All coursework for the Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology program is completed 100% online. The IDT M.Ed. program teaches students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate learning by using the latest online and digital tools, all offered in a fully online learning environment that capitalizes on UC’s state-of-the art virtual lab facilities.
Our program is taught by world-class faculty: individuals who are leaders in the field of instructional design & technology. Professional field experiences available as an elective to apply what you learn to a real-world setting. Capstone experience allows students to create a professional portfolio of their work.
This course introduces the fundamentals of instructional design and guides students to develop a strong understanding of the systematic design of instruction. The course covers the complete process of instructional design, including needs assessment, goal analysis, learner/context analysis, instructional strategies, instructional materials, and formative/summative evaluation. Students will learn essential skills to conduct each component successfully and develop a holistic perspective on instructional design.
Note: students must choose 3 of the 1-credit courses listed
This course assists students to acquire knowledge and skills in recent trends and issues with evaluating learning technologies. This course covers the evaluation and critique of instructional technology literature. Students become critical consumers of research in the area of instructional technology.
This course introduces students to the use of focus groups to help assess user experience (UX) in learning design. Focus groups can be utilized to help understand what learners want and build on that knowledge to create a design that meets their needs. Information from focus groups can be used in designing and enhancing a range of learning environments from online learning objects to educational games. In this course, students will learn how to carry out focus group methods both in-person and online, analyze results, and communicate findings to stakeholders.
This course helps students create a digital professional portfolio with select artifacts that represent their accomplishments. The course provides students with the technical knowledge to create a website to display their digital portfolio. Technical aspects covered include accessibility, usability, and visual design elements of website creation. The course will also introduce methods of using portfolios as an ongoing process of inquiry, experimentation, and reflection on professional development and growth. Students will leave the course with a digital portfolio that effectively communicates their achievements to their target audience.
Everyone has completed a questionnaire at some point in their life. Questionnaires provide a convenient and versatile way to evaluate learning technologies. The information gathered from questionnaires can be used for a variety of purposes, from informing learning design to assessing user experience. In this course, students will learn how to create and distribute online questionnaires, how to analyze results using descriptive statistics, and how to report their findings. A basic understanding of electronic spreadsheets is needed to be successful in this course. This course focuses on questionnaires in the area of learning technologies; however, students from other disciplines will also benefit from this course, as the methods and principles are general and can be applied to any technology-related discipline.
Usability evaluations provide a way to determine how easy or difficult it is to use a given technology. Results of usability evaluations can be used to improve the ease-of-use of products, which can range from websites to mobile apps to video games (and more). This course will teach students how to assess ease-of-use by conducting usability evaluations, analyzing the results, and using the results to suggest usability improvements. This course focuses on usability in the area of learning technologies; however, students from other disciplines will also benefit from this course, as the methods and principles are general and can be applied to any technology-related discipline.
Learning analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing data on students’ interactions and navigation through online learning environments in order to make informed decisions to improve learning. Students will be introduced to the underlying concepts, perspectives and theories of this emerging field and discuss the ethical implications of using data analytics. This course will teach hands-on techniques for collecting trace data on students’ activities through online environments and quantitative methods for analyzing this data. Students will learn how to interpret the data in order to make adaptive changes to the learning environment. To be successful, students should have a basic understanding of statistics and how to use statistical software for data analysis.
Instructional designers are needed now more than ever, in both educational institutions, and in corporate settings. Our program sets students up with the skills needed to be successful, regardless of which path you take.
Salary.com states that the average salary for positions that require blended learning skills is $143,056. According to payscale.com, your salary can vary depending on your profession:
There are a wide variety of career paths you can take with an M.Ed in Instructional Design and Technology. Examples of career options include:
Additional resources to support you from start to finish.
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