2013

Students increasingly are seeking online education (Allen & Seaman, 2011). The growth of online counselor education programs (Reicherzer, Dixon-Saxon, & Trippany, 2009, along with increasing numbers of Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited online counselor education programs (CACREP, 2012), reflects this trend. Online counselor educators must train students well academically and prepare them to be competent clinicians; however, many faculty are not provided much training to teach online. We introduce basic, practical elements of online teaching. We also review the current state of online education and contextual considerations of online learning. Additionally, we propose practical elements of setting up online classrooms, as well as ways to creatively and effectively deliver course content in the unique online environment. Finally, potential ethical issues specifically related to online counselor education are discussed.