Business of Teaching Online

Teaching online is a business option. Students will explore online instructional career options and opportunities and will learn how to assess their own business goals, strengths and challenges. Students will learn how to package themselves and build an online teaching business by appropriately presenting professional goals and objectives and setting themselves apart via resume and CV models.

Those looking for the best trainers and teachers to facilitate or teach online know that a student's active engagement in the learning environment enriches the learning experience and provides feedback as to whether desired outcomes are being met. This online course explores various avenues, techniques, and best practices that the online instructor can utilize in order to engage students online in the virtual classroom. Students will also explore the various professional resources and technology tools available to assist in efficiently and effectively maintaining a busy online classroom.

In order to provide classroom teachers, trainers and facilitators with a career option that includes online instructional opportunities and to provide this audience with an opportunity to assess utilization of tools currently used, the course will explore the most effective online and traditional classroom teaching requirements, methods, and tools and provide instruction in how the same tools and methods can be utilized in the varied class settings. Bloom's theories, technology tools, peer learning, effective team learning, assessments, grading tools, discussion management, course goal setting, teaching values and modeling ethical standards, improving thinking quality, and avoiding exploitation and discrimination are some of the topics that will be explored.

Virtual teams are a key aspect of most online courses and a growing facet of the modern organization. Exceptional online instructors and trainers utilize teams for projects and other learning activities as well as to build networks within the virtual learning environment. In addition, master instructors and trainers may be required to build and manage virtual teams of teaching assistants and training assistants. Many master online instructors are expected to build and virtually manage a team of online teaching assistants. In the business world, managers may be facilitating teams that are geographically spread across the globe. Mastering the ability to build and manage virtual teams is a value add that should be on the CV of every well skilled online instructor, trainer and manager.

Interviewees are often asked to present their teaching philosophy, to provide example messages that will be written to students and to discuss best practices for excelling as an online instructor or trainer. This course helps the student prepare all of these including a personalized teaching philosophy and typical messages to introduce the instructor as well as to introduce topics, convey expectations and promote participation. Students will also study online success stories and online failures in order to refine communications that will build trust, promote participation and convey expectations.

Whether you teach one online class or a multitude of classes, you are running a business. Do you want to ask for employee status or work as an independent contractor? What contractual terms should you insist upon and which terms should you watch for? Do you need to carry some type of insurance? Are there tax ramifications that you should be aware of? Who owns the material that you create for the course you are teaching? This class will focus on the tax, risk management and legal questions you may not even know that you have.

Throughout the world, educational institutions are offering online courses and looking for well qualified online instructors and trainers. In order to throw your CV into the international ring, you not only need to know how to find these opportunities but you need to understand the legal and risk management hoops you may need to jump through in order to be eligible to apply for and land these jobs.

Applying for an online teaching position in a state other than that of your residence may not be as simple as checking out employment ads online and emailing a resume. Learn about credentialing requirements, residency requirements, tax considerations and other state specific expectations.

Juggling multiple online classrooms? Juggling multiple online student expectations and deadlines? Trying to keep track of responsibilities involved with teaching an online course while working a "day job"? This course delves into the tools available to stay on top of all the deadlines, projects and expectations. Time management and project management will be discussed and practiced. Students will assess virtual notebooks, calendar managers, email management, macro recorders, and other tools for staying organized as well as tools for interacting efficiently but effectively with learners.

Project management has been proven to be the most effective method of delivering products within cost, schedule, and resource constraints. Gain a working knowledge of the basics of project management that can be instantly applied to any project. This course will provide the skills to ensure your projects deliver on time and on budget. Learn to define and manage scope via the elicitation of requirements and the creation of a detailed work breakdown structure, create a defensible and realistic project schedule and budget, develop and manage the project team, identify and manage risks, and understand the project procurement processes.

Managing multiple projects typically presents unique challenges compared to the management of one large project. Build on your existing skills in the areas of scope, time, cost, risk, human resources, leadership and teambuilding through a combination of lecture and team-based learning exercises. Learn to select the most effective strategies and responses for multiple, small independent projects, portfolios, or large programs. Individual and group exercises will explore scheduling techniques and honing in on an assessment of project environments through stakeholder analysis. An adaptable multi-project simulation will also reinforce the benefits of cooperation for mutual gain.

Learn the skills needed to enhance the outcomes of managing projects. Gain knowledge of the fundamentals of project scheduling and the key area of knowledge for planning projects using Microsoft Project for Windows 2007. This course will emphasize the importance of defining the total project with the use of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS); then formally issuing and controlling the project with the use of a Project Master Schedule (PMS).

Virtually everything that we do in business involves working with people in person one on one, in groups, in writing, by phone or through a myriad of other electronic means. In today's highly competitive business world, it is more important than ever to recognize and study the significant role communication plays in our lives. As employees at all levels, how well we communicate in a large part determines how successful we will be on the job, and our level of personal job satisfaction. This course is for individuals at all levels in all types of businesses/organizations who desire to polish and/or develop additional communication skills in formal and informal settings. Through interactive discussions, role plays and activities the following areas are covered: verbal and nonverbal communication; defensive/supportive communication; assertiveness, submissiveness and aggressiveness; active listening; receiving and providing criticism; team building; delegation of responsibilities; empowerment; management and sales strategies; leadership; customer service; interviewing/recruiting; conflict resolution.

Heighten your awareness and understanding of workplace ethical issues and the importance of developing tools for making ethical and effective business decisions. Recent financial scandals and subsequent regulations highlight the need to foster ethical behavior and avoid the slippery slope of an unethical business environment. This online course provides a conceptual frameworks and toolkit with practical information to apply in the workplace. Participants learn when and where ethical issues are most likely to surface and how to maintain their integrity; gain an understanding of the impact of cultural and organizational pressures to conform; explore a variety of ethical decisions-making models; develop solutions and evaluate their course of action. Business experience and case studies create the basis for this highly interactive course.