Because of geological location; however, the reason I chose this particular program was in part due to it looking more official than the others. On my trip to a foreign country (South Korea), I was told by my friend that I was very knowledgeable about what I knew and wondered how I would do at teaching. With my current job, it made sense with the way the program was laid out.
Alumni Spotlight: Quentellus Ladale Toliver
Quentellus is an individual that is of African-American descent. He is an accomplished electronics degree graduate with several certifications in ammonia operation and air conditioning systems with years of experience.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The provider assisted with making me dig deeper into what I already knew about the subjects; on my own, it was up to me to decide mine on topics' materials for every assignment (the provider also assisted in the matter by providing templates). When it came to reviews, the assessor assisted in what I need to improve and what was good, if not great.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
If I had to give advice to someone that wanted this program, it would be to take their time. Although it can be done as quickly as needed, I would recommend them to take their time. Rushing will make them impatient and the longer lessons seem daunting, making one miss the simple things one already knows.
Be prepared to not have reviews on some of the lessons, as it will seem as they are abundant in the beginning.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
An average day, as it is an online course, is, however, the students want it to be. However, I would recommend doing half a lesson in 2 to 3 days, then the other. Even so, that is still pushing it for those who are struggling; spending 1 hr a day may be enough, depending on how much one covers in that hour.
I myself tried to cover a lesson a day; in the beginning, it worked out fine, until you get to the longer lessons; then you have to take into account the assignments, which would take almost a week to perform properly.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
When going abroad, I was fearing that I would not be able to answer the questions that were being asked. But after a while, I felt more comfortable about that.
There are still times I feel I would not have the answer to some questions, but I am comfortable now that, if asked a question I don't know, I could easily answer it with the appropriate response.
Is there any type of information you would like to point out to others?
Yes. I would point out that it would be a good idea to find out what requirements one needs for the teaching job they want. It is important to note that there is paperwork that is needed as well when going abroad that needs to be taken into account. These two things are easily missed in the thought process.