Is a Masters of Education in Instructional Technology Worth it

Masters of Education in instructional technology students

“Technology will not replace great teachers but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational.”

George Couros

Traditional education experienced a turning point in the 21st century. 

The revolution came in the form of increased merging with the technology: Modern classrooms use technology on a daily basis to provide students with the skills necessary to thrive in our rapidly digitized world. 

The high demand for appropriate implementation of technology in education created space for instructional technology professionals. 

These experts are usually in charge of developing curriculum, training teachers in educational programs, and assisting in integrating technology into the classroom. 

Apart from educating teachers on how to use technology effectively in the classroom, those with an online master’s degree in instructional technology can move into roles such as an instructional designer or technology developer, to closely work with higher education institutions and those in other industries helping them leverage technology to improve their work outcomes.

Graduates of masters of education in instructional technology have a promising job outlook as the employment rate for this profession is expected to grow faster than average, 6% by the year 2029

In conslusion, an instructional technology master’s online program provides students with both skills needed to amplify learner’s classroom experiences and options for different career paths. Keep on reading to learn more about this unique study program. 

What is a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

A master’s degree in instructional technology provides you with the skills and abilities needed to integrate technology into classrooms, along with the confidence and the leadership skills to train teachers in best practices and implementation processes and to promote the district-wide vision for technology. 

So, what is the difference between educational and instructional technology? The main goal of an educational technology degree is to provide technological literacy for everyone, in other words, it embraces all areas of technology in any field of education. 

On the other hand, Instructional technology covers a narrow field dealing with all types of teaching and learning and its primary goal is to enhance the teaching and learning process.

By enrolling in a master’s degree in instructional design and technology online program you get to develop a variety of essential skills to support staff and students in effectively using technology to enhance student achievement.

What Are The Benefits of a Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology?

Instructional design masters degree online programs can shape educators into experts in using technology for educational purposes, enabling them to effectively implement various technology tools or programs to enhance students’ performance. 

Graduates of instructional technology master’s online programs are at the forefront of innovative technology tools and practices so they can troubleshoot and assist teachers when technical issues arise.

What You Will Learn in an Instructional Technology Online Program

You will gain numerous valuable skills through an online masters in instructional technology program. Apart from gaining an understanding of new technology tools and best practices, you will become a figure that other staff can lean on. 

As a graduate, you will have the skills and knowledge required to:

  • Address the diverse needs of learners
  • Effectively manage digital resources
  • Facilitate digital learning
  • Master principles and theories of curriculum design through the use of technology
  • Put to use best practices in educational technology
  • Select appropriate technology tools for classrooms 

What Are The Benefits of Technology in Education?

Technology can improve the teaching process in many ways, and we listed the top five benefits below:

  1. Increased engagement
  2. Improved knowledge retention
  3. Individual learning
  4. Encourages collaboration
  5. Development of valuable career skills

Implementing technology into lessons provides different opportunities to make learning more interesting and enjoyable: Good example of this practice is implementing elements of gamification into online courses.

Multimedia content delivered by various tech mediums can encourage more active participation in the classroom which can be hard to achieve in a traditional education environment.

With increased engagement and active participation comes better knowledge retention: Different forms of edtech can be used to achieve the best results with the specific group of learners.

As the one-size-fits-all model in traditional education proved to have flaws, technology in education enables for making learning more effective by allowing students to learn at their pace. 

Individual learning is made easier with a vast number of internet resources students can turn to when researching various topics.

This approach allows for more equal opportunities for struggling or disabled students. 

Students can work on their collaboration skills by participating in different online activities such as having discussions on forums, taking part in different projects, or sharing documents on their virtual learning environments. Thanks to technology, students from not only the same school but from remote parts of the world can collaborate and exchange their knowledge.  

Implementing technology in the classroom can be vital for the development of valuable career skills for both teachers and students. 

As the future is digital, they can benefit from gaining practical skills such as learning to differentiate reliable from unreliable sources on the Internet, creating presentations, writing emails, maintaining proper online etiquette, and so on. 

Among critical soft skills that can be gained through modern learning are critical thinking, collaboration, solving complex problems, developing different forms of communication and leadership skills, and improving motivation and productivity. 

What Can You do With a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

Graduates of masters of education in instructional technology online program are able to analyze learning problems and then design and develop instructional programs to solve them. Instructional technology careers revolve around developing instructional programs for classrooms in higher education or training sessions for businesses and government agencies. 

Some of the instructional technology jobs open to graduates include:

  1. Course developer or designer 
  2. Computer learning lab coordinator
  3. Distance learning director
  4. Educational software consultant
  5. Flipped classroom developer
  6. Instructional designer 
  7. Learning applications (apps) designer
  8. Multimedia designer 
  9. Online learning specialist 
  10. Technology coordinator 
  11. Technology integration specialist 
  12. Virtual reality specialist 
  13. Web-based learning manager 
  14. Web instructor 

According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the median instructional technology salary is $66,290 per year.

These professionals are usually engaged in developing curricula, choosing textbooks and other materials, and assessing educational programs for quality to ensure they are meeting federal and state regulations and standards. 

Instructional technologists often assist teachers in integrating technology in the classroom, mentoring new teachers, and training experienced ones in the latest instructional methods.

Conclusion

As the technology used in classrooms continues to develop, the need for instructional technologists will continue to increase. 

Masters of Education in Instructional Technology online program from the University of Zambia provides students with valuable skills that can amplify students’ learning experiences through the efficient use of technology.

By earning your instructional technology masters online you get to maximize your learning potential by making the best use of the program’s flexibility. Your schedule comes first: Our online programs allow you to prioritize without having to sacrifice any of your current commitments.

Download Prospectus to find out more about the program and get in touch here.

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