I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do when I graduate (in DECEMBER. Holy crap that's close.)
I was looking up online classes I could take in the spring semester since most grad programs don't start until fall, and it dawned on me that it IS possible to get entire degrees online.
What is your take on online degrees? I always thought they were kind of sketchy, but the more technology advances, thee easier it is to accept that yes, you CAN learn through online classes, and it may work just as well or better than in-person classes. There's even an online public school for K-12 students in my state now.
The reason I'm even considering this is because first and foremost, I WANT TO MOVE. I can't move unless I get a job that pays decently and will cover at least some if not all moving costs. That's unlikely in my field. OR if I use student loans from grad school to move. The latter is more feasible, BUT many schools don't disburse excess funds until after school starts, and that's useless.
I'm currently leaning towards education for a master's degree. I've been told many times now that if you want to teach in a zoo, teaching is what you should go to school for. The animal stuff you can be taught on the spot and specific to the animals you are teaching about. But teaching itself takes longer and is a more valuable skill.
If I can at least start a Master's degree online AND get a good amount of financial aid, I may be able to move after a couple semesters. And then I can either finish the online degree, or try to transfer to a local university to finish it up in person.
What would you do in this situation? If you were looking to hire a teacher, would you think lesser of an online degree?
I was looking up online classes I could take in the spring semester since most grad programs don't start until fall, and it dawned on me that it IS possible to get entire degrees online.
What is your take on online degrees? I always thought they were kind of sketchy, but the more technology advances, thee easier it is to accept that yes, you CAN learn through online classes, and it may work just as well or better than in-person classes. There's even an online public school for K-12 students in my state now.
The reason I'm even considering this is because first and foremost, I WANT TO MOVE. I can't move unless I get a job that pays decently and will cover at least some if not all moving costs. That's unlikely in my field. OR if I use student loans from grad school to move. The latter is more feasible, BUT many schools don't disburse excess funds until after school starts, and that's useless.
I'm currently leaning towards education for a master's degree. I've been told many times now that if you want to teach in a zoo, teaching is what you should go to school for. The animal stuff you can be taught on the spot and specific to the animals you are teaching about. But teaching itself takes longer and is a more valuable skill.
If I can at least start a Master's degree online AND get a good amount of financial aid, I may be able to move after a couple semesters. And then I can either finish the online degree, or try to transfer to a local university to finish it up in person.
What would you do in this situation? If you were looking to hire a teacher, would you think lesser of an online degree?