Online Teaching Credential Program

The Chronicle of Higher Education has a story about what apparently is America's first online teacher education program.
http://www.chronicle.com/free/2001/08/2001080302u.htm

Another unusual feature of this is that it is going to be offered by the Maricopa County Community College District as a post-bachelors program. (We had a thread a couple of weeks ago about community colleges breaking out of their traditional role.)

The college (Rio Salado) will arrange classroom observations and student teaching in a local school near you, wherever you are located. (They say that they recently accepted a student in Africa.)

This will earn you an Arizona teaching credential, and it seems that about half the US states have automatic reciprocity with Arizona, including California where I am located.

Both elementary and secondary credential programs are available.

 

Very interesting Bill! Thanks for posting it.

North

 

This is damn useful. Thanks, Bill.

Rich Douglas

 

Interesting. Perhaps this isn't the intent of the program, but it may help the shortage of math and science teachers. Working engineers or scientists may wish to teach a class or two in their areas of competency while working or during semi-retirement.

To attract such people, I'd grease the path even more by waiving the practicum and subject-area courses (science, math, CS, etc.) for degreed engineers and scientists with 'x' amount of experience. Kill as much 'fluff' as possible to attract them.

Generally, engineers and scientists spend a fair amount of time teaching in some manner as part of their job (customers, upper management, co-workers, symposia, etc.). They take far more courses in the teaching area than education-track teachers.

BTW, I'm including mathematicians among the scientists.

Just an thought.