management.

Course details

OFAT consists of four units:

What is the programme about and what do I need to learn about online facilitation?
What are the strategies that online facilitators use to be successful?
What are the main models and theories relating to online learning?
How do you build and maintain online communities?

Course completion criteria includes the following:

Engage with colleagues by contributing to each of the activities on the course with the aim of enhancing your own learning and the learning of others.
Gather your reflections on each of the activities in a learning log using the online network blogging tool.
Leave comments in other people's learning logs/blogs.
Create a summary (or summaries) of a discussion or a group of comments on a particular theme – for example during or at the end of a forum, summarising points made in blogs.
Make sure you have a personal profile with a photograph in the online network.
Complete the course short evaluation form.

We also offer an intensive one-week course. Course content, acceptance criteria and completion criteria are the same as for the six-week course.

Duration

The Standard OFAT and MLDP OFAT should take approximately four hours per week, over a four week period. For some MLDP courses the model is two weeks followed by a break to establish your cluster group, then a second two weeks.
The intensive week-long Standard OFAT and MLDP OFAT requires three to five hours commitment per day.
OFAT 2 lasts approximately 10 weeks.

Delivery method

The standard OFAT, OFAT2 and MLDP OFAT are delivered online through the National College’s online network and online seminar/meeting software.

Who is OFAT for?

OFAT and OFAT 2 are open to all members of the National College and are especially targeted at those facilitating the online learning of others, such as MLDP facilitators. Participants are expected to be familiar with how the National College online network works before starting the course, as evidenced by having their personal profile up-to-date with an image and paragraph about themselves. You should also have explored how the general navigation, discussions, networking groups and blogs work in the online network.

How to apply

To begin your application you will need to register as a member of the National College or log in if you are already a member. Select the start date of the appropriate OFAT course from the list below.

Course dates

Standard OFAT course dates

Week commencing 16 January 2012, this course is now full.
Week commencing 27 February 2012, closing date for application 10 February 2012.

OFAT 2 course dates

Week commencing 16 January 2012 , closing date for applications 5 January 2012.

MLDP course dates

See your induction or the MLDP facilitator online community for details of courses in late November 2011, January and February 2012.

Contact details

For further information about OFAT or OFAT2, email els@nationalcollege.org.uk.

If you have any difficulties with the application process please contact our help desk for assistance on 0845 609 0009.