Where and How to Find Online Teaching Jobs (Part 1)

Teaching is the best job in the world. You help people. You spend your work life energy participating in an endlessly fascinating process. You also get paid to learn.

Online teaching adds geographical independence and a big dose of entrepreneurship to the life of a teacher.  I've found that to be a very good thing.

As an instructor and program advisor for the University of Wisconsin-Stout's Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program I teach online classes every semester.  Another very important part of my job is helping people find work.

I try to keep our students informed of new jobs as I find them. However,  every time I search I find thousands of online teaching jobs.  I can't republish them all but I do have an archive of online teaching  e-Jobs on my Scoop.it ELearning page.

The best thing you can do is learn to search for the e-Job you want.  Let me show you where you can find those job leads for yourself.  (Don't miss the RSS feeds highlighting e-jobs found in the right hand column of this blog.)

I'm convinced, that at this very moment, the perfect online teaching job is waiting for any talented teacher with the right combination of subject matter skills, elearning training and professional networking.

The ELearning Employment Triangle

The E-Learning Employment Triangle

With the proper qualifications, most work will come through your professional network. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't search directly for work and put together the necessary paperwork to land the online teaching jobs you seek.

UW-Stout Career Support (Open to everyone)

• Instructional Design Careers
• E-Learning and Online Teaching Careers

Here are some of the search engines that produce results.  

• Take the time to set up accounts and upload fresh resumes or CVs.  
• Be sure your online e-portfolios are polished and ready for a critical eye.  
• Then start searching!

LinkedIn Job Search

 
HigherEd Jobs

Indeed.com

SimplyHired.com

One More Hint:  Jump in the Pool!

These snapshots represent searches for  recent jobs.  You can also search for all job listings because even if the institution doesn't have a job available right now, you might land one in the future.   Don't underestimate the power of getting your application into the Adjunct hiring pool.

Read More About Finding ELearning Jobs! 
Here are more articles about strategies for finding online work, and the kinds of preparation and paperwork you should be working on: 

1. Where and How to Find ELearning Jobs
2. Finding ELearning Jobs* This will help you see the big picture! 
3. Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
4. E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore! This is why we require a portfolio based on your course work in the ELearning Certificate Program.
5. Make Money Teaching Online Dr. Dani Babb helps you build great marketing plan for anyone looking for an academic online career.
6. Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work
7. Elearning and Online Teaching Career Center

10 Month Fast Track to Your Graduate Certificate in E-Learning and online Teaching

Become an Effective Online Instructor in Just 10 Months - Make it happen!

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Prepare for designing online courses, teaching in blended or online classes or training in elearning settings.

• Tuition and Registration
• Courses and Dates
• Find Online Teaching Jobs
• Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a course? 

Each course is 8 weeks. These intensive courses earn 3 Graduate Credits.

Begin in January and complete the certificate in 10 months.

EDUC 760 Elearning for Educators 
EDUC 762 Assessment in Elearning 
EDUC 763 Instructional Design for E-earning 
EDUC 761 Creating Collaborative Communities in Elearning - Online Facilitation 
EDUC 764 E-Learning Practicum

It's possible to skip a semester or two between courses if that works better for you than taking the courses back to back. Each course is offered three times per year.

Begin May 2015 and complete the certificate in 10 months.

EDUC 760 960 E-learning for Educators May 4 - June 26, 2015
EDUC 762 961 Assessment in E-learning June 29 - August 21, 2015
EDUC 763 900 Instructional Design for E-Learning August 24 - October 16, 2015
EDUC 761 900 Collaborative Communities in E-learning - Online Facilitation October 19 - December 11, 2015
EDUC 764 930 E-Learning Practicum + Internship January 20 - March 27, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions about the Practicum + Internship
NOTE: Twelve of the course graduate credits may be applied as electives in the Master of Science in Education graduate degree program.

Tuition

How much will it cost?

$441 per semester credit hour.
Each course earns 3 semester credit hours
There is no registration fee and no program application.
E-textbooks are provided free.
Full Access to Lynda.com training videos
Full access to Brainfuse personalized tutorials
Tuition is the same for Wisconsin residents, out-of-state and international students.

