In order to teach an online course, you must have access to a computer and the Internet. Your class will be conducted entirely in cyberspace, so having the required equipment is essential.

In order to teach online, you should feel comfortable with the technologies you will use. You do not need to be a computer whiz to successfully teach an online course. However you do need to have at least an elementary knowledge of your computer system and basic knowledge of software and tools such as a word processor, email, an Internet browser, search engines, and the BlackBoard course management system. A comprehensive Online Instructor training program is available that provides ample preparation in how to build and function in a virtual classroom, however basic computer literacy is a requirement. Those who do not posses these basic skills might consider taking a computer literacy class at a local community college.

If you have had first-hand experience as an online student, you will likely have greater insight into your own online students' needs and a better understanding of special requirements of the online environment.

Experience using the Internet and the Web to enhance your teaching in the traditional classroom can be a good first step to teaching entirely online.

Your academic and professional qualifications will be evaluated by the education providers to which you apply. You will need to show evidence of academic credentials and practical/professional experience in your subject matter to be eligible to teach online. If you answered NO to the question "Do you have practical/professional experience in the subject matter you wish to teach online?" because you are unsure of your qualifications, please fill out our application form and include your resume.

An online instructor should be able to accept the value of facilitated learning as equal to the traditional model. If a teacher feels the only way a true learning process can take place is through the traditional means of educating in a classroom, the person is generally not right for the online paradigm. Both an accelerated learning model and the online process depend on facilitative techniques for their success. The online classroom requires new teaching strategies and instructional techniques; you should not try to recreate the on-ground classroom in the online paradigm. The person leading a successful online class must be a proponent of facilitative learning, and have confidence in the system in order to make it work.

Peer-to-peer as well as instructor-to-student interaction is essential to our online teaching model. The interaction among peers as well as a sense of community are essential elements of our online courses.

Instructors and students in continuing education generally have a broad base of life experiences that they can bring to the online classroom. Experience is a good supplemental teacher and builds a level of understanding with the issues. Online instructors should regard the experience and talent that many adult students bring to the class as an asset.

Teaching online requires just as much, if not more time and dedication. For more details about what we expect of our online instructors, please see our Expectations document.

The online facilitator should be open, concerned, flexible, and sincere. An online instructor must be able to compensate for the lack of physical presence in the virtual classroom by creating a supportive environment where all students feel comfortable participating and especially where students know that their instructor is accessible. Failure to do this can alienate the class both from each other and from the instructor and would make a very weak learning environment. Online students are as busy, or busier than anyone else in today's hurried world. The students are the customers and are expecting to be treated as such. An online instructor should be willing to give individual attention to students who may need extra help. Being sensitive, open and flexible is not an option, it is a requirement.

A successful online facilitator should feel comfortable communicating in writing. The face-to-face contact traditionally available in a classroom setting is gone in the online learning process. The ability to verbally communicate is replaced with a keyboard, and this communication is intense and demanding. An online instructor must feel good about communicating in writing because that is a base element in the process.

An online instructor should be able to introduce critical thinking into the learning process. This is a given in the online learning process. The process is designed to facilitate the easy assimilation of theory into concept and application. Students are expecting to receive knowledge and abilities that are usable today. What is learned today can be taken to the work place today. This requires the ability to think critically. There are a plethora of online teaching options available to the properly trained facilitator for accomplishing this.

Online learning increases the critical thinking and problem-solving abilities of students. Having to read and respond to the views of their classmates requires students to evaluate different many views on a topic or issue. Figuring out how to deal with the inevitable hardware and software problems that arise, as well as the complexities of networks and telecommunications, requires a lot of troubleshooting activity.

An online instructor should be experienced and well trained in online teaching methods. Knowledge of the use of the tools used in facilitating online programs, the appropriate methods used in communicating with online students, the ability to control the flow of work in the virtual classroom, and how to prepare a course for presentation in the online environment are just a few of the expectations placed on a facilitator. The faculty member must feel comfortable with these methods and the technologies needed to implement them, and this can be gained through exposure to training in online instruction.