Our world is filled with opportunities. Thanks to technology, people can not only earn their higher education online, but they can also teach online. Online teaching jobs have become increasingly popular, especially when distance learning becomes a necessity and not just a choice. Depending on what type of teaching you want to do, there will be different requirements. For example, online college teaching jobs will require higher degrees than online foreign language lessons.
If you have a degree in education or are interested in obtaining one, we will share all you need to know about home-based online teaching jobs.
Let’s get started!
Online Teaching – An Overview
Online teachers go by many names, including: virtual teachers, distance teachers, or remote teachers. But, regardless of the name, they all serve the purpose of helping to educate students who opt into learning online.
Sometimes, online teaching jobs can be blended between a combination of in-person and online. In other instances (like at the University of the People, for example), both students and teachers work and learn in a 100% digital environment.
These jobs help students learn from all over the world at various education levels, including:
K-12
College level
Adult education
Course developers
Tutors
Subject matter experts
Instructional designers
For teachers who want to educate at the K-12 level online, jobs typically require a bachelor’s degree and experience. Like at traditional college campuses, to be a professor, even online, you typically must have a master’s degree or PhD.
For teachers looking to land a remote position, here’s a look at some companies who hire for online jobs.
University of the People: Our university provides students from around the world with the opportunity to obtain their higher education degrees in four different subject areas. Our faculty and staff work on a volunteer basis, but we are constantly hiring for positions that may be in-person or remote. Take a look at our current job offerings.
American Intercontinental University: Over 80% of the student population at American Intercontinental University enrolls in a program for education, business, criminal justice, fashion design, or IT. If you want to be a professor in any of these fields, then this could be a good place to apply.
Kaplan: Kaplan is a for-profit educational company that operates in more than two dozen countries globally. Their staff provide supplementary education to help students achieve their goals in school.
K12: Like the name implies, K12 provides supplementary education to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Their programs typically aid military families, advanced learners, homeschooled students, and student athletes.
VIPKid: Looking to be an online English as a Second-Language (ESL) teacher? VIPKID offers ESL tutoring to students in China who are up to eight years old.
Lingoda: As a European-based language school, Lingoda offers opportunities for language teachers who aren’t just native English speakers. Teachers are needed to help students learn Spanish, German, and French, too. To become a language teacher, you must have two years of teaching experience, be a native speaker of the language, be able to work as a freelancer, and have an ESL teaching certificate.
Magic Ears: Magic Ears provides home-based teaching jobs for those who want to educate students who are between the ages of 4 and 12 years old. Classes are already designed and just 25 minutes long. Applicants must commit to work for at least six months and hold a bachelor’s degree (or be in the process of obtaining one).
QKids: QKids is another online platform that teaches students in China how to speak English. If you’re looking for a flexible and remote position, then this could be it because classes are held very early at 5:40 am – 8:10 am EST. They’re also held at night on Friday and Saturday, so you can earn about $20/hour teaching English during off hours from most full-time positions.
Italki: Italki is a unique platform for language learners because teachers get to set their own rates. It’s the world’s biggest online learning marketplace for teachers. So, no matter what language you want to teach remotely, you can do so on Italki.
Benefits of Teaching Online
There is an array of benefits associated with teaching online. Let’s take a look at the most salient pros of distance teaching.
Flexibility: Depending on your employer, you may have a choice to work during flexible hours because not all online classes take place during traditional class times. Teachers can log on from anywhere they want as long as they have internet access.
Engagement: Some students may feel nervous to partake in class discussions in big lecture halls that take place in person. As such, with an online environment, students who are more shy may feel more comfortable to speak up during discussions. Additionally, many online universities maintain forums for students to engage with one another.
Get To Know Students Better: Online forums and discussion groups make it possible for professors to get closer to students and understand their needs. It requires more open communication to gauge students’ needs and could allow for teachers to get to know their students better. This is especially true for one-on-one positions like language educators and tutors.
Increased Efficiency: Because of the online nature of the job, there may be many tools that can help to automate tasks and processes. This may make the grading process run more efficiently, for example. Working online can often lend itself to saving time and being more productive.
In some instances, teaching online is a choice. In others, like when there are external circumstances, it becomes a requirement. With the aid of technology, it’s become easier than ever to work as an online educator.
Depending on what kind of remote teaching you want to take part in, you can choose from teaching a language to working as a professor for an online university like the University of the People. The best way to go about landing your ideal position is to decide what kind of online teacher you want to be, research available opportunities, and ensure you have the necessary requirements to apply.
At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone. Read More
