E-Learning Acceptance: Online Teaching Degree Earners and What Principals Think

Abstract

Online education continues to increase in popularity and one degree currently offered is a bachelor degree of education. Once students graduate, they will begin to seek employment. Those seeking positions in K-12 education settings do not know if they have the same opportunity to get hired as someone from a traditional degree program. Previous researchers on this topic have failed to address the issue of an online degree earner getting hired. Based on the growth of online education, it was necessary to find out if K-12 principals’ perceptions of online education programs may prevent graduates of online teacher programs from successful employment. The purpose of the qualitative critical case study was to explore how K-12 principals’ perceptions directly related to the hiring of licensed graduates with bachelor degrees from online teaching programs. The results identified numerous factors related to principals making hiring decisions of teacher candidates, however, where or how they complete their degrees is not one of them. The study became more pertinent with the arrival of Covid 19 in the United States and school districts moving to an online learning environment.