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Teaching has always been a challenging profession, whether you're wrestling kindergartners, trying to catch the attention of teenagers or grading college essays. How can you make a good living doing what you love? Elementary and secondary school teachers often face long hours and low pay; in higher education, the limbo where part-time professors toil with heavy class loads is called the "adjunct ghetto."
What's the solution? Online teaching. Online enrollment is growing rapidly at two kinds of educational institutions: for-profit colleges and universities that offer entire degrees online, and nonprofit schools that supplement their traditional classroom curricula with online education. Higher enrollment of students means they need more instructors--and that's where you come in.
Currently, most online courses offered by non-profit colleges and universities are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus. An online teaching position may be difficult to find. But, if you already teach a course at one of those campuses, your willingness to embrace new technology could get you the job. Many traditional faculty are wary of online teaching, which leaves opportunities wide open for younger, more tech-savvy candidates.
As an online professor, the freeway you'll fly is the "information superhighway." You'll definitely save on gas.
Source:
Elizabeth Armentor has worked with the Technical Communication program at Texas State University as well as taking coursework online.
Online Teaching: How to Find Jobs
By Elizabeth ArmentorTeaching has always been a challenging profession, whether you're wrestling kindergartners, trying to catch the attention of teenagers or grading college essays. How can you make a good living doing what you love? Elementary and secondary school teachers often face long hours and low pay; in higher education, the limbo where part-time professors toil with heavy class loads is called the "adjunct ghetto."
What's the solution? Online teaching. Online enrollment is growing rapidly at two kinds of educational institutions: for-profit colleges and universities that offer entire degrees online, and nonprofit schools that supplement their traditional classroom curricula with online education. Higher enrollment of students means they need more instructors--and that's where you come in.
Educational Requirements
Requirements for getting an online teaching job vary by discipline and type of institution, but here's a general guideline.- Four-Year Degree or Graduate Programs: Online teaching in these programs requires at least a master's degree in the area you want to teach in. Graduate programs may require a Ph.D. or professional degree, such as an MBA. These options are best for college professors who already have, or are working on, an advanced degree.
- Associate's Degree or Certification Programs. These programs require their online instructors to hold (at a minimum) the certification for the discipline they will teach in--and often an associate's degree and extensive work experience in their field, or a bachelor's degree and slightly less work experience. If your background is in secondary education, this might be a better fit; even if your only certification is in childhood education, you may qualify to teach enrichment courses or professional development classes, rather than instructing in a college degree program.
Technical Knowledge
To teach online, you need to be the type of person who embraces new technology, not one who shies away from it. If you want to be an online professor, proficiency with the Internet and communicating online through message boards and chat rooms is key. Specific software experience is not usually required, because each institution uses its own method to deliver coursework to students.For-Profit or Nonprofit?
For-profit institutions are experiencing rapid enrollment growth, and the majority of online teaching jobs available are with these universities. These institutions often prize work experience in addition to an advanced degree.Currently, most online courses offered by non-profit colleges and universities are taught by the same faculty who teach on campus. An online teaching position may be difficult to find. But, if you already teach a course at one of those campuses, your willingness to embrace new technology could get you the job. Many traditional faculty are wary of online teaching, which leaves opportunities wide open for younger, more tech-savvy candidates.
Hiring Process
The hiring process for online teaching is as rigorous as getting a traditional faculty position. You will need to submit a curriculum vita and references, and all information will be verified. If you are selected as a candidate, you will be interviewed by faculty members and asked to conduct a teaching demonstration.Compensation
Adjunct online instructors for nonprofit colleges and universities are usually paid the same amount per course as they would make for teaching in the classroom, which is about $1,500 to $3,000 per section, with no benefits. For-profit universities generally pay in the range of $750 to $3,000 per course.As an online professor, the freeway you'll fly is the "information superhighway." You'll definitely save on gas.
Source:
- Boston College, "Faculty at Private For-Profit Universities: The University of Phoenix as a Model?" by Kevin Kinser
Elizabeth Armentor has worked with the Technical Communication program at Texas State University as well as taking coursework online.
