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4 Challenges of Pursuing an Online Graduate Degree in Education

By U.S. News & World Report

Education master’s and certification programs are among the most popular in online graduate education.

In fact, two out of every nine online graduate students are specializing in education, according to a 2014 survey by Aslanian Market Research and The Learning House Inc., which provides custom-built online courses and other services to higher education clients.

While that might suggest the road to an education degree or certification is relatively straightforward, experts say educators who pursue those credentials still face challenges.

Below are four of those potential obstacles, combined with examples of how some students have overcome them.

[Discover what employers think of your online master’s in education.]

1. Balancing work and school responsibilities: Juggling professional and academic commitments is challenging regardless of an online student’s field of study. But the task is magnified for educators because of the 24/7 nature of teaching, says Jennifer Chauvot, an associate professor of mathematics education at the University of Houston.

“They are coaching, they are tutoring,” Chauvot says of educators. “Before school, after school. They’re doing a lot of other activities. They’re not just busy 8 to 3.”

One way students might stay on top of their workload is by seeking online programs that have elements of synchronous — or real-time — instruction, where students and faculty meet virtually on a regular basis. They also might choose a program that organizes students into cohorts that progress through studies together at the same pace.

Both are characteristics of Houston’s iSMART program, in which middle school teachers complete a master’s of education in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on integrating the disciplines of science and mathematics.

Recent graduate Elisabeth Williams, a math teacher at Westbrook Intermediate School in the Houston suburbs, says the program’s weekly synchronous sessions kept her on task.

“I would put work off until the end of the week and type something up and submit it for the asynchronous classes,” says Williams. “Whereas I couldn’t really get away with that with the synchronous ones.”

2. Finding an online program that meets your state’s credential requirements: While teachers in face-to-face grad programs generally work and study in the same state, online students in out-of-state programs may find it difficult to have their academic achievements recognized professionally, says Eugene Sheehan, dean of the college of education and behavioral sciences at the University of Northern Colorado.

[Learn how to land a spot in a top online master’s in education program.]

Education differs from some other fields in that each state sets its own standards for professional certifications and endorsements. While a graduate degree may qualify a teacher for an endorsement, raise or promotion in one state, for example, it might not in another.

“There’s more of an onus on the student to check with their state to make sure that whatever degree program they’re entering into will meet the requirements of what it is that they’re trying to accomplish in their state,” Sheehan says.

Northern Colorado’s new student service center focuses on helping out-of-state potential students identify and evaluate those requirements, Sheehan says. For some credentials, the question goes beyond whether a state will recognize a particular out-of-state program.

“They have to make sure they’re taking the right courses because sometimes a program can be accepted based on the courses you take,” says Sheehan. “There’s another whole layer of complexity that can come in after they’re enrolled.”

3. Choosing a school that is the right fit: In a field where work demands vary based on school environment, state standards and student ability, some educators may find some online graduate programs too broadly focused, says Jennifer Boyer-Thurgood, director of the Elementary Mathematics Teachers Academy at Utah State University.

“A lot of the online educational courses are about educational theory, which you definitely need, or they’re kind of blanket courses,” she says. “But that doesn’t tell you how to teach computational fluency to your second graders.”

Boyer-Thurgood’s academy offers a solution for elementary teachers needing more specialization. Students can choose from 100 instruction modules aligned with different portions of the Common Core State Standards. Through technology from digital infrastructure company Canvas, students’ selections are combined into a custom course or courses.

4. Determining the quality of the online program: Many students in online graduate education programs don’t have previous teaching experience, and are enrolling in a master’s or certification program to shift into a teaching career.

[Determine whether your online program is accredited.]

Those students are vulnerable to programs that lack enough rigor to prepare teachers for more challenging classroom environments, says Patrick Riccards, the director of media relations and strategy at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. The foundation runs the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, which recruits professionals and recent college graduates into becoming secondary teachers in low-income and high-need schools.

“Anybody can see a pop-up ad that says, ‘Hey, want to be a teacher? Take our one-year program,'” says Riccards. “For those that come in with no experience and have decided they’d like to make that transition, it gives them a false sense of what they’re getting into.”

Discerning quality at the online graduate level takes old-fashioned research and legwork, Riccards says.

Prospective students should ask their local school districts which programs they tend and prefer to hire from, and seek data from programs themselves about how long students stay in the teaching field after completing the program, he says.

Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center.

More from U.S. News

What Employers Think of Your Online Master’s in Education

Land a Spot in a Top Online Master’s in Education Program

How to Tell if an Online Program Is Accredited

4 Challenges of Pursuing an Online Graduate Degree in Education originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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