What is an Online Educational Technology Degree?

In the modern world, technology has infiltrated virtually every sphere of our society, including education. As communications technology continues to develop by leaps and bounds, institutions ranging from high schools to colleges and corporate trainers have turned to technology for more effective and efficient ways of dispensing information. Hence, anyone considering a career in the education industry would be a fool to miss out on this exciting and profitable trend. However, adapting to the rigors of technology-based teaching can be difficult, especially for those who are already deeply entrenched in the methods of traditional classroom-based education. Hence, online educational technology degrees are fast gaining popularity. Besides their convenience and affordability, these online degree programs also give their students the ultimate learning experience by teaching them to wield the technological tools of education using the very tools themselves!

Technical and Human Phases

Most educational technology degrees will cover several essential modules, divided into two main categories – the first is “technical” and the second “human”. The technical phase will naturally begin by covering the prevalent technologies being employed in the education industry, most notably the Web 2.0 technologies that form the backbone of online colleges around the world. This is usually followed by a course on applied statistics. This will imbue you with the skills necessary to use educational modelling tools to track your students’ progress and perform diagnostics your own effectiveness as an educator.

The “human” modules in the foundational phase are usually highly theoretical in nature and will provide an insight into the effects of technology use on students. This will be based largely on behavioral and social psychology regarding human learning patterns, backed up by some case studies and statistical research.

Practical Phase

After gaining a solid foundation from these modules, a student will then transit into the most challenging part of their online educational technology degree – the practical phase. This portion of the course will usually involve three to five modules, each requiring the student to solve increasingly difficult instructional problems using technology. For example, question-and-answer sessions and round table discussions are an integral part of many education programs. However, not all learners are able to adequately or clearly express their views when placed under the spotlight. Such pupils will benefit from online discussion boards which give them breathing space to conduct research and phrase their opinions. Hence, the practical application module will teach you to identify such problems and come up with these technological solutions.

Besides familiarizing you with the practical application of technological teaching tools, an online educational technology degree program will also delve deep into instructional design. As any architect will tell you, it is no good having all the tools without a solid blueprint. The instructional design module will equip you with the skills necessary to design a well-rounded educational blueprint with both depth and breadth. It will teach educators how to integrate technology into traditional lesson plans with panache and professionalism. True teaching is about substance, not style. While the temptation often exists to include technological elements just for the sake of it, instructional design will teach you how to identify situations where simple text-based teaching may be the preferred method.

There will be ample room for case studies here as classes are conducted using different technologies such as podcasts, video lectures and e-software. Students may then evaluate the pros and cons of these technologies based on how well they work for them, thereby gaining an invaluable understanding of the various tools available to a distance educator.

The majority of educational technology courses will offer some sort of opportunity for specialization through elective modules. The most popular elective is, of course, online education. The module will cover some of the finer points in online teaching, such as designing effective assessment criteria for distance learners or managing online academic forums. For example, many online degree instructors find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of posts on their discussion boards. This module will offer effective solutions such as the appointment of “student moderators” who may help you respond to queries. The module will probably conclude with a brief overview of the history and philosophy of distance learning. This will help put your career in perspective and is often helpful in helping you determine not only how far the industry has come, but also where it is heading. Overall, you will emerge well-prepared for a career as an online instructor through realistic training and honest advice.

In summary, whether you are aspiring to utilize technological tools in your traditional classroom lessons or to take on a new career entirely by exploiting educational technology in distance learning, an online educational technology degree program will be a fascinating, challenging and effective way to strengthen your teaching skills.