Online Teaching: Helping K-12 Educators Make the Switch

By Susan Hoffman
Contributor, Online Career Tips

Note: This article was originally published on Online Learning Tips.

Due to the closure of K-12 schools, colleges and universities in many states as a precaution against coronavirus infection, some educational systems are now creating online academic programs for students. Instructors are also working to switch from face-to-face instruction in brick-and-mortar buildings to online teaching.

For students, learning online requires different tactics. These students must be more disciplined because a teacher won’t be physically present to remind them of tests and assignment deadlines. In addition, those students must develop good communication and computer skills, so that they can easily communicate with their classmates and instructor and complete their classwork.

The infrastructure of online instruction also requires careful creation by instructional designers and educators. There are other issues to be taken into consideration, such as ethical issues, legal issues, and the evaluation of individual student performance.

Master of Education in Online Teaching Provides Educational Management Skills for Instructors

To aid K-12 instructors switching to online teaching as the result of weather-related disasters or other crisis situations, American Public University offers a Master of Education in Online Teaching. Launched in January 2019, this non-licensure* online master’s teaching degree prepares you to enhance K-12 student achievement in a virtual environment.

Classes offered in this master’s degree in online teaching include:

• Ethical and legal issues in online learning
• Online learning and student achievement
• Personalized and individualized online learning
• Online teaching technology integration
• Assessment of online learning
• Instructional design in online learning

Classes in this degree program are taught by highly experienced, credentialed faculty members with years of experience in face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid learning. This program is designed to help K-12 educators to grow their skill sets and prepare to teach in digital environments for virtual, hybrid, and traditional schools.

Program director Kathleen Tate notes, “What prompted me to want to launch this kind of degree was observing the effects of the 2018 natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires and floods) that destroyed brick-and-mortar schools. Houston was especially hit hard by hurricanes and flooding, and the city was looking for alternate ways to get children (and displaced children) back to school without having physical school sites still intact.

“Online learning provides a place for education to continue during times when physical schools are closed or destroyed. But online learning may benefit students and teachers for a variety of reasons at any time.”

For more information about the M.Ed. in online teaching, contact 866-991-8856 or complete our request form.

*Note: This program is for currently licensed teachers and does not lead to licensure. We strongly encourage you to complete the request form and talk to admissions representative about state-specific requirements prior to applying in order to make an informed decision.