Yet another question about teaching with a D/L or part-time degree

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by j2k4real, Feb 26, 2005.

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  1. j2k4real

    j2k4real New Member

    Hi....

    I am wondering if anyone on this forum could share tips about preparing oneself to pursue an adjunct position (Computer Science/IT/related) with a DL degree....

    A little about me, I am just starting my PhD work at Nova Southeastern, Computer Information Science.... I earned my masters (Computer Science) from Howard Univ (took two classes that transferred from George Mason), and my bachelors from Benedict College... also had one semester of doctoral study in IT at UNC Charlotte, which I couldnt complete for mainly financial reasons.

    I work full time as a sys-admin/developer, have a pretty strong background in programming, databases, and unix.

    Any tips?
     
  2. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    OK, I'll start (not that I really know anything about it).
    Where I'm from originally (Boston area) there are so many universities churning out so many MAs, PhDs, etc. that you can't even get a community college adjunct job without a PhD (this is a bit of an exageration, but only a bit). Everybody wants you to have teaching experience but you can't get the teaching experience without, well, teaching experience. If I wanted to get an adjunct position somewhere, I'd think about starting out by teaching a course, any course, anywhere. Then I'd begin to build on that. By the time you actually have your PhD you can not only point to your academic credentials and your IT work credentials, you can also talk about your teaching experience. I hope you reach your goals.
    Jack
     
  3. j2k4real

    j2k4real New Member

    Thanks.... I have been trying to land a part-time position, but I have run into that exact thing that you were mentioning... everyone wants a PhD or in Computing.. alot of the community colleges and such will take certifications like MCSE, Cisco, etc, which I dont yet have.

    I do have my one semester experience as a Teaching Assistant, but so far it hasnt been enough to get an interview.
     
  4. DesElms

    DesElms New Member

    I'll tell you at least one thing that bothers me a little... and it's the inference of less-than-high-quality that one gets from thread-starting subject lines like "Yet another question about teaching with a D/L or part-time degree."

    A part-time degree is no different from a full-time degree except it took twice or three (or maybe four) times as long to get. But, once got, it's exactly the same as that very same degree gotten by full-time study.

    Much the same can be said of D/L degrees. Just because they're D/L does not make them sub-standard. They are exactly the same as their brick-and-mortar counterparts. They're either accredited or they're not. If they are, then it's none of anyone's damned business how it was earned.

    I just don't understand why this sort of thing keeps coming-up.

    Distance education and/or online education does not equal low quality. In fact, because of the self-discipline, alone, many argue that only the heartiest of students dare to do it by D/L.

    Sadly, the press -- which, as usual, often gets it wrong -- has written a few careless headlines about diploma mills that seemed to imply that the problem with diploma mills is that they're D/L or over the Internet. That's not it. The problem with diploma mills is that they sell fake "degrees" for a price and little or no work; or they masquerade as a legitimate university by requiring at least some work -- lightweight and open-booked though it may be -- and then give the rest of the "degree's" credit for "life experience." The latter is how the effective diploma mill Kennedy-Western "University" does it.

    But what's wrong with Kennedy-Western and its more hard-core, unapologetic cousins has nothing whatsoever to do with the mere fact that they're "D/L" or "online."

    If a potential employer would be swayed one way or the other by the fact that an otherwise perfectly legitimate, rigorous, fully-accredited degree was delivered by distance learning and/or online study (other than, perhaps, being impressed because of the additional self-discipline it requires), then said potential employer is an idiot. Simple as that.

    A degree -- no matter how delivered -- is either accredited (or, if unaccredited, then at least objectively rigorous and universally recognized as easily on-par with accredited degrees... such as those not accredited by a USDoE/CHEA-approved agency but which, nevertheless, are acceptable to states like Oregon, for example) or it's not. A potential employer who wouldn't hire you because it was delivered via distance/online learning and/or was earned part-time needs to be educated himself or herself.
     
  5. GME

    GME New Member

    Hi,

    I'm the program coordinator for a graduate psychology program that uses a lot of adjuncts.

    A few ideas in no particular order:

    Do you know anyone who is currently teaching in your field? If so, see if you can come in as a guest lecturer for a class meeting. Listing a number of those on your resume can help.

    Along those lines, see if any of your target schools (or any other organizations for that matter) offer half or one-day seminars and see if you can present one (presenting a successful full-day seminar is often the first step in getting into my school's adjunct pool).

    Also, you might check out extension programs offered by area universities (these run from simple community interest no credit classes to full-blown university courses like those offered by UCLA's extension program). Extension programs are often independent of academic departments and so may offer a more flexible entry for you.

    You might concentrate at first on schools (typically private) that train folk for applied positions in your field (I know nothing about your specific area, but are there such places, like ITT or DeVry?). These places often value current real-world experience as much as academic background (although you wanna make sure that you don't end up drastically below the level that you want to end up at. By that I mean if you're absolutely determined to teach on the grad level then a 'business college' credit may not move you forward, however if you're looking at a junior college, or undergrad program, it might).

    Good Luck!
    GME
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 26, 2005
  6. PhD2B

    PhD2B Dazed and Confused

    Can I get an Amen? :D

    I don't think j2k4real was downplaying DL, but I love this post!
     
  7. j2k4real

    j2k4real New Member

    Okay...

    You are correct.... I myself just enrolled in a part time/distance program, and If I didn't think much of the program, I would have opted for something else.

    I chose the title because I have seen some similar topics... I was not inferring anything. It is what it is... I've been a student in 4 CS/IT departments, and have yet to personally meet a professor, even an adjunct with a D/L degree. I know that here are some out there, and I was hoping to learn what they have done to reach their goals that I can apply to my own situation.

    I dont claim any signifigance to my own experiences, but this does influence my take on this issue: it _may_ be more challenging to find academic employment with a D/L degree. This seems logical, just as there is often some extra respect/bias given (again, this would vary I'd guess) if the prospect has a degree from say UNC Chapel Hill or Ga Tech vs. a respectable, but lesser known program, like Univ. of South Carolina or Georgia State Univ. It doesnt take anything at all from the latter two schools... but there is definitely some bias, and I can acknowledge that.

    RE My original question, obviously being FT at a B/M, one would be likely to hold several TA positions, in some cases adjunct positions in the department before graduation... In our department, it was a stated goal that graduates be qualified to take on a Assistant Prof position upon graduation (how realistic this is, is another discussion). Being out of the B/M environment, I am curious as to the best way to make up for these "intangibles", such that I can apply for and obtain at least a part-time teaching position... thats all.

    On the accreditation front, thats why I chose Nova... I initially looked at North Central, but they are not on the Forsythe list... I actually didnt see any distance PhD program in CS/CE, or related, listed besides Nova.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 27, 2005
  8. j2k4real

    j2k4real New Member

    to GME:

    I have applied at DeVry very recently... still waiting to hear (or not) back..


    thanks for the tips
     
  9. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    I applied to DeVry and did not get an answer. Some other schools to think about:
    South University
    UMUC
    Capella
    University of Phoenix
    Aspen
    Baker
    Strayer
    ITT
     

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