Online Education

This semester I am teaching an online MBA course for Tiffin University. It is a great opportunity for me, I can have some additional income without the need to commit another day or evening to go out and teach a class. I facilitate the course on my own schedule. For example, this morning, I graded a threaded discussion while my kids ate breakfast. Plus, I get to interact with some interesting students. This semester I have students from Ohio, to Nebraska to the Virgin Islands!

While online education provides a great work opportunity for me and other parents, it also provides a great opportunity for working parents to build their skills and credentials. Generally, the more credentials and expertise that you have, the easier it is to negotiate a flexible work arrangement. A company is more likely to give you flexiblility if it would be difficult to replace you if you left. Therefore, you can help position yourself better to demand flexibility by continuing your education.

The obvious problem of continuing education for parents is who has time? If you work full-time, missing your kids in the evening again to attend class may not be an attractive option. But now with the online learning option, you can continue to build your expertis on your own schedule. You can work on your courses after bedtime, or even while you are waiting to pick up your kids from another activity. Online education provides a great chance to get ahead on your own terms.

But beware of bogus online programs! There are many out there and you might find that you invest your time and money on a degree that companies consider a joke. Do your research to make sure that the online program you are considering is a respectable program. I suggest first checking out well-known local colleges and universities to see if they have an online option. If you do pursue a program at a university that only offers online courses, talk to your boss or others in your industry to see if they feel that the program is respectable.

Also, do your research on any program you consider pursuing. If they claim to be accredited, do some further research to determine who are they accredited by? Is it a real accreditation? The Council on Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org) has lots of information about accreditation including a great checklist to see if a program is considered a "diploma mill" which means that they basically hand out degrees for cash. Check out the checklist here.