Educating yourself about online or blended learning may seem like a daunting task; keeping up with the technology may seem even more overwhelming. There are many choices when it comes to increasing your knowledge and practical skills in the area of online learning. 

Professional Organizations

UIS is an institutional member of several professional organizations. These memberships allow UIS faculty and staff members create memberships, attend professional development opportunities for free or reduced rates, and subscribe to newsletters and listservs.

OLC logo

Online 杨贵妃传媒 Consortium

OLC membership gets you access to the access, the newsletter, , and reduced conference rates. Learn about .

UPCEA logo

University Professional and Continuing Education Association

UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education. Create your the to gain access to the to join special interest groups and discussions. See the accordion below for additional UPCEA Resources.

With our institutional membership to UPCEA, you have access to several resources that may be of interest to you, including:

  • (online journal)
  • UPCEA blogs:
    • (trends impacting marketing and higher education)
    • (online insights and news review)
    • (UPCEA happenings, policy updates, and thoughts)
  • (a weekly snapshot of news affecting leaders in professional, continuing, and online education)
  • Discounted registrations to
WCET logo

WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies

WCET is the leader in the practice, policy, & advocacy of digital learning in higher education. Members work collectively to improve the quality and reach of digital learning programs. Learn about the . Sign up for your account with your UIS email address.

Online Teaching Certificates and Courses

  • Building Digital Community from UIS COLRS
    The COLRS staff created this course as a resource for UIS faculty.  This course is self-paced.  Faculty determine when and how often they participate in the modules. At this time, UIS part-time (adjunct) faculty are required to successfully complete the Building Digital Communities course prior to teaching online. If you are interested in enrolling, please email colrs@uis.edu or call (217) 206-7317.
  • ION Professional e杨贵妃传媒 Programs Certificates at UIS
    • Master Online Teacher Certificate
      The certificate is a series of six professional development courses for online faculty development courses is designed to help students and faculty members acquire the skills and knowledge needed to teach and learn online, to help staff and administration support online education, to improve the quality of online education across the globe, and to research the online teaching and learning context.
    • Digital Accessibility for Educators Certificate
      The courses were developed with educators in mind. The courses explain why and how to make common course materials accessible with free or inexpensive software that is commonly available at many institutions. Technical IT jargon is not used.
  • Online 杨贵妃传媒 Consortium Certificate
    • The  prepares faculty to teach or improve online courses using the OLC pillars of quality in online education. UIS is an OLC member and receives 鈥渕ember pricing鈥� on these workshops. These workshops are 2 to 4 weeks long and have synchronous and asynchronous elements. A unique feature of the certificate program is that expert mentors work individually with each certificate candidate to accomplish specific goals. 

Other Professional Organizations and Newsletters


  • A nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.

  • For those interested in educational technology you may subscribe to聽 (Web 2.0, IT Trends, Smart Classroom), a聽听辞谤听.

  • Technological Horizons in Education (THE) Journal, targeted at those in K-12 who advance the learning process through the use of technology, sponsor several聽 and a聽 that you could follow.

  • Publishes articles and interviews by individuals across the postsecondary space sharing their insights on higher education and their opinions on what the future holds for the industry鈥攁ll through a uniquely non-traditional lens.
  • The Horizon Report is a look ahead at technologies that will impact education in the next one, three, and five years. The report "charts the landscape of emerging technologies for teaching, learning, and creative expression" based on interactions with "technology professionals, campus technologists, faculty leaders from colleges and universities, and representatives of leading corporations."