Teach Online: 10 Simple Steps to Get Your R Sum Noticed and Land the Job

by Carolyn Edwards

Overview

Find out how successful online instructors got their foot in the door and what they put in their application packages. Get the inside track on what recruiters look for and why. Discover how to get your résumé to the top of the applicant pile. Use the list of online schools and online job sites to start your instructor job search, and then take action so you too can Teach Online.

- Learn what to put in your résumé

- Find out what recruiters look for

- Get tips from successful online educators

- Use successful application practices

- Find jobs when they are not advertised

- Get a hold of the list of online schools

- Find online instructor jobs outside of colleges and universities

- Believe it can happen

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452549156
Publisher:	Balboa Press
Publication date:	05/02/2012
Pages:	170
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.39(d)

Read an Excerpt

Teach ONLINE

10 Simple Steps to Get Your Résumé Noticed and Land the Job

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By CAROLYN EDWARDS

Balboa Press

Copyright © 2012 Dr. Carolyn Edwards
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4525-4915-6

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Chapter One

What's Going On?

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. – Nelson Mandela

Education is that whole system of human training within and without the schoolhouse walls which molds and develops men. – W. E. B Du Bois

Education is an extremely important tool in navigating life's journey, but the process of education has changed from a formal, rigid classroom setting to a more open, flexible, and inclusive structure. Education today allows people to have access to a myriad of topics, using various modalities and teachers located all around the world, 24/7 and 365 days of the year.

Many questions have been raised about what is happening to the traditional system of higher education, why so many online schools are popping up, and why so many traditional schools now offer online programs. The emergence of such programs has created a great deal of uncertainty surrounding future employment opportunities. Some instructors state that they are afraid they won't be ready for future teaching opportunities or that online professors will take the jobs of those who teach in the traditional classroom. Many also express concern about not having the technological skills to compete in the workplace.

Various online adjunct groups and blogs continually debate whether on-site teaching opportunities are drying up and whether online teaching will be required in the next few years. Some common questions include:

• Why are many traditional nonprofit brick and mortar schools now offering online programs?

• What happened to the on ground teaching opportunities? Are they drying up?

• Is teaching online really going to be required in the next few years?

Many other people want to know what to do in order to prepare for the shift in the way instruction is delivered. They also want to know what is going on with existing and future teaching opportunities.

Background

Major changes are taking place in the educational system. The reason is simple: leaders in education are responding to the market or what business people term the law of supply and demand. Researchers have conducted numerous studies to ensure that education is strategically positioned for the future. What some might not realize is that higher and continuing education is a business. Whether for profit or not, organizations must be administered in such a way that their mission and goals are achieved and comply with applicable rules, policies, and regulations. For many schools and businesses, online learning is part of a strategic plan to ensure that they remain viable and thriving entities.

Did you know that even government recognizes that online education makes great sense? Florida's legislature is now working on a law that will allow charter schools to exist online. Can you imagine a totally virtual charter school? A paradigm shift has begun, and it isn't going away. People want the opportunity and flexibility to learn in an online environment, and the jobs that make this possible - jobs for online administrators, developers, facilitators, teachers, professors, researchers, instructors, lecturers, authors, and contractors—are out there and will continue to increase. You just have to know where to look for them and what to do to get them.

Opportunities are plentiful. Don't limit yourself to virtual courses in higher education. Investigate a multitude of online teaching opportunities such as telecourse, webinars, high schools, curriculum developers, researchers, and trainers. With the technology available today, you don't need to wait on someone to hire you. Design your own courses and have others seek out your expertise. Keep your options open and be ready for all opportunities.

Changing Times

There has been a tremendous increase in the number of online students and programs. According to the November 2010 Sloan Report on Class Differences, "Over 5.6 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2009 term, an increase of nearly one million students from the previous year."

Onlineschools.org indicates that two–thirds of Americans spend approximately sixty–six hours per month on the computer, and this number does not include time spent on the computer at work. The statistics speak for themselves. Can you see why leaders in education are changing strategy to include people who want to be educated online? School administrators and business leaders must provide the courses, training, and products that consumers want and need in order to stay competitive.

