As technology and innovation push our students toward new frontiers, we will need teachers who can adapt to the new environment and provide a quality education for our nation’s youth.
While there are still many traditional schools of education, they are more geared toward the student who is not working full time and is entering the workforce for the first time. Several institutions of higher learning now offer online programs that allow nontraditional students to earn their teaching degrees while working or parenting. Below are some of the best schools for earning your online teaching degree.
1. Walden University
Walden’s offers an online “gateway” program for first-time teachers. This program awards its students a Master of Arts in Teaching upon successful completion of its courses.
2. Western Governors University
This fully accredited institution offers complete online courses for both entry-level candidates and ongoing educational growth for the teaching profession. The school is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The WGU Teachers College currently has more than 10,000 students enrolled nationwide, and full-time tuition is very reasonable at less than $3,000 for each six-month school term.
3. Drexel University
The U.S. News & World Report ranks Drexel University’s School of Education among “America’s Best Graduate Schools 2011.? This school was established in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pa. Drexel was one of the first universities to offer online programs, starting in 1996.
4. Grand Canyon University
One of the top institutions is Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz. This school offers an exceptional online program for earning a teaching degree, but it could be difficult for you to arrange student teaching where you live; this teaching degree was originally designed for people becoming teachers in Arizona.
Considerations
One thing you must realize before enrolling in an online teaching degree program is that each state has different credential and licensing requirements. A serious candidate should do thorough research before committing to a program of instruction. The best place to start researching all these requirements is TeachingDegree.org, a nonprofit webpage that filters educational requirements and salaries by state. It's also a good idea to follow up with TheBestSchools.org to find the best online education programs that suit you based on where you live.