Registration

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When can I start and how do I register online?

Register online to reserve your spot now. This program is very popular and courses fill well before the start date. There is no registration fee.
All courses are offered three times each year (spring, summer and fall).

Do I need to apply for admission to the university's graduate program?

No, you do not need to apply for graduate admission to the university unless you are beginning a Master's degree program at University of Wisconsin-Stout.

When is the registration deadline?

Registration is available until each session is filled or five business days before the course begins.

Courses

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What is the prerequisite?

Completion of a bachelor's degree

May I enroll in one course, such as Instructional Design for Elearning, without taking the other courses?

Yes, many students enroll in a single course and do not take the other courses.

Find Online Teaching Jobs

ELearning and Online Teaching Career Center - Latest Salary Information.

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How will a graduate certificate help me?

Include your graduate certificate courses on your resume and LinkedIn profile as an indication of your commitment to acquiring new skills and extending your knowledge.

Add our graduate certificate to your existing masters degree to demonstrate subject matter expertise in e-learning.
Share your certificate projects in an online portfolio showcasing your expertise and competencies.

"... for students balancing the jobs they must have with the advanced education they desire – a situation faced by most students today – completing a certificate can be the most direct path to career success."
~ The Certificate Solution

What type of online teaching job opportunities are available?

The courses are designed for experienced trainers and educators interested in entering the field of online teaching or those who wish to blend web-based instruction into their face-to-face classes. Our students are:

• Trainers in corporations, nonprofit organizations, business, government, and military
• Technical and community college instructors (adjunct and full time)
• College and university professors (adjunct and full time)
• K-12 teachers (blended classrooms and virtual schools)
• Health educators involved in patient education, continuing education or in-service education, community health education, or academic healthcare education
• Curriculum consultants, professional development coordinators, and distance education leaders
• Continuing education facilitators

Check out our Elearning Graduate Certificate Magazine - Finding ELearning Jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Is there an application fee?

No

Is the course open to international students?

Yes, students from 23 different countries have enrolled in this program.

Will I receive a certificate document to include with my resume?

Yes, upon completion of all five online courses, you will receive an official certificate from the university, in addition to the 15 graduate credits on your University of Wisconsin-Stout transcript.

Are online courses open to veterans and military service members?

Yes, you can work online from anywhere in the world. We encourage veterans and military service members working at the graduate level to join our program. UW-Stout was selected as a Military Friendly School, and this honor places us in the top 15 percent of all schools nationwide.

What are the participation expectations?

Expectations

Is financial aid available?

You may qualify for aid if you are enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Stout Master of Science in Education degree program and enrolled in a minimum of five (5) credits.

Will this include designing self-paced learning materials?

For those who seek training in the skills necessary to develop self-paced e-learning products, print materials, computer-based training, orientations and compliance tutorials, project management or redesign of existing curriculum for just-in-time delivery and electronic performance support systems (EPSS) consider our Instructional Design Certificate program.

Benefits

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• Eight-week intensive online courses
• Expert facilitation by veteran online instructors
• Small, highly interactive classes
• Professional-quality projects for an e-portfolio to aid in job searches
• Career mentoring and job placement assistance
• Highly competitive tuition
• Credits apply as electives in the Master of Science in Education graduate degree program
• Accreditation

For More Information...

Contact Us:
Request Information Online
School of Education
Online Professional Development
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, WI 54751
Phone: (530) 318-1145

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Elearning and Online Teaching Career Center - Learn More

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To Find Online Teaching Jobs

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Networking

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Pioneer Tales - How I got started as an online teacher

There is an old joke: 

Do you know how you can tell the pioneers?

... They are the ones with arrows in their backs!

I've survived the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".  I still love this journey.

The following audio explains how I got started teaching online with Connected University. 

I recorded this story for students in EDUC 764 The E-Learning Practicum. These folks are busy interning as online teaching and working on new careers. The mentored online teaching experience is the last step in earning our Graduate Certificate in E-Learning and Online Teaching.

Sometimes a little history helps! 

My first paid job online was as a Guide for Connected University. This image is a snap shot of my responses to the Icebreaker prompt in my first 'audition training' for Connected U.

