A directory of online degrees, certificates & courses from online colleges and online universities, resources and articles regarding online learning and elearning.
I recommend Brian Robison's How to Teach Online website. Brian has done a wonderful job of explaining how an adjunct instructor, online professor, or virtual schoolteacher can compete effectively for the many online teaching opportunities available across the country and around the world.
Sign up for Brian's E-Learning Tips newsletter. He's very clever, has great insights, and is good writer. Brian has created a series of highly informative articles, many backed up by a training video, that will walk you through the process of finding and keeping online teaching jobs.
You'll learn how to juggle multiple jobs with different online campuses. He'll help you understand time management and the necessity of getting organized before you are swamped with responsibilities. your time as you dig in to find enough online work to make a reasonable living. He talks sense about writing resumes and CVs, sending applications, and professionalizing your email. He also has rock solid advice on how to keep re-applying for e-jobs in a way that will keep an HR manager interested. Consider his advice when you're told a school is not hiring.
To develop a full time job as an Adjunct Instructor you must pro-actively work to grow your employment base beyond a single institution. It's not wise to have all of your eggs in one basket. Most adjuncts create a full-time online job by teaching courses for a number of schools.
Most of this is just good common sense that Brian will explain to you in upbeat clear prose. It helps to get advice from an online pro who thinks deeply about the job search realities of being an online adjunct instructor. He'll show you how to search for jobs and cope with the confusing and sometimes frustrating pursuit of online employment.
As I explained in my article, Finding E-Learning Jobs, you must develop your subject matter expertise, grow your professional network, and polish your online teaching skills. Once you're prepared to teach online you'll need determination and a solid plan to find the right jobs.
Powerful New Ways to Use ePortfolios in the Classroom
The E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program at UW-Stout includes the class by class development of an online portfolio. The portfolio features artifacts of learning that demonstrate both the technical expertise and theoretical knowledge regarding e-learning and online teaching. During the Practicum, in addition to actively teaching in an online class, participants finalize their portfolios with an emphasis on career development. Portfolios help distinguish any application for an online teaching job.
Here's an overview of the e-Portfolio project that is finalized during the E-Learning Practicum. Numerous examples from program graduates are included.
This video will give you additional insight to ePortfolios:
This week's blog features top resources and emerging uses of ePortfolios in the classroom, including reflective practice and implementation challenges. Explore new ways of using digital portfolios to showcase, assess and deepen learning.
Googlios This site is where Google tools meet ePortfolios. It offers a collection of resources for those interested in using ePortfolios in Education. You will also find solid videos and examples using Google Sites.
ePortfolios with Google Apps Helen Barrett's extensive experience with eportfolios is evident in her comprehensive guide to using Google Apps for ePortfolios.
Is the Future of ePortfolios in Your Pocket? Helen Barrett challenges educators to consider how mobile learning tools can be used to capture learning "on the fly" for ongoing revision of eportfolios.
Tech Tip: Google Docs Secrets: 21 Power Tips For the Productivity Suite
Keir Thomas provides some little-known tips about Google Docs features, such as: creating drawings within presentations, fixing pictures into position, and dragging images directly from the desktop in Firefox or Chrome.
This post is based on the work and research of Karen Franker, Editor of UW-Stout's Tech Tips for Educators. Karen provides a rich archive of information that is constantly updated. Visit and Bookmark!
Read More about Finding E-Learning Jobs! Here are more articles about strategies for finding online work, and the kinds of preparation and paperwork you should be working on:
Adjunct Professors, K-12 Educators, Corporate Trainers, Health Educators, Curriculum specialists: Hone your skills so you can compete in a growing job market!
Explore online and blended applications for e-learning using an open source learning management system, Moodle, and the D2L learning management system. You will have the opportunity to create your course content with Moodle, an inexpensive way for educators to create an effective online course.
The course provides a strong foundation in e-learning and online teaching theory and technology. Emphasis is on developing a community of practice founded on critical reflection, personal interaction, and rich experiences with web 2.0 tools. E-Learning for Educators is is the recommended first course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program.
