Liberty University is a name you are sure to come across when you search for online education certification degree programs.
That’s because Liberty has been at the forefront of remote postsecondary education for a long time. In fact, for more than 35 years, Liberty has been an innovator in remote learning techniques and technologies. Starting off with an initiative in 1985 aimed at non-traditional students and based around sending VHS video tapes through the mail, the school has graduate to a high-tech Canvas-based digital learning system that is one of the most advanced in the country.
In fact, the school was one of the first to offer ITP (Initial Teacher Preparation) programs approved by the Virginia Department of Education entirely online, with no classroom attendance requirements.
Today, that long history and institutional expertise pay big dividends for online students. And it’s doing it in a field that is one of the most critical in Virginia schools today.
Liberty University Has Done a Lot for Virginia Education in a Short Time
Liberty was founded in 1971 and has grown rapidly to become one of the largest Christian universities in the world. In fact, it may simply be one of the largest non-profit universities in the United States, with total student enrollment over 109,000 by 2016. The vast majority of those students are in its expansive online programs.
But no one should mistake size for indifference. The Christian foundations of this respected university ensures that every single student gets a personalized, attentive, supportive experience in every program.
Liberty hangs its hat on three linchpins that it has found over time are critical to students:
- Affordability
- Accessibility
- Academic Quality
The online studies programs work to meet all three criteria. With the flexibility of asynchronous, study-anywhere classes, the lower cost of providing streaming content, and the high-caliber instructors that can be attracted, you get the best of the best in every category.
With an 8-week format and offering 8 start dates per year, even your own school year becomes flexible under the Liberty system.
Faculty naturally fall into the mentoring role and all courses are taught from a place of Christian faith. That results in a far more personalized experience and education at Liberty University than your other options in Virginia… or even nationally.
The Most Important Online Education Certification Program in Virginia Might Be This One
Virginia is one of a handful of states that publishes data regularly about the challenges it faces in hiring qualified teaching staff. For the 2022-2023 school year, of the top 10 critical shortage teaching endorsement areas announced by the Department of Education, Elementary Education PreK-6 was number one.
So the online Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education from Liberty may be the key to addressing critical staffing shortages in the state.
That’s not the only reason you should sign up, though. The truth is that teaching elementary school is a lot of fun. Getting an endorsement in elementary education puts you right in the center of one of the most enjoyable, most influential, most joyous teaching positions in the entire world of education.
Every Christian university embraces the ideals of the Bible and Christ’s message as a core of how it prepares students for real-world success. The compassionate embrace of individuals and the empathy for the disadvantaged is part of what makes any program at Liberty a place where you can find mentoring and support.
But it’s a particular advantage in the field of education. Students trained here in the Christian mold will go on to offer similar care and attention in their own careers. It’s a virtuous cycle that starts in the virtual classroom.
The mission of the School of Education is “Training Educators to be Champions for Christ.” By basing the preparation of all new elementary studies graduate in those timeless principles, Liberty ensures they have the kind of loving mindset that can offer kids support and success in Christian, public, and private schools alike.
Just because teaching at the elementary level is fun doesn’t mean it is easy, however. Through extensive theoretical and practical preparation, though, the online B.Ed. in Elementary Education from Liberty sets you up for success, though.
You’ll start off with a background in different learning styles, human growth and behavior, and theories of knowledge acquisition so you understand where your students are at in their lifecycle development. That knowledge feeds the training you get in pedagogical theory, curriculum development, and learning assessment.
Although all your required coursework can be completed online, that doesn’t mean you don’t get a full measure of hands-on classroom experience. The practicum and student teaching hours required by the state for initial licensure are still fulfilled in actual schools, with real students in your local community.
The entire program is evidence-based and centered around the needs of students. You’ll come away from the program with more than just qualifications for licensure in Virginia; you’ll understand the best practices in elementary education from the roots up, and have the skills and flexibility to adapt them to your classroom needs.