The campfire is an evocative image.  I was inspired by David Thornburg's seminal work: Campfires in Cyberspace: Primordial Metaphors for Learning in the 21st Century.

~ Dennis O'Connor

EPortfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore! (Part 4)

Powerful New Ways to Use ePortfolios in the Classroom

The ELearning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate program at UW-Stout includes the class by class development of an online ePortfolio. The ePortfolio features artifacts of learning that demonstrate both the technical expertise and theoretical knowledge regarding elearning 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 ELearning Practicum. Numerous examples from program graduates are included.





This video will give you additional insight to ePortfolios:

Explore new ways of using digital portfolios to showcase, assess and deepen learning.

11 Essentials For Excellent ePortfolios
Vicki Davis shares her insights in this timely Edutopia article.

Making Learning Visible and Meaningful Through Electronic Portfolios
Terrell Rhodes provides examples of how several higher ed campuses use rubrics with eportfolios to provide multi-dimensional evidence of students' abilities.

ePortfolios with Google Apps
Helen Barrett's extensive experience with eportfolios is evident in her comprehensive guide to using Google Apps for ePortfolios.

The Learning Portfolio: Reflective Practice for Improving Student Learning (pdf - 19 pages)
John Zubizaretta describes key questions to consider when developing effective portfolios to support reflective learning. Included are sample questions to help students reflect on their learning.

E-Portfolio & Webpage Rubrics from UW-Stout
Joan Vandervelde's rubric can be used for assessment of student ePortfolios.

5 Lessons Worth Learning About E-Portfolios
Dian Schaffhauser shares lessons learned while building a campus wide e-portfolio system a the University of Alaska Anchorage.

E-Learning and Online Teaching - ePortfolios
This curated archive of articles about ePortfolios is a deep resource.




Read More about Finding ELearning Jobs! 
Here are more articles about strategies for finding online work, and the kinds of preparation and paperwork you should be working on: 

1. Where and How to Find ELearning Jobs
2. Finding ELearning Jobs
3. Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
4. E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
5. Make Money Teaching Online 
6. Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work
7. New! Elearning and Online Teaching Career Center

Finding ELearning Jobs (Part 2)

Online teaching was the perfect part-time job.

I lived in the mountains and worked in a small rural school district. I coached and ran clubs for extra money. I loved the classroom, but I needed a professional community.

I found that community in online classes. My hungry mind needed the ultimate teacher's room, where educators were energized and focused on the future. Online I was connecting with great teachers from around the world and learning new things every day. 

I went back to school at age 50 and earned a certificate and master's degree in online teaching and learning while working full time as a middle school teacher.

After 25 years in a traditional classroom, I needed a change. It was time to put my new degree to work.  Rather than circle the wagons and wait it out,  I took early retirement. I rekindled my passion for teaching and learning as an online instructor and course designer.

For the past 20 years, I've enjoyed the freedom and flexibility that once seemed like an impossible dream.  

Working online is everything I'd hoped for, and more.  It didn't happen overnight, but it did happen.  I am living the reality of life long learning. The changes still come one step at a time. There is so much more to learn!

One of my many online jobs is that of Certificate Advisor for Online Professional Development at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. I've worked with thousands of educators and trainers, seeking a way to grow professional skills and enhance careers.

I want to share what I have learned with you.  The key to an online academic career is a power triangle of essential elements:

• Subject Matter Expertise
• 21st Century Networking
• E-learning and Teaching Experience

Power Triangle for E-Learning Success

Subject Matter Expertise

Educators

If you are a K-12 teacher, your knowledge is established by the grades and subjects you teach and the licenses, degrees, and certificates you hold.

For those working in higher education, it is all about your subject matter expertise which is determined by your degree(s), and certificates.

Trainers

If you are a military, corporate, or medical trainer, your expertise is established by your subject specialization, the variety of training positions you've held as well as degrees and certificates.

Designers

If you are an instructional designer, qualifications are a combination of work experience, degrees, certificates, and most importantly a portfolio of artifacts that show what you know.

Master's Degrees.

For undergraduate faculty positions, a master's degree qualifies you to teach subjects within the range of your degree.