Activities include hands-on experience with Web 2.0 tools such as social bookmarking, blogs, podcasts, personalized search tools, surveys, quizzes, and discussion systems.
This course prepares learners to lead and manage instructional challenges in a variety of online settings in educational institutions, corporations, the military, health care and government agencies. The emphasis is on what you can use right now in your teaching or training.
This course introduces educators to the hands on realities of teaching online. Using Moodle and D2L teach and learn as both a student and an instructor. Discover e-learning best practices and create discussion forums, online surveys, quizzes and e-portfolios.
EDUC 760 E-Learning for Educators 3 graduate credits This is the introductory course in the E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate, is an approved elective in the online Master of Science in Education degree program, and is open as an individual course to students seeking professional development.
Sections are nearly full:
Dates Choose one section: EDUC 760 900 September 19- November 11, 2011 Instructor: Jim Erbe EDUC 760 901 October 3 – November 30, 2011 Instructor: Dennis O'Connor EDUC 760 902 October 3 – November 30, 2011 Instructor: Sara Turansky
"It was a great first experience with online learning! I would, I have, and I will, recommend the course to colleagues with whom I work, and I would consider another online course without hesitation. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!" ~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California
"I enjoyed the instructor(s) and their focus on organization and professionalism." ~ Instructor at Waukesha County Technical College, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
"Prior to beginning the class, one of my most strongly held notions was that the interaction and level of engagement in an online course environment could not come close to the experience one has in a face to face class. While I don't know that I am ready to fully embrace the concept that one should be able to earn a high school diploma or a Bachelor's degree completely online, I certainly believe there is tremendous value, rigor, and powerful sense of community that can be developed in a thoughtfully constructed course with a skilled teacher shepherding the process. " ~ Middle School Librarian, Los Angeles, California
September 19 – November 18, 2011, 2011 Register Now! This course provides you with real hands on experience. You'll learn how to create a sense of online community as you facilitate discussions with your peers. This is an opportunity to practice online teaching skills in a caring, personalized and supportive environment.
Course activities include hands-on practice using synchronous and asynchronous communication technologies.
You will actively: facilitate, explore questioning skills, conflict resolution, netiquette, and collaborative learning through problem solving scenarios, simulations, and online discussions.
You will investigate time management strategies and pitfalls to avoid when designing and facilitating online class activities and explore various assessment tools to analyze and evaluate student participation in online discussions.
Don't miss this chance! Register Today! EDUC 761 Creating Collaborative Communities in E-Learning 3 graduate credits Totally online - no travel to campus required
No extra fees or surcharges for out of state or international participants.
Kay and I first met when we were going to school together (online) earning our masters degrees in online teaching and learning. She has been a vital part of my personal learning network ever since. In many ways an adjunct professor is like a rōnin samurai. We have to keep our skills sharp to survive in a challenging landscape.
Since so many readers of this blog are seeking to advance their online teaching careers I want to share a blog post Kay did recently on the realities and strategies of working online. Kay is wise and highly skilled.
In all fairness... I do have a dream job!
"...It works because I've made it work. I've curated a full time job by piecing together courses from several institutions, freelance-style, within an educational industry that has yet to figure out what its going to be when it grows up and become technologically self-aware."
I find it ironic that a virtual school symposium has no online attendance options. However, if you're in the Midwest and involved in K-12 Online Education, this is the conference to attend. (To be fair iNacol does sponsor a number of Webinars every year.)
The conference is organized by iNACOL ( The International Association for K-12 Online Learning). I've been a member of iNacol since 2005. It has become the foremost professional organization for Virtual Schooling in the world.
I always recommend joining iNacol to the K-12 educators in our E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program. To build a career in E-Learning you need to create a professional network. Getting involved with iNacol is an important part of building your connections.
K-12 Virtual School?
