Educational and Instructional Technology

Overview

Educational and instructional technology programs prepare people to create and use technology in classrooms and educational materials.

Educational and instructional technology programs include topics such as:

Educational technology
Computer applications
Multimedia instruction
Web-based instruction
Distance education

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in educational and instructional technology. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Several colleges and universities offer a bachelor's degree in educational and instructional technology. A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study to complete.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in educational and instructional technology. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores. There are no recommended majors for entry into this graduate program. However, you may want to major in a subject that relates to your job interests. For example, if you know you want to create computer programs for math courses, you should major in math.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
Praxis
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Teacher's certification
Letters of recommendation
Personal interview
Description of personal teaching philosophy

Typical Course Work