Just in case you are not yet convinced, here are a few more mind-blowing statistics from the Sloan Report:

"Nearly thirty percent of higher education students now take at least one online course"; and "The twenty–one percent growth rate for online enrollments far exceeded the less than two percent growth of overall higher education student populations."

School administrators understand that in order to keep up with the demands of an ever-increasing online population, the number of new programs, courses, jobs, and teaching opportunities must increase. The economic downturn over the last few years has led to higher enrollment in both traditional and online courses; however, this demand has also pressured public and private institutions to offer additional online programs.

Changes in Demand

Students, parents, educators, and administrators continue to look for improved educational opportunities. Consumers want courses, seminars, and training that allow not only traditional students aged 17–22 access but also older professionals, parents, and grandparents to achieve their educational aspirations. Customers want convenient, readily available courses, programs, seminars, and webinars they can take on their own time and this swelling demand has fueled change in the industry.

Business leaders have had to make educational options available without making people wait for the next on-campus offering. In the past students might have had to spend an extra semester in school or even derail their graduation plans if courses weren't offered when needed. Managers then began to realize that consumers had options. If one organization didn't have a desired course, another school or company would. Course flexibility and consumer expectations are a few more reasons why traditional schools now offer an abundance of online courses.

According to Mike Yoshimura, education is a 25 billion dollar industry and growing. What this means is that traditional campus teaching assignments will still be available since not all students desire to complete an entirely online program. Some people want and need face-to-face interaction with a teacher. However, both public and private nonprofit schools as well as businesses are adding online courses, so it makes sense if you plan on educating others your career that you get the skill set necessary to land all types of teaching assignments.

Globalization

The nature of doing business has changed. We are now in a global economy where American companies and organizations are competing with their counterparts throughout the world. The Internet has allowed customers to have access to goods and services located anywhere. This paradigm shift has also occurred in education. Students can now participate in classes at institutions thousands of miles from their homes, 24/7 and 365 days of the year. As long as Internet connectivity is available, students can obtain degrees, training, certification, and the like without having to leave their residences.

Globalization opened up an entirely new market of customers, and organizations are stepping up to meet its needs. This development has led to an increase in the number of online schools, but traditional schools, corporations, and professional organizations are also now offering online learning. The advent of globalization is a win for students, a win for institutions, and a win for you because there is an abundance of jobs and opportunities for online teaching.

Going Green

Rising gas prices have spurred the popularity of online education. Some administrators note that utilizing online learning decreases the carbon footprint of cars and mass transportation to and from campus. According to Simon Reichwald, around 79 percent of students live off campus, thousands of whom have decided to take courses online to save what they would otherwise spend on gas and travel. Online study diminishes vehicle emissions and makes use of computers, thereby mitigating harmful effects on the environment.

Modern Technology

Information technology delivers education in a way that is creative, user- friendly, and effective. Courses can be taught 24/7 via modalities such as instant messaging, email, educational software, blogs, video conferencing, and streaming. Students can view presentations and videos, participate in teleconferences, and even download lectures they can listen to at their convenience.

Offering courses online soon became a smart business decision. The technology was already there; it just needed to be connected to the masses. Business leaders found that it didn't cost much to utilize the Internet for expanding their markets exponentially. Organizations offering online learning now had unlimited access to customers all over the world.

Researchers have also enumerated other benefits of allowing employees to work from home:

• Reductions in sick and personal days off

• Diminished turnover

• Increased retention

• Improved morale

• Increased productivity

• Decreased recruitment, training, and hiring costs

• Reduced parking costs

Allowing employees to work online, in short, is great for the corporate bottom line. Employees are happy, and business leaders save money.

Summary

1. A paradigm shift has occurred in teaching.

2. Online education is increasing.

3. Students demand online classes.

4. Online education makes good business sense.

5. Online teaching opportunities have increased and will continue to increase in the future.

Notes

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Action Steps

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Chapter Two

Who's Involved

Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement. – Peter F. Drucker

Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will. – Vernon Howard

Online education has evolved over the past decade. It began with the introduction of the Internet and was widely used for training and learning modules using web postings. What exists today is a tiered educational system that allows learners not only to take credit and non-credit courses but also to receive professional certifications and degrees including the Ph.D. Knowing who's involved and what online education entails is a great way to demonstrate your readiness to be an asset to a prospective employer.

