Is this Online Degree as Good as a Face-to-face Degree?
The quality of any degree is determined by the combination of faculty knowledge, course content, instructional strategies AND student commitment.
Our faculty has a wealth of experience teaching in K-12 and higher education environments, developing and implementing technology-based applications and researching the results of educational technology implementation. See the Faculty link for more information about us.
Our course content is mapped to the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS*T) and is designed to merge research-based knowledge with practical classroom experiences. Our assignments are usually flexible giving students an opportunity to interact with content while simultaneously working to improve their unique educational context. Masters students are also expected to synthesis content from throughout the degree on a theoretical and practical level during the final course in the program, Practicum in Educational Media.
We use a variety of instructional strategies based on the most recent research on online teaching and learning. Instructional strategies vary from Power Point presentations enhanced with audio and multimedia features and study guides to online jigsaw formats to discussion forums and bulletin boards, small group activities and individual exploration. In light of current research, all instructional strategies are asynchronous although timeliness is required to support many of our instructional strategies. Students should not assume that asynchronous learning always equates to “whenever I want to do them” assignments. Instructional strategies are designed to facilitate peer-to-peer and instructor-to-student interactions. Specific strategies are taken to develop an online community of learners.
Given the information presented above we know our online program is every bit as good as our face-to-face program. But, as in our face-to-face program, we cannot control student commitment levels. You will get from our courses and degree what you put in and we look forward to working with you as you commit yourself to “teaching, learning and facilitating change with educational technology.”
