About Teaching Online

Online instruction is a rapidly growing aspect of theological education. In 2000, ATS (Association of Theological Schools) accrediting standards did not permit any kind of distance education. Today 38% of accredited seminaries offer at least six online courses, and the numbers continue to grow. Wesley Seminary has been—and continues to be—a leader in online training of future ministry leaders. Nearly 80% of the courses taught through Wesley Seminary are delivered online. As a result, adjunct, as well as full-time professors, spend much of their instructional time interfacing with students online.

The Online Experience

You may be one of the thousands of ministry leaders who received their education “the old fashioned way” - in a classroom, listening to lectures, reading books, and writing papers. Or, you may be in a younger generation and have already completed a class, or even a degree, online. For better or worse, technology is increasingly influencing every institution of higher learning.

Interestingly, the growing body of research indicates that the modality of instruction (onsite, online, hybrid) actually has “no significant difference” on students’ ability to learn and reach course objectives. Students value the convenience of getting a degree while not leaving their life context. Seminaries broaden their reach and influence to learners who could not otherwise attend. And professors find that their teaching skills and mentoring opportunities are stretched in creative new ways through online interaction.