Educational Studies: Teach Your Career/Community College Teaching Certificate

The Educational Studies: Teach Your Career/Community College Teaching Certificate was created to address the teacher shortage in qualified CTE instructors in the community college and to involve an untapped resource: career professionals who would like to acquire the skills to enable them to teach their career. The certificate represents a response to Strong Work Force recommendations to work on increasing the pool of qualified CTE instructors, based on the conclusion that there is an urgent need for CTE programs to demonstrate more flexibility in hiring industry experts by expanding equivalency processes and definitions.

 Developed for future community college CTE instructors who may not meet the existing college hiring standard but possess significant industry experience, this pathway to classroom teaching is based on the idea that oftentimes professionals in the industry are highly skilled in their area of expertise, but lack a Master’s Degree. These same professionals frequently possess extensive industry experience, third-party industry certifications, and completion of applicable training that meets designated equivalency criteria.

 The certificate was designed to meet the needs of students who prefer online classes and/or cannot always attend traditional face-to-face classes due to employment, marital status, family responsibilities, distance, and expenses incurred with traditional education schedules. All certificate classes are completely online (asynchronous).   

 The program is especially appropriate for students with an AA and six years of professional experience (or in the process of earning an AA OR Bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience,  or students who possess a combination of education and experience that is at least equivalent to the above.  

 Possible employment/ illustrative examples: teaching job, community college for an adult with an AA and at least 6 years of professional experience or a BA with two years of professional experience; other teaching areas where traditional credential requirements are waived for experience; tutor; homework “helper”, curriculum developer in area of expertise; camp counselor; outdoor education specialist, depending on area of expertise.

 Upon completion of this certificate, it is expected that students will be able to 

OUTCOME 1: Apply knowledge, skills, experience, and feedback to make an informed choice to be employed or to continue study in the field of education.

OUTCOME 2: Document knowledge and skills relevant for effective teaching in a CTE community college classroom including being able to 

• Apply the principles of sound instructional techniques and culturally responsive teaching. 
• Evaluate student performance. 
• Demonstrate the application of appropriate teaching styles and modalities for diverse student populations at the community college.

initial years: projected as 10 but expected to at least double following promotion of the new program throughout the State. 

The Educational Studies: Teach Your Career/Community College Teaching Certificate was created to address the teacher shortage in qualified CTE instructors in the community college and to involve an untapped resource: career professionals who would like to acquire the skills to enable them to teach their career. The certificate represents a response to Strong Work Force recommendations to work on increasing the pool of qualified CTE instructors, based on the conclusion that there is an urgent need for CTE programs to demonstrate more flexibility in hiring industry experts by expanding equivalency processes and definitions.

Developed for future community college CTE instructors who may not meet the existing college hiring standard but possess significant industry experience, this pathway to classroom teaching is based on the idea that oftentimes professionals in the industry are highly skilled in their area of expertise, but lack a Master’s Degree. These same professionals frequently possess extensive industry experience, third-party industry certifications, and completion of applicable training that meets designated equivalency criteria.

The certificate is especially appropriate for students with an AA and six years of professional experience (or in the process of earning an AA  OR Bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience,  or students who possess a combination of education and experience that is at least equivalent to the above. 

Upon completion of this certificate, it is expected that students will be able to 

OUTCOME 1: 

Apply knowledge, skills, experience, and feedback to make an informed choice to be employed or to continue study in the field of education.

OUTCOME 2: 

Document knowledge and skills relevant for effective teaching in a CTE community college classroom including being able to 

• Apply the principles of sound instructional techniques and culturally responsive teaching. 
• Evaluate student performance. 
• Demonstrate the application of appropriate teaching styles and modalities for diverse student populations at the community college.

The Educational Studies: Teach Your Career/Community College Teaching Certificate was created to address the teacher shortage in qualified CTE instructors in the community college and to involve an untapped resource: career professionals who would like to acquire the skills to enable them to teach their career. The certificate represents a response to Strong Work Force recommendations to work on increasing the pool of qualified CTE instructors, based on the conclusion that there is an urgent need for CTE programs to demonstrate more flexibility in hiring industry experts by expanding equivalency processes and definitions.

Developed for future community college CTE instructors who may not meet the existing college hiring standard but possess significant industry experience, this pathway to classroom teaching is based on the idea that oftentimes professionals in the industry are highly skilled in their area of expertise, but lack a Master’s Degree. These same professionals frequently possess extensive industry experience, third-party industry certifications, and completion of applicable training that meets designated equivalency criteria.

 The certificate was designed to meet the needs of students who prefer online classes and/or cannot always attend traditional face-to-face classes due to employment, marital status, family responsibilities, distance, and expenses incurred with traditional education schedules. All certificate classes are completely online (asynchronous) and include 7 required courses/ 16-17 units.     

Similar programs may be available in the LA/Orange County Region but none are represented as completely online (asynchronous) so as to accommodate those students who for various reasons face a common obstacle to an education-related career: inability to attend face-to-face classes and/ or meet at one scheduled time every week.  

 The program is especially appropriate for students with an AA and six years of professional experience (or in the process of earning an AA OR Bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience or students who possess a combination of education and experience that is at least equivalent to the above.  Possible employment/ illustrative examples: teaching job, community college for an adult with an AA and at least 6 years of professional experience or a BA with two years of professional experience; other teaching areas where traditional credential requirements are waived for experience; tutor; homework “helper”, curriculum developer in the area of expertise; camp counselor; outdoor education specialist, depending on the area of expertise.

CIP code: 13.999

Courses do not have to be taken in any fixed order or semester.  

Required Courses: 

EDUC C101	Tutor Training	1
EDUC C202	CTE/Community College Teaching	3
EDUC C103	Introduction to Computers in Education : Technology Proficiencies for Teachers I	2
EDUC C211	Media Literacy Toolkit for Teachers	3
ENGL C100   or CMST C110  or  CMST C 100	Freshman Composition        or Public Speaking    or Interpersonal Communication	4   3 3
EDUC C103	Introduction to Computers in Education: Technology Proficiencies for Teachers I	3
EDUC C104	Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Diverse Contemporary Classrooms	1

Total: 16-17 units 

One of the pathways to teaching offered by Coastline's Department of Education

Similar programs may be available in the LA/Orange County Region but none are represented as completely online (asynchronous) so as to accommodate those students who for various reasons face a common obstacle to an education-related career: inability to attend face-to-face classes and/ or meet at one scheduled time every week.

initially, 10; expected to at least double with promotion across the state