I recently blogged about Columbia Teacher's College new online Master's program. Established teachers can use online graduate programs like this to help them qualify for raises and promotions. But, what about students who learn how to become teachers through the web? A new article from the Electronic Journal for the Integration of Technology in Education explores this issue:

"Principals expressed apprehension that the 'social' aspects of teaching and the measurement of teacher dispositions may be compromised in an online program. They also expressed concerns about ethical issues surrounding the use of web courses for this particular purpose. If principals are to ultimately acknowledge the legitimacy of online teacher preparation programs, degree-granting institutions must address the concerns generated by those who hire these graduates and actively seek administrator input for successful program design."

Much like online driver's ed, teaching is a subject best learned in person. As a former secondary teacher, I can attest to the fact that there are some lessons you can only learn from standing in front of a classroom. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a way to integrate teaching programs and online education. For more on this see Web-Based Teacher Preparation Programs and Elementary Education: Will Principals Hire These Teachers? (PDF)