The International Schools Review Forum

@overhere

I can believe that, it's happening everywhere outside the USA, but imagining something's true and actually being true are not equivalent.

There are 9 certification programs in BC, and none of them offer an online initial certification program that would permit you to teach in BC, but to argue that one couldn't be in development or be developed in the future, implies having a really, really good crystal ball, and that I don't accept.

PsyGuy, if you look back at your original post you don't reference the future-you reference the here and now

"Non of my Canadian friends could identify an online certification program in Ontario, there are reportedly a few in BC, if thats an option for you?"

and in fact there are no on-line certification programs available in BC at the moment. As for the future, you're right there isn't any way of telling what will happen, I only know that a friend of mine who is involved in several certification programs in BC told me as recently as this past Saturday that several hundred seats have been removed from UBC and UVic's programs. The fact is, they are graduating way too many teachers to fill too few positions in BC.

[quote="PsyGuy"]@overhere

I can believe that, it's happening everywhere outside the USA, but imagining something's true and actually being true are not equivalent.

There are 9 certification programs in BC, and none of them offer an online initial certification program that would permit you to teach in BC, but to argue that one couldn't be in development or be developed in the future, implies having a really, really good crystal ball, and that I don't accept.[/quote]

I don't know who you think argued that or even hinted at future developments in BC, because it wasn't me. You just made this little scenario up in your head.

I repeat, there are no online certification programs in BC.

Again, know when to stop.

Hi Psyguy

Have to agree with IAMBOG. I am certified in 3 Canadian provinces and know people inside. Certification is a joint effort between the Provincial or Territorial Teacher's Association, the Provincial Ministry of Education/Territorial Department of Education, and the universities in that province (territories have no universities in them), but do have colleges with pre-education programs that lead to universities down south).

No university will offer an on-line certification program. (A) it removes people from the program in terms of F2F contact and assessment; (B) the teaching associations would scream blue murder - and they are MUCH more powerful than in the US; and (C) it won't meet the mandated certification requirements - and the teachers associations and certification bodies (TQS, COT, etc) will scream blue murder.

This is a non-issue. As I stated in my original post - nowhere in Canada and the easiest option (but not the cheapest) is the College of New Jersey program.

I agree i cant find any online certification programs in BC, that doesnt mean they arent out there and doesnt mean one of my sources doesnt know of one thats in progress, or soon to be in progress.

Again, if i considered the merit of the discussion unworthy or without value i wouldnt have written it.

All of those factors F2F time, teachers unions, ets, were the same arguments offered years ago in the states on why online certification would never happen, it happened anyway. It was the same argument offered a decade ago on why online learning would never catch on either, it happened anyway. 20 years ago the internet was people shopping on AOL and mainly researchers exchanging text document. Foothills MMO was the in thing, no one (well one guy) ever thought anything like Facebook would happen, it happened anyway. Apple was once two guys in a garage, and iPhones happened anyway.

Again, anyone who says or believes differently, has a really, really good crystal ball.

Their are many other programs outside the NJ program as well.

[quote="PsyGuy"]Again, if i considered the merit of the discussion unworthy or without value i wouldnt have written it.[/quote]

We all know you'll reply to any thread regardless of whether you know what your talking about or not and then refuse to back down even though you know you're talking out of your derrier.

Where's the data (on BC) you keep talking about? You're only interested in the data, so you say, so where is it? Where's your evidence? Of course, there isn't any.

[quote]I agree i cant find any online certification programs in BC, that doesnt mean they arent out there[/quote]

I can't find any pixies, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there.

The sky may fall, pigs may fly, but I repeat, there are no online certification programs in BC. Glad you agree. If you wish to hypothesize about the likelihood of online certification programs starting up sometime in the next 50 years, I suggest you start another thread, but I warn you, it might be a lonely experience.

For the time being, BC does not recognize teacher certifications completed online or through distance programs. This is quoted from the bc teacher regulation website: (please see item 3 on the list)

"Some examples of programs that do not result in BC certification are:
-very short programs
-on-the-job or employment-based programs
-[b]programs completed entirely by distance education or on-line[/b]
-programs that do not qualify for teaching in the kindergarten to grade 12 public school system"

I just want to add that not all nations rush to follow the US in the race to the bottom/most cheapest denominator just because in the US cheaper must = better.

My sources in Canada have grave doubts about online training for teaching (notice, not course work for SOME courses), but if you are going to be teaching, it is bricks and mortar at some point for an extended period of time (a year) so you can be properly assessed in a university and school setting.

And since they either set, or influence those who set the rules, it ain't going to change anytime soon.

Their really are no technically ALL online certification programs in Canada, or the USA. Every state and province has a field work component that requires in person instruction/experience. Its very possible in Canada to transfer in a significant portion of your coursework from an online program, and then only have the required field experience components to do.

All of these arguments were advanced 10 years ago why online certification programs would never happen. They happened anyway. Its not going to be anywhere near 50 years before some institution in Canada begins an online certification program. My sources predict its about 3-4 years away.

As a Canadian who spent a number of years looking to get online certification that would suffice for both international and Canadian certification, I can say without a doubt that it does. not. exist. You MUST attend a Canadian university and do a B.Ed. program that includes teaching practicums within a public school in the province to get a teaching certificate in every Canadian province.

I know that as of right now, in Alberta and British Columbia, the B.Ed. program is still two years long (as an after degree). The last time I checked (two years ago) every other province also still required two years of an after degree in order to apply for teaching certification. The exception to that was Ontario and that is why I am here now. Someone from other provinces can correct me if I am wrong on that.

I am currently on a "sabbatical" from teaching abroad to get teaching certificate in Ontario. Here, you can take a one academic year (8 months, two semesters) program after which you can apply for a teaching certificate through the Ontario College of Teachers.

I am meeting a few teachers here who could not get into Ontario programs who went to Australia to get their teaching certificate - apparently surfer's paradise has a program that the Ontario College of Teachers accepts as a direct transfer for certification. Nice work if you can get it.

I have heard rumblings that Ontario Universities are planning to move towards a 2 year after degree certification program. I am hearing that this for a number of reasons, one of which is to work out the ridiculous surplus of teachers currently in this province.

As someone who has been watching this and other Canadian education topics closely for upwards of 15 years, I highly doubt any province would go for online teacher certification any time soon - definitely closer to 50 years than to 3 or 4. There are too many teachers without jobs already, the professional teaching associations would not go for, and neither would the provincial ministries in charge of education. Then again, stranger things have happened. I certainly wasn't willing to wait around for one to come available.

One academic year is quick. Get it (in Ontario) while you still can!

[quote="PsyGuy"]Its very possible in Canada to transfer in a significant portion of your coursework from an online program, and then only have the required field experience components to do. [/quote]

Actually, I'm not sure that is possible. In the program I did you had to complete all the courses in the program. You could not transfer credit for the B.Ed.. I'm pretty sure it was the same at the other institution in town. I can't say for sure about the others, but I doubt if they allow credits to be transfered in.

I do believe you're making stuff up again.

I concur with IAMBOG and some of the other posters. There are no programs in BC (and most likely the rest of Canada) that offer initial online certification. There are some indigenous teacher education programs where classes are held in a satellite location of whatever university is offering it but it is still FTF. That being said I was able to take one online course during my B.Ed but the topic was online and distributed learning.:)

Id finally received a response from the Ontario ministry of education. I've copied the relevant parts of the response below:

"Your email was forwarded to the public communications office for a response. At this time I have no information of any authorized tertiary institution offering or in the process of implementing an online program for the professional certification of teachers...."

So i'm wrong, my apologies and appreciation to the contributors and their expertise in responding and addressing the topic.

The fact that you even did that is weird and says as much about your character as your unwillingness to accept responses from posters currently working in the system.

None of us needed your confirmation to confirm what we already knew.

I wasn't writing to you, I was writing to the general audience of this forum.

When I observe a discrepancy over my sources and those of anonymous users on a Internet forum, do I use an authoritative source, YES. If that makes me weird, then Im happy being weird.