History

The University of Phoenix was the first to launch an online university program in 1989, and Jones International University was the first to launch an entirely online accredited college in 1993. In the beginning online schools were for-profit organizations, but now, in order to keep up with demand and the changing climate of education, many nonprofits—public and private schools as well as professional organizations—offer some type of online courses or instruction. This development includes high schools, community colleges, and training organizations as well as Ivy League universities such as Harvard and Princeton.

Statistics

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, "Two-thirds of degree-granting postsecondary schools offer some form of online learning." Since courses are widely available, the jobs are out there. Kaplan University has over 35,000 online graduates, and the University of Maryland University College in 2011 had over 200,000 persons enrolled in online programs. Someone needs to teach all these students and develop courses. Why not you?

Online jobs are not limited to college and universities. There are now virtual high schools, charter schools, language schools, art schools, training organizations, and publishing firms in the market for online instructors.

Subjects

A multitude of subjects are taught online. If you have the skills and experience, the opportunities are never-ending. Online education and training now include programs in these areas:

• Art

• Accounting

• Business

• Communications

• Computer Science

• Criminal Justice

• Curriculum Development

• English

• Foreign Languages

• General Equivalency Diploma (GED)

• Graphics Design

• High School

• Human Resources

• Information Technology

• Journalism

• Law

• Management

• Medical Billing

• Music

• Nursing

• Personal Development

• Paralegal

• Photography

• Self-Help

• Tutoring

• Web Design

• Writing

The above list is just a sample of online courses and opportunities. The roster of possibilities is endless depending on the expertise and experience you have.

As you review the options, don't forget that there are other ways to make money teaching online with organizations such as book publishers, educational software designers, curriculum developers, newspapers, magazines, and vocational schools. See job links in the appendix to gain access to websites, blogs, and resources you may never have thought about using. Open your mind to the abundant opportunities!

Reputable or Not?

To verify an organization's professional reputation, you must know its operating status. Not all online schools are reputable or accredited. The federal Department of Education uses accreditation to ensure that schools operate at the highest standards for quality, professionalism, and ethics. To find out more information about accreditation, go to:

• http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation

If your goal is to teach at the primary or secondary level, accreditation is critically important because it will affect whether or not your experience or education is recognized by the organization for which you want to work.

In case you decide to stick with accredited online institutions, you can search the list at this site:

• http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx

Perform a search for a specific school by its name, address, city, or state. Remember to keep your goals in mind while opening yourself up to the multitude of opportunities.

Just because a program or course is unaccredited, does not mean that it is not a viable venue for gaining valuable experience. Some professional organizations offer online career-related instruction or curriculum- development opportunities, and this is a great way to acquire experience with learning-management software.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Teach ONLINE by CAROLYN EDWARDS Copyright © 2012 by Dr. Carolyn Edwards. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Dedication....................v
Acknowledgments....................xi
Introduction....................xiii
What's Going On?....................1
Who's Involved....................7
Step 1. Know What It Is....................13
Step 2. Decide What Matters Most....................18
Step 3. Do Your Homework....................35
Step 4. Develop a Winning Application....................47
Step 5. Look in the Right Places....................59
Step 6. Set Yourself Apart from the Pack....................65
Step 7. Take Action and Apply....................73
Step 8. Believe You Can Have It....................80
Step 9. Ask, Then Ask Again....................87
Step 10. Keep Moving....................97
Contact....................105
Sample Documents....................107
Sample Cover Email....................109
Sample Cover Letter....................110
Sample Resume....................111
Job Contact Sheet....................113
Resources....................115
Job Sites....................123
ELearning, Training and Development Resources....................125
Online Groups and Blogs....................127
Online News....................129
Online Educator Training....................131
References....................133
Index....................139