Many community colleges and undergraduate programs will accept 18 graduate credits in a subject concentration outside of your master's degree as a qualification to teach in a subject area.

Terminal Degrees.  

For both undergraduate and graduate faculty positions, you will be qualified to teach subjects within the range of your degree. Terminal degrees are preferred by academic institutions.

Graduate Certificates

Adding a Graduate Certificate in E-Learning and Online Teaching is a way to document your training and develop a new area of subject matter expertise!

Building Your Network

Roughly 80% of your e-learning work will come from face to face and online networking.

Building your networks will open the door to a new future. Decision-makers want to hire people they know. When they can't find someone they know personally, they reach out to their personal network of colleagues. Many jobs go unadvertised or are created when a person with the right skills is discovered.

5 Ways to Build Your Professional Network

1. Start where you work right now.

• Let your professional circle know you are pursuing an certificate or a degree online. 
• Think of your online peers as the beginning of a lifelong network.

2. Find Professional organizations and conferences.

• Go to conferences and get to know others who share your professional interests.
• Attend both face to face and online conferences (Webinars).
• Have business cards printed and hand them out!
• Design and pursue your own professional development path. 

3. Become an online student.

• Successful online students become successful online teachers.
• Get to know your classmates.
• Some of your strongest professional bonds will be with colleagues you meet in your online classes.

4. Be active in professional networks.

• Learn to use social media wisely.
• Join an online network dedicated to your specific professional interests.
• Join job search-oriented social networks.

5. Build your professional credibility with a website or e-portfolio.

• A professional presence on the Internet is essential.
• Build a classroom website.
• Write a blog about an area of interest.
• Create a wiki for collaborative projects
• Show what you know with an e-portfolio.

E-Learning and Online Teaching Experience

The University of Wisconsin-Stout E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program provides experience as both an online student and an online teacher.

You have developed a skill set as a classroom teacher or trainer. However, teaching or training experience does not adequately prepare you for the unique challenges of e-learning and online instruction.

• Teaching online without training can be a painful and frustrating experience.
• Experience and specialized training in facilitation and assessment techniques are essential

As an online student in our certificate program:

• You will experience the best practices of online learning.
• You will learn how to develop a community of learners through intense collaboration and discussion.
• You will build strong professional bonds with your colleagues.
• You will work with highly trained master teachers who are dedicated to helping you grow and learn.

As an online teacher in training:

• You create online content and assessments relevant to your current work.
• You facilitate small group discussions.
• You practice the teaching skills in a supportive environment rich in timely feedback.
• Each of the five classes is a model of the best practices of teaching and learning online.

The E-Learning Practicum: Real-World Experience

• In the E-Learning Practicum, you teach online in one of our graduate classes. 
• You will 'co-pilot' with a mentor teacher practicing assessment and discussion facilitation.
• If you are currently teaching or training online, and wish to work on one of your own classes, we craft a program focused on course design and facilitation coaching.
• Customized internships with K-12 Virtual Schools are also possible.

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: 

• NEW: Elearning and Online Teaching Career Center
• Where and How to Find ELearning Jobs
• Finding E-Learning Jobs
• Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you an Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
• E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
• Make Money Teaching Online 
• Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work
• ELearning Job Listings

Infographic: Finding E-Learning Jobs

E-Learning Jobs: Job Listings.

Here is a link to a curated list of jobs I maintain as a service for the graduate students in the UW-Stout E-Learning and Online Teaching Graduate Certificate Program.  I update this list (almost) daily. 

Click here for:

E-Learning Job Listings

UW-Stout Elearning and Online Teaching Career Center

I've also written a series of articles about how to find e-learning jobs.  These articles will give you a good start as you plan your online career!

E-Learning Job Articles

E-Learning Jobs Listings
Where and How to Find E-Learning Jobs
Finding E-Learning Jobs
Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
Make Money Teaching Online 
Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work

Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? (Part 3)

Getting Started Teaching Online

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.



They are NOT hiring! - Online Teaching Jobs from Brian Robison on Vimeo.

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.

As you plan your online career, be sure you go to Brian's website: http://www.howtoteachonline.com.

