K-12 Online Teaching Endorsements: Are They Needed?

According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (2007), "Research shows that the single most important school-related factor in raising student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. Today, in the era of high standards and increased accountability, boosting teacher quality is more crucial than ever before" (p. 4). The nature of the 21st-century classroom is rapidly changing. Online education in K-12, also called virtual schooling, is growing at about 30 percent annually (North American Council for Online Learning [NACOL], 2007). With this rise comes an increase in demand for experienced teachers to teach online, which adds another dimension to this issue of teacher quality. States require that teachers have a valid teaching license and ultimately professional certification. While "the majority of online teachers are certified public school teachers, with experience teaching in public schools" (Davis, Rose, & NACOL Research Committee and Working Group, 2007, p. 8), is any regular classroom teacher already qualified to teach online? Some might believe this. However, it is a myth. Skill sets acquired for teaching in face to face settings are not adequate preparation for online teaching or online course development. Should K-12 teachers desiring to teach online ultimately be state or nationally endorsed in e-learning and teaching online? Let's explore these questions.

Certification, Licensure, and Quality

Teacher certification is associated with passing some kind of competency examination. Content might relate to general education, subject matter expertise, and professional teaching knowledge. Certification involves "a process by which teachers become recognized by the state as expert teachers, implying that a teacher has mastered the complex art of teaching. This is different from a 'licensed' teacher, one who teaches but is not considered an expert." Teacher licensure is "the process by which teachers receive permission from the state to teach. States have minimum requirements, such as the completion of certain coursework and experience as a student teacher. Some states, faced with shortages of teachers in particular areas, grant teachers emergency licenses and allow them to take required courses while they are full-time teachers" (The Eye on Education Glossary: http://edreform.eyeoneducation.tv/glossary/t). Thus, licenses do not necessarily guarantee that teachers are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead, nor do they guarantee that teachers have all the competencies required to teach. This is particularly true for the uninitiated into the online environment. Some readers might view quality as more important than extra endorsement on a teaching certificate. How is quality measured? Consider that it's only been during the last five years that online education has become more widely accepted. There is still a lack of standards and policies for virtual schools and many differing views about the education that teachers need for the online environment (Davis et al., 2007, pp. 4-5). NACOL (2007) adopted the Southern Regional Education Board Standards for Quality Online Courses as a source for its standards and added a standard to include 21st Century Skills. The National Education Association (NEA) recognized in its policy statement on distance education that "licensure in a subject matter being taught is a necessary condition for any teacher, [but] it is not a sufficient condition for a teacher involved in distance education. Teachers who provide distance education should in addition be skilled in learning theories, technologies, and teaching pedagogies appropriate for the online environment" (NEA Policy 13, sec: Student Learning, 7a).

We have a long way to go in ensuring consistent teacher quality in K-12 online programs. In their 2006-2007 national survey of online K-12 teachers, administrators and professional development trainers, Rice and Dawley (2007) noted that "most state-led programs have developed extensive professional development (PD) for their own teachers, but that the amount of time in PD varies greatly by program, from none to 270 hours per year" (p. 5). They found that 90 percent of online teachers had professional development of some kind, or it was made available to them; the highest teacher-reported period when PD occurred was during the first year (61 percent). Unfortunately 62 percent of teachers reported having no training prior to teaching online.

Deepa Singh
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