An interview with Jonathan who works a teacher for a high school in Portland, Oregon.

Q: Can you tell us who you are currently employed with?

A: A high school in Portland Oregon.  Rather not say which one.

Q: What is a typical day like for you?

A: I teach at a high school and I teach a zero hour class so I get to school before 7 and teach from about 7:30 till 2:30. I have 6 classes I teach a day and a prep period, which I occasionally substitute during.

Q: How long have you been at this job?

A: 5 years.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your background and school experience?

A: I got my bachelors in English and a certification in English at University of Oregon.  I started teaching, but wanted the pay bump that comes from having a Masters degree.

Q: What is your online degree in and what school did you get it from?

A: Masters of Arts in Teaching from Kaplan University.

Q: What led you to seek an online degree?

A: Time constraints.  I don’t want to give up my job, but I wanted to rise through the pay scale or maybe in a few years become a principal.  Also the cost per credit was very comparable to getting a degree at a traditional school.

Q: What did you like most about the program?

A: Not a lot to be honest.  Just that it was available and I that I could complete it.

Q: What did you dislike most about the program?

A: Constant reading, group projects with people who don’t do their work and are as busy as I am, or extremely lazy.

Q: Have you only ever worked on an online degree?

A: No.  I have a bachelor’s degree already.

Q: How do online classes compare to being in a “brick & mortar” classroom setting?

A: Less interaction with people tends to happen.  You don’t get to really know or understand how the teacher or other students feel about the issues you are discussing.  I don’t feel I “learned” as much.

Q: What were the teachers like?  What was the interaction with the teachers like?

A: Limited, but similar to being in a lecture hall type class.  Teachers told me what I needed to know and let us do it.  They didn’t hold our hands or micromanage. I liked that.

Q: Did you connect to the university or the other students?  Why?

A: No, but my time was limited.  I had papers to grade and other things to do, so I did not spend a lot of time talking with other students beyond what was required.

Q: Would you do another degree, or your next degree, online or would you choose a campus-based program?

A: I would choose a campus based program, because I prefer being in the classroom and interacting with others.  It is hard however, to argue with the ease of the online structure.

Q: Was it difficult to get motivated without a set class time?

A: No, it wasn’t hard to get motivated, just hard to find the spare time when I had other work to do.

Q: Was your subject well-suited to an online program?  Why or why not?

A: I would say no.  I believe Education is something that requires hands on interaction and discussion.

Q: Do employers respect your degree?

A: I don’t know. That my degree came from an “online” program doesn’t seem to matter to the school district I work for.

Q: Have you encountered any stereotypes about having an online degree?  If you have what are they?

A: No, I have encountered no stereotypes.

Q: What recommendations and advice would you give for those thinking about getting an online degree in this field?  With this school?

A: I’m very neutral on this.  I wouldn’t say one way or the other in regards to the school, but I would say make sure you are the type of student who likes to study “on their own”.