• Think about how to organize yourself to become a successful online teacher. 
• Sign up for his newsletter
• Watch his videos
• Take action!

Listen to Brian. He's a sharp guy and he's talking sense!

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: 

1. Where and How to Find E-Learning Jobs
2. Finding E-Learning Jobs
3. Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
4. E-Portfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
5. Make Money Teaching Online 
6. Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work

Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work. (Part 6)

Be Prepared, Professional and Persistent!

Searching for online work requires a plan, perseverance, and organization. An adjunct instructor is both a teacher and a business person. Searching for work is part of the profession. In time you may develop a comfortable niche at a great school. However, to get started you need to keep searching for the right fit.
 

Adjunct Agility
 
As an adjunct it's likely you'll have multiple jobs with different deadlines. To build your career seek work at several schools. Prove your abilities and hope for additional classes.  Multiple schools provide multiple opportunities. Keep in mind the old adage: "Don't keep all your eggs in one basket."

Be Social

Many online jobs come from your network of friends and professional colleagues. This network starts when you are learning online line as a student. Seek like minded peers as the foundation for your professional network.

Now is the time to master online social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.  These are natural ways for an online teacher to build a professional presence and connect with like minded teachers.  Most of your online work will come from your professional network. However, most first jobs come from the hard grind of applying for online work.

Dive into the Adjunct Pool
 
Take the time to research the schools where you want to work. Investigate the courses they teach online. If there's a good match for your talents proceed.  IF you have strong personal contact at the school of your choice, use it.  Other wise, time to dive into the Adjunct Pool.

Search the school's website for the adjunct application portal. Carefully fill out the application. Yes, data entry is tedious. Be persistent! This is one way to break in. It's also a way for schools to filter out applicants who don't have the determination to jump through the hoops.

Revise your adjunct pool applications every 4 to 6 weeks.  Just give them a touch. Add new information. Make minor changes.  This keeps the revision dates 'fresh' in the database.  You are fishing. Keep the bait fresh and apply to all the adjunct pools that fit your expertise. Getting a break could mean applying for dozens (100s?) of jobs.

Research + Customized Cover Letters = Interviews

Do your homework. 

• Dig into the school website. 
• Identify the courses that fit your skill set. 
• Find the names and email addresses of the decision makers.  
• Notice the names of the Colleges/Departments/Special Sections.  

Note the personal information and use it to compose a focused cover letter. You may improve your chances by going directly to the department head in the division that offers the classes you wish to teach. 

Send a short email with a formal introduction to the decision makers.  Compose a concise job hunting subject line for your email.  

• Briefly list your Degrees and Subject matter expertise. 
• Emphasize any online teaching or training you have. 
• Mention the specific classes you have reviewed. 
• Attach your well crafted CV

The key is to show the decision maker that you've taken the time to read their materials and investigate the school. (If you ask a question that is answered on the website you haven't done your homework.) 

You may get bounced back to HR. Or you might land a phone interview if you fit the immediate needs of the school.  

Get Organized


Blind copy (bcc) yourself on all job seeking emails.  Tag your email with keywords. Make it easy to search for your applications. You might build a spreadsheet to track your applications and correspondence. Also consider using job application management software:

• StartWire
• JibberJobber
• ApplyMate

Develop a method and maintain it!

Professional Response Toolkit

• Make electronic copies of all your transcripts.  This is especially important for your most recent degree.
• Be ready to provide official transcripts.  Most schools will require official transcripts at some point in the hiring process.
• Develop a compelling Academic CV.
• Maintain a professional E-Portfolio that shows what you know.
• Write a short statement of your teaching philosophy.
• Write a great cover letter and customize it for each application.
• Have three professional references. Be sure to inform your references in advance with note that they may be contacted.
• An online portfolio or teaching website you maintain regularly.

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: 

1. Where and How to Find ELearning Jobs
2. Finding ELearning Jobs
3. Finding Online Teaching Jobs: Are you a Online Teaching, Adjunct Instructor, K-12 Virtual Teacher? 
4. EPortfolios for Career Development: It's not just resumes anymore!
5. Make Money Teaching Online 
6. Successful Techniques and Proven Strategies for Finding Online Teaching Work