These YouTube videos provide an overview of what is happening now in virtual schools across the country. They were created by Edutopia, another networking center that will reward any virtual teacher who pays attention with resources and connections worth having!
Virtual School Symposium (Details)
The International Association for K-12 Online Learning's annual conference, the Virtual School Symposium (VSS 2011), is November 9 - 11, 2011 at the JW Marriott in Downtown Indianapolis. The theme of this year's Virtual School Symposium (VSS) is "Empowered to Perform: Online and Blended Learning Models."
Online and blended learning are important innovations in K-12 education. The VSS conference provides professional development for K-12 online and blended learning for more than 2,000 K-12 administrators, policy leaders and practitioners; important networking opportunities; access to expertise and analysis, trends and research; and thought-provoking sessions for leaders looking to help shape the future of education. Attendees will find solutions for college-readiness, credit recovery, core and advanced courses, as well as target personalized learning solutions and competency-based pathways for students across the K-12 grade-levels.
New Preconference Sessions Announced! iNACOL is pleased to announce 15 preconference workshops on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Participants can choose from a variety of half and full day sessions on important topics in the field of K-12 online and blended learning. Learn from experts, participate in engaging discussions, and gain a deeper understanding of these important topics.
iNACOL is pleased to announce two new VSS pre-conference sessions:
Blended/Hybrid Learning 101 - From Inception to Implementation lead by Michael Horn and Heather Staker from Innosight Institute.
Experts have noted that the majority of K-12 online learning in the United States is likely to happen in blended learning environments--and districts and charters are already responding and creating a variety of different models to personalize learning for students. This session will involve deep participant discussion to explore what blended learning looks like in the trenches. What is it? What are the different models of implementation? How do schools get started? How does one evaluate what tools--software and resources--to use when creating the model? Thought-provoking panels will include the experts, consultants and school personnel who are starting up and running blended learning programs.
Best Practices for Online Teachers with iNACOL/SREB’s National Online Teacher of the Year, Kristen Kipp
Award-winning National Online Teacher of the Year, Kristen Kipp, will lead this session designed for online teachers to share best practices from their online classrooms. Expert panels will include information on building community in the online learning environment and working with at-risk students online. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in round table discussions on current issues in online teaching including motivating students, differentiation, academic integrity, and assessment. All ideas will be grounded in the very best online teaching practices and research. Participants will leave with new ideas of how to improve and enrich the teaching in their program.
Many more! VSS half-day workshops and full-day preconference workshops on November 9 include:
• Administration and Management of Online Programs • Colloquium on Researching and Evaluating Blended Learning • Evaluation in K-12 Online Learning • Google Workshop for Educators (Online Teacher Edition) (Full day) • How to Start an Online Program Preconference Session (Full day) • Issues of Diversity in Online Learning • Learn Moodle! An Open Source Learning Management System • New Learning Models – Mobile Learning, Game-Based Learning, and School Turnarounds • Online Christian Education Association (OCEA) Symposium • Online STEM Initiatives: A Hands-On Training Workshop (Full day) • Open Educational Resources Workshop (Full day) • Professional Development for Online and Blended Teachers: Identifying Successful Practices and Addressing Challenges • Web 2.0 and Emerging Technologies for Online Learning
Full descriptions and registration for all of the preconference sessions are now available on our website at http://www.virtualschoolsyposium.org. Seating is limited for all sessions, so sign up soon!
Online and blended learning offers new delivery systems to maximize capacity -- doing more for students - even in times of economic distress. To learn more about online and blended models in K-12 education, the iNACOL annual conference provides access to experts and networking opportunities to learn more about new learning models, digital content innovations and technology tools for next generation learning.
iNACOL is the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, a non-profit 501(c)(3) membership association based in the Washington, DC area with more than 3,800 members. iNACOL is unique in that its members represent a diverse cross-section of K-12 education from school districts, charter schools, state education agencies, non-profit organizations, colleges, universities and research institutions, corporate entities and other content and technology providers (www.inacol.org).
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