Teaching Online Prep Program (TOPP)

Our award-winning Teaching Online Prep Program (TOPP) was nationally recognized!

Impact Award
Learning & Teaching Category
2019

Strategic Innovation in Online Education Award

2020

West Region Outstanding Service Award

2021

Strategic Innovation in Online Education Award

2022

What is TOPP?

TOPP prepares our faculty to develop and facilitate high-quality online classes. Participants learn about effective online pedagogy and current state, federal and ACCJC requirements for online classes; practice maximizing key Laulima and Web 2.0 tools; and design and build their online class sites in a supportive community of practice.

TOPP is now offered in 5 modules

The Teaching Online Prep Program (TOPP) at Kapi‘olani CC was revamped and redesigned to meet the growing online learning trends and evolving online learners, especially post-pandemic. TOPP now consists of five modules that will help prepare faculty to increase their technology skills, create a learning plan, develop an online/hybrid class using the latest learning technologies, ensure ADA accessibility in their digital resources, and continue their professional development journey.

NOTE: Advanced TOPPics is topical and by invitation only for the TOPP and TOPP To Go! graduates.

TOPP
Tech Basics

March 14-18, 2022
(1 Week)
Online Synchronous

Recommended for anyone ready to build basic skills in Zoom, Google, Laulima, and basic ADA. This module will consist of five 2-hour sync sessions where participants practice hands-on with peers and the facilitators.

Apply by March 4

Course Planning for Active Learning

May 23 – June 3, 2022
(2 Weeks)
Online Sync & Async

The participants will create a detailed plan (lessons, activities, assessments, and resources) for active learning that aligns with the SLOs. This module will prepare them for TOPP Building an Online Classroom.

Apply by April 18

Building An Online Classroom

June 6 – July 1, 2022
(4 Weeks)
Online Asynchronous

Build an online/hybrid classroom in Laulima with guidance from the facilitators and peers. Must have completed TOPP Course Planning and/or completed a Course Map.

Apply by April 18

The 8 Habits for Highly Accessible Course Content

July 11 – August 5, 2022
(4 Weeks)
Online Sync & Async

Join a supportive community to collaboratively revise digital resources (Laulima, Word, PDF, Google Docs, and multimedia) and ensure ADA accessibility in your online/hybrid classes.

Apply by June 15

For more details, see the TOPP 2022 Information Sheet.

NOTE: Each module has a limited number of seats. Although the program is open to faculty from any UH campus, priority will be given to Kapi‘olani CC faculty. Questions? Please email us at kaptopp@hawaii.edu.

TOPP Summer 2022 Showcase

TOPP graduates give a video tour of their Laulima sites.

Jody Bill, UH Mānoa, SPED 304

Luana Kawa‘a, UH Maui College, IS 190V

Aaron Hanai, Kapi‘olani CC, EE 211

Scott Sutherland, Windward CC, IS 105 B/C

Cara Ribordy, Kapi‘olani CC, NURS 320

Kapela Wong, Windward CC, HAW 101

About the Facilitators of TOPP 2022

Leigh Dooley.

Leigh Dooley began teaching English at Kapi‘olani Community College in 1992 and has been teaching online for almost 20 years. She is a Professor and Interim Distance Education Coordinator. She also coordinates C4wards, a PD initiative for Kapi‘olani CC faculty and staff that include high-impact teaching practices. Leigh is a TOPP graduate herself and enjoys co-facilitating TOPP, learning from and alongside her amazing colleagues.

Jenni Guillen

Jenni Guillen teaches in the Biology Department at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and is a graduate of TOPP and TOPP To Go!. She is a member of the Faculty Development Committee and believes in building an academic community where ongoing education and sharing the wealth of knowledge and experience are key strategies to faculty and student success. Jenni will be supporting UHH faculty.

Iwalani Koide

‘Iwalani Koide is Kumu ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Professor of Hawaiian Language) at Kapi‘olani Community College. She has been teaching Hawaiian language online for 20 years and loves sharing her insights with her colleagues.

Melissa Nakamura

Melissa Nakamura is an Instructional Designer at Kapi‘olani Community College. She also teaches introductory non-credit computer courses, such as Google Suite for the Workplace, Introduction to Apple Apps and Android Apps.

Amy Shiroma

Amy Shiroma joined the team at Kapi’olani Community College in 2016 and is an Assistant Professor in Hospitality & Tourism Education (HOST). Amy is a TOPP graduate and is happy to share in the learning journey with new TOPPers!

Maegen Walker

Maegen Walker is an Instructor of Psychology at Kapi‘olani Community College. She graduated from TOPP and TOPP To Go! and has since continued to explore ways to enhance online student engagement and learning through Web 2.0 learning tools, digital interactives, and instructional design. Currently, she volunteers as a DE peer coach to help faculty learn about and explore ways to enhance student accessibility in online instruction at Kapi‘olani CC.

Coty Gonzales is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Honolulu Community College. He has taught psychology since 2008 and first started teaching online in 2012. He has been involved with the Accelerated Online AA Degree Program, Hawaii P-20, UHOIC, and the Hawaii DOE’s Early College Online PD. Coty enjoys developing visually engaging online learning environments that are interactive and help to support learner variability and student success.

Laureen Kodani is an Instructional Designer at UH Maui College and she believes in supporting student success and the achievement of learning outcomes by helping faculty and staff achieve success! She enjoys assisting faculty with designing and developing courses with the best possible, student-centered learning environments. Laureen co-developed the Course Planning for Active Learning module and will be supporting UHMC faculty.

Kelli Nakamura is an Associate Professor of History and Ethnic Studies at Kapi‘olani Community College. She was a member of the very first TOPP cohort and has served as the DE Coordinator and the Faculty Senate DE Committee Chair. She also teaches at the Ethnic Studies and History Department at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa focusing on gender and race during World War II.

Kawehi Sellers is an associate professor in the Hospitality and Tourism Education Department at Kapiʻolani Community College. Her career in higher education began in 2004 at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa’s School of Travel Industry Management and she has been with Kapi‘olani CC since 2010. Kawehi enjoys sharing gamification techniques and other student engagement ideas with colleagues.

Helen Torigoe is an Instructional Designer at Kapi‘olani Community College. She created the TOPP program in 2016 and has since been co-facilitating and continuously improving TOPP and other professional development programs. Before coming to Kapi‘olani CC, she taught Computer Science at UH Hilo and at Hawai‘i Community College.

Cindy Yamaguchi is the Online Teaching and Learning Specialist/Instructional Designer at UH Hilo. She has been providing faculty training and helping faculty design and develop their courses for over 20 years. She still loves to see their joy when they learn something new and/or have an “aha!” moment.