K-12 Virtual Educator Preparation

Abstract

The number of K-12 online programs and course offerings across the Unites States has increased during the last decade. The issue of how to best identify and address the instructional preparation that K-12 online teaching endorsement (OTE) candidates will need to position themselves for hire in virtual settings raises questions about the quality of preparation they receive in virtual educator training programs. Even with standards in place, preparing K-12 OTE candidates to become online educators comes with a wide range of challenges that includes evaluating OTE program design and preparation practices for validity, relevance, and effectiveness. The field of K-12 online learning lacks literature related to how institutions of higher education can best prepare candidates for careers in this field. Findings from this review use common trends, inconsistencies, recommendations from educational theorists and experts, and implications for further study to demonstrate the need for establishing best-practice in K-12 OTE candidate preparation.