Online courses, although shorter in length, are held to the same rigorous quality standards as courses in our degree programs. Our professional education offerings are designed and taught by the same faculty who teach in TDI's masters programs.

Each course is designed to support effective, meaningful learning and provide participants with the information and tools to immediately incorporate their learning into their professional environment. To do this, we aim to keep course content current, applicable and adaptable. While online learning does involve using various technologies, technology tools are selected based on their ability to effectively deliver and support learning. And, recognizing that not everyone is at the same level of technical agility, we try to keep the technology as simple as possible.

Our courses emphasize reflection, problem solving, articulation, and collaboration. Although the instructor and fellow participants are at a distance, collaboration and interaction have a central role in our online courses. Learning is enhanced when students are able to articulate what they have learned and integrate multiple perspectives in their mental model. Online, we achieve this interaction through the use of discussion forums, learning journals, blogs, group work, and live virtual meetings.

Learning online has some unique benefits such as:

1. Discussion boards and other communication tools allow time to reflect on writings by others and gives participants the opportunity to compose their own thoughts.

2. Participants can keep a communication going by posting and responding numerous times, further building and sharing knowledge. 

3. Everyone has a chance to express their thoughts and ideas using the various online discussion tools (as opposed to being limited by time in a classroom environment).

4. Participants can learn at a time of their choosing, so they are not rushed, tired or distracted.

5. Technology allows for flexible delivery; a well-designed course gives participants several different ways to learn. For example, videos and multimedia support visual learners; collaborative group work appeals to social learners.

Course Formats

Depending on the subject, courses may be comprised of all live virtual sessions (synchronous), or weekly readings, assignments, and video lectures that you will complete on your own time (asynchronous), or a hybrid of both.

No matter the exact format, each course has a course web site that you will access for all course materials. Upon registering for a course, you will receive instructions on how to access the course's URL and your login information.

Specific technology requirements can be found on the Course Technology page.