How A Junk Mail Flyer Changed My Career

Hmmm...Learn to teach online?

Who would have thought that receiving a junk mail flyer in my mailbox would have changed my career?  How was I to know that this one particular flyer would have a significant impact on my professional life?

In 1999 I was living in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland.  One day I received a flyer in the U.S. mail from the University of Phoenix (UOP).  They were recruiting potential faculty to teach online for them.  I had wondered about teaching online, but never really did anything about before. From my research, reading and conversations with professional colleagues, it seemed like eLearning was poised to grow.

Like many of you I had heard a number of things about the University of Phoenix.  Many of them were not good.   I tried to keep an open mind.  I was working at Towson University at the time in a staff position.  I mentioned to a faculty member that I was thinking about going through the UOP faculty training program.  To my surprise he said that he knew someone who had gone through the UOP program and thought that it was excellent.

I decided to enroll in the course.  I thought it would be good for my career.  I was right.  Prior to this training course I had never taken an eLearning course myself, nor had I taught one.  I had some limited experience with eLearning, but I never taught a complete online class.

The class required us to be available for 20 hours of class time, homework and studying each week. There were no exceptions for anyone.  If you missed class time or were late on your assignments, you were removed form the class and had to start over again.

The course was modeled after the UOP's regular 5 week format.  We experienced the same thing as students taking our courses.  This helped to develop empathy, as well as to "walk a mile" in the students' shoes.

It was a demanding and challenging experience.  However, I learned a great deal.  It was the foundation for developing my eLearning skills.  Here is some of what I learned.

What I Learned About eLearning 
1. It's not "easy" being an online student.  Online learning is not for everyone.
2. Online students need good time management skills, be motivated and disciplined
3. eLearning is not about the technology.  While online teachers use technology, a successful course is more about their ability to facilitate their learning.
4. Communication is very different.  We know how simple email communication can easily get misunderstood.  That misunderstanding can grow exponentially when it comes to eLearning.
5. Contrary to popular opinion, the University of Phoenix knows how to teach online

Other Lessons Learned
1. Be open to change, it's how we grow
2. You never know where or when opportunities may pop up
3. Use critical thinking and don't believe everything you hear
4. Take some calculated career risks
5. Your career is dynamic, so you need to be dynamic too

Because the flyer, my career would never be the same.  It opened up a number of life-changing opportunities for me.  Maybe you have some opportunities coming your way too.  Would you recognize them?  Be open-minded and give them a chance. Lastly, take a quick glance at your junk mail before you throw it away.