USC Launches Online Teaching Course
USC is offering "Foundations of Online Teaching" — a 4-week asynchronous short course on structured online design, development, and delivery for educators. The course targets educators looking to improve their digital teaching skills. It's part of a broader trend of universities offering specialized professional development.
The University of South Carolina's Center for Teaching Excellence, which offers the "Foundations of Online Teaching" course, has been actively supporting faculty in developing online courses since at least 2013 when the university instituted a formal quality review process for distance learning. The center's efforts expanded significantly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a notable increase in workshops and training sessions to enhance pedagogical knowledge for online instruction. This focus on digital readiness reflects a larger trend, with the global online education market projected to reach over $203 billion in 2025. In the K-12 sector alone, the online education market is expected to grow from over $91 billion in 2026 to nearly $192 billion by 2035. This growth is fueled by the 72% of schools in developed regions that now integrate at least one online learning platform. The demand for educators with specialized online teaching skills is projected to rise accordingly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for postsecondary teachers will grow by 7% between 2024 and 2034, a rate much faster than the average for all occupations, with a need for about 114,000 new educators each year. For roles specifically related to instructional design and educational technology, job growth is projected to jump by 11%. In response to this demand, numerous universities now offer similar professional development. For instance, some institutions offer graduate-level credits for their online teaching courses, with costs around $300 per credit for some programs. These courses aim to equip educators with the skills for a market where 41% of U.S. higher education students now prefer online learning options. The value of these qualifications is increasingly recognized by employers. According to recent national surveys, 76% of hiring managers in education view candidates with accredited online credentials positively. Graduates with online teaching degrees often report a 15% increase in job placement within six months of graduation compared to their peers with traditional degrees.
