Although teaching has historically been a stable career and thought of as a good “fallback” job, in this economy that is not necessarily the case. Even teachers who are currently employed spend their time worrying about the next budget cut. State and local governments are trimming expenses across the board and this includes education.
Many educators are going back to school online to bulk up their credentials in hopes that it will protect them from teacher lay-offs that are becoming increasingly more common. Also, because of the current administration’s focus on math and science education, many teachers that are trained in areas like art or history are enrolling in education degree programs that focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects.
In response, many online colleges are expanding their offerings to cater to the needs of these busy professionals. In many states, educators are only required to hold a bachelors degree before they can enter a classroom even though a masters degree is preferred. This compromise on less education for teachers was an attempt to fill a teaching shortage that no longer exists and now amidst all the layoffs, many schools districts are much more selective.
As a result, many teachers are choosing to enroll in online teaching degree programs that enable them to complete lectures and homework around a busy schedule. In fact, many experienced and successful educators are leading by example and attending online colleges.
For example, officials from Walden University, an online college, recently announced that 47 state teacher of the year recipients have pursued graduate degrees at the school to date. Furthermore, enrollment in the university’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership has nearly doubled over the past eight months.
Also, since many school districts are beginning to adopt web-based learning methods, teachers who earn graduate teaching degree online may find that their unique virtual learning experience is opening up a whole new career path in teaching online.
