Distance Learning Education

Anyone with a love for children and of learning has no doubt considered becoming a teacher. There is almost no other kind of work that is as rewarding. Helping to develop young minds, giving kids the skills they need for successful lives, and being allowed to interpret lessons, problem solve, and bring both creativity and concise thought to lesson plans is a recipe for a happy life.

In recent years there has been much media attention given to a number of programs by which someone in the work world can be granted a license to teach without actually undergoing the specific training that teachers who earned an education degree were given. These alternative pathways can and, on occasion, do lead to a full-time job in the classroom for a select few, but the truth is, reaching the goal along one of these alternative paths depends in large part upon luck. There are a huge number of candidates exploring these alternatives, and many districts still prefer the tried and true education degree-bearing job applicant. This is good news for someone willing to take a nontraditional approach to that traditional path by enrolling in education classes through distance learning.

For the potential teacher who has completed a bachelor’s degree in the past and is currently working in another field altogether, distance learning also offers possibilities. Pursuing a master’s in education via a distance learning program while continuing to work full time may mean stepping from one career right into another and landing on a higher rung of the proverbial ladder. Teachers with master’s degrees, which can be earned in two years, are not only better paid than those with only a bachelor’s, they demand greater respect both within the classroom and the school community, and from the parents, as well.

In fact, some schools might even hire a teacher without a license who is enrolled in a master’s program, on a provisionary basis. This means the teacher can be earning money and learning the ropes of the new job while quickly and efficiently obtaining a degree that will permit rapid promotion.

Returning to school to gain a bachelor’s or master’s teaching degree could be problematic for someone who has been earning an income in another field for several years or longer. The thought of quitting the job to return to the classroom surrounded by younger students might be unnerving. It may also be aggravating, because if you’ve worked in fields such as social work, library science, medicine, or even business, you know you’ve got what it takes. Distance learning may be the ideal way to earn an education degree for those who don’t already have one, and for advancing to a higher degree and a better job for those who do.

Before going any further, however, it’s important to recognize your own learning style. Being successful at reaching the goal—the degree—requires a certain type of personality. Distance learners need to be highly self motivated and well organized. While by-the-seat-of-your-pants learning might work for some in the classroom, it’s largely because they get carried along by the efforts of their classmates, together with what they can glean from lectures without actually doing the reading. This won’t work with distance learning. Making a well structured plan is the key, and attending to each new piece of information as it comes along is necessary because everything that comes later will build upon it.

Distance learning might sound like a new idea to some, but the fact is it’s been around for centuries. The earliest form was correspondence courses that generally didn’t resolve in a degree. In the 70s, some universities and colleges began to experiment with new technology as a means by which courses could be taught without requiring students’ attendance in a physical classroom. At first, most of these programs still operated with a set schedule, and students had to “attend” televised classes that were aired at specific times. Work was received and returned via the mail. Later, videotapes replaced the televised classes, and this allowed distance learning to become a little more flexible.

Today, distance learning courses have gained in sophistication. Using interfaces such as Black Board or Angel, instructors can post all kinds of media, run discussion boards, set up blogs, and be extremely available via email. In fact, in some ways distance learning scoops face-to-face classes, because the power of all the information on the internet is immediately available. That means instructors can tailor materials to the specific needs of individual classes, making it easier for students to move at their own speed.

In order to teach elementary or middle school, a bachelor’s degree in education is required at minimum, although some teachers remain or return to school to earn a master’s degree. Make sure that the programs you are considering are accredited by an agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Courses taken with a school that lacks accreditation or has it through an agency or board that isn’t recognized are a waste of time. If you’re interested in teaching at the high school level you will need to specialize in the area you’d like to teach.

Although it’s possible to fulfill most of the degree requirements through distance learning, all teacher training programs also require student teaching. This can’t be done at a distance and will require you to be in a classroom working directly with students. Many universities do offer nearly all other courses needed for the degree as distance learning options, although certain specializations—for example, those that require lab equipment—can only be undertaken in a brick-and-mortar classroom.

Anyone who has an inner teacher aching to get out and get to work should explore the possibilities offered by distance learning. Within a short amount of time, you could be helping to shape the future by shaping the minds of today’s youth. You could become the teacher your students remember forever!

Distance Learning Center | TestPrepReview.com