http://www.articlesview.com/ Articles at ArticlesView.com en-us http://www.articlesview.com/business/education/instructional-technology-programs-strategies-for-locating-your-ideal-degree.html http://www.articlesview.com/business/education/instructional-technology-programs-strategies-for-locating-your-ideal-degree.html Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:13:57 -0500 So, you are contemplating a degree in instructional design. The first thing to know is that there are various instructional design degrees and instructional technology degrees available, but the specific preparation and concentrations may be different depending on what you want to do when you graduate. At present, most colleges and universities only offer instructional design degrees at the graduate level. These are " MS, MA, MEd, EDS, and PhD programs.

The second thing to consider it what instructional designers do and how that fits with yours interests. Keep in mind that instructional technologists develop content that is used by trainers, other instructional designers, teachers, instructors, etc, with the goal of improving or enhancing instructional outcomes and effectiveness. Instructional designers make decisions on effectiveness of instructional methods, and instructional delivery for a stated set of learning outcomes. Therefore, this requires one to have good knowledge of learning psychology, learner analysis, and instructional media selection.

As a prospective graduate student, it is vital to take into account various factors when selecting your ideal instructional design program. Hence you should keep in mind your future career goals, your area of expertise and professional interests, online learning options, and how much it will cost you to complete your program of study.

Another consideration when doing your research on the schools is what names to type in for your Internet searches. Some fairly common titles of programs are: Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation, Learning Technologies, Educational Technology, Instructional Technology, Instructional Design and Development, Instructional Systems Technology, Instructional Design, Instructional Design and Technology, Instructional and Performance Technology, and Computer Education. The importance of knowing this is that the name of the program might indicate the coursework you will be expected to complete.

Another important issue to consider is whether the university you are contemplating is one that has accreditation. Being accredited means that the graduate program has undergone in-depth self-evaluation evaluation by peer institution and peers, and accrediting bodies. Accreditation organizations have the task of performing evaluations so as to ensure that the programs are conforming to the established mission and goals, objectives and curricula, administrative and financial stipulations, as well as faculty and student expectations. Also, if you ever have to join a new program at a different university or to transfer your credits, the new institution will determine whether your degree is credible, so it is best to ensure the institution you graduate from is accredited.

Instructional programs prepare graduates for different areas of specialty. Whether the job title is instructional technologist, e-learning specialist, or instructional designer, one can expect to work in higher education, corporation, K-12 schools, government, military or non-governmental organizations.

When feasible pay a visit to the college you are interested in and talk to both faculty and students in the program. Ask questions about internships and future employment. Also ask questions about the programs of study available to you. This will better assist you in making a final decision. Observe what computer, classroom, and library resources are available.

You will generally have an academic advisor assigned to you to help you develop a good program of study. Various institutions have different course requirements and some departments do offer special tracks such as multimedia or evaluation specializations. This however is dependent on the overall structure of the program and the available electives.

The field of instructional design is developing quite rapidly and is ideal for those who enjoy working with learners, training, developing instructional content and multimedia. The instructional technology profession has a good base in educational psychology, instructional media, and computing. The field continues to expand as more organizations adopt e-learning, performance improvement, and other instructional methods.

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