The role of the eProf (“electronic Professor”) is to facilitate the learning process of the PLI student. While there are many ways such facilitation can occur, the major means is by monitoring and inciting the student’s learning by discussing assigned material each week in the virtual classroom, also known as a chat room. Other ways of facilitating learning are at the discretion of the eProf and may include choosing other required readings, posting a bibliography or list of optional readings, recommending required or optional field trips, and other conventional teaching methods.

Review the curriculum for the assigned course.

If desired, select supplemental readings that complement the required curriculum. (The curriculum is chosen by the Pastoral Leadership Institute, supplemental reading may be chosen by the eProf.)

Familiarize yourself with students enrolled in your class and encourage them to get to know each other using icebreakers (at the eProf’s discretion) through email, bulletin boards, chat rooms or other means.

Schedule chat room dates and times with PLI’s Administrator. There should be ten chat room sessions over the course of the 13-week academic quarter.

Create a weekly (ten chats per quarter) synthesizing dialogue among the students and the eProf utilizing the online chat room. The eProf is responsible for maintaining the biblical, moral, and ethical quality of the chat room.

Monitor discussion threads (entries) on the course site bulletin board if used. Answer necessary questions and invigorate or redirect the discussion if necessary. The eProf is responsible for maintaining the biblical, moral, and ethical quality of the bulletin board.

Monitor students’ quiz grades in the course site grade book.

Complete an evaluation for each student at the end of each quarter to submit final grading. When submitted online, the evaluation will automatically be emailed to both the PLI office and the student.

Scripture says the “laborer is worthy of his hire”, and for this reason the eProf is compensated in the following way:

The eProf is paid $600 for the first five enrolled students. This minimum compensation is calculated at $120 per student.

The minimum number of students per class is five. In the event enrollment fails to equal or exceed this minimum, the class will be postponed until a future quarter.

The eProf is paid an additional $50 per student for each student beyond the first five with a maximum class size of eighteen students. (PLI may enter into a discussion with the eProf if it discerns that the quantity of students in an eProf’s course may discount the learning effectiveness.)

The eProf’s remuneration is paid in the form of a check from the Missionary Church, Inc., d.b.a. the Pastoral Leadership Institute, upon completion of the class (when all student evaluations and final grades have been submitted to the PLI Administrator).

An eProf may choose to perform the duties of an eProf on a volunteer basis. If such a service is offered, all fees paid by students that would normally be the eProf’s compensation would be instead posted to the Pastoral Leadership Institute scholarship fund for students in need of financial assistance.