Are Online Teaching Degrees Respected?

In the year 2013 with gas prices out of control, federal funds for education being more tightly regulated than ever, and so many families working more than one job, I am amazed that people still question online schooling. Some people are even startled that you can earn a degree in education online. Head up people, I did not just get mt BA online; I'm now working on my Master. So I thought I would share some of the advantages of getting an online degree in education as seen through the eyes of the professionals that matter.

Let's begin with the fact that WGU Indiana earned 3 out of 4 stars when evaluated by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). That's out of 1,100 colleges by the way. What were they rated highest in? Student teaching best practices. That is pretty interesting when you consider that WGU Indiana students are not going to a daily class to try to get pointers for their student teaching experience. Do we get assistance? Sure, but we have to make it a point to ask for it. When it is asked for, there is no question that WGU Indiana is top notch at responding to student requests.

Moving right along...

WGU Indiana is not just another online school. Their program is competency based, which means you don't have to listen to lectures on material that you are well versed in. You go at your own pace, so you get time to focus on the areas you need the most instruction in. How do employers see this? How about seeing that you did something like 80 credits in 2 years? That's a pretty significant show of motivation.

Employers today are looking for people who are motivated. In the field of education, it is part of your job to go above and beyond. In fact, one system of measuring teacher competency allows for 15% of your total score to be based on your volunteer activities. If you aren't motivated as a teacher, you aren't going to be employed. Period.

The bottom line is that in the field of education, online degrees are earning respect. In fact, I recently learned that 90% of the employers who hire WGU graduates are pleased with what they got. 99% of them would hire another WGU Indiana graduate. Are online teaching degrees respected? I would say that the answer is a resounding "yes".

Online Teaching Degree

One reason I like WGU Indiana so much is that they offer an online teaching degree. While there are certainly schools that offer a wealth of online classes, it's kind of a pain to search for them and I don't even know of any other exclusively online school that offers a teaching degree in Indiana. For all I know, every other state might have tons of them, but I doubt it.

Most people that are working toward a teaching degree in Indiana that will lead to a teaching license in Indiana know that there is a student teaching portion to the degree. This is the part of the degree that requires students to go into a classroom and teach it for 12 weeks, 16 weeks if you're aiming for a Special Education teaching degree in Indiana. Don't worry, because WGU Indiana has this part covered as well. In fact, it's the one of the 3 parts of the online teaching degree in Indiana that requires you to leave your house. The other 2 are the 2 Praxis tests (which WGU Indiana actually reimburses you for-try finding that in another school).

WGU Indiana staff is very familiar with the Indiana requirements for a teaching degree. Their goal is to prepare you to work your way into one of the Indiana teaching jobs that are out there. That means that the online teaching degree at WGU Indiana has a schedule for every step of the way.

Introducing WGU Indiana

In the summer of 2010, Mitch Daniels signed in WGU Indiana as another state college of Indiana. WGU Indiana is actually a part of Western Governors University, a knowledge based online university that has a focus on what the student learns rather than how many hours the student spends in class. It's also one of the very few schools that offer an online teaching degree that leads to licensure as well as an online nursing degree that leads to licensure.

WGU Indiana runs on 6 month terms rather than semesters. New terms start every month so students can sign up at their convenience and complete their courses according to their schedules rather than the traditional school schedules. Generally there are no breaks in between terms, but students can request time off if needed.

Since WGU Indiana is located in Indiana, it is able to accept Indiana state grants, something online students have had to be concerned about when searching for an online school that meets their financial needs as well as their educational needs.

I'm coming to the end of my first term with WGU Indiana and I have to say that it has been a rather pleasant term. In fact, I'm sorry that I put off this blog for so long as it should have been active all through my first term. But, since I did put it off, I was able to acquire knowledge that may be helpful to students who are entering or considering entering their first term at WGU Indiana.

If you're a student now seeking transfer or you're a student who is considering enrolling in a university, I would urge you to consider WGU Indiana. I hope you enjoy this blog and that it helps you to find your way through the various aspects of WGU Indiana. Welcome to knowledge based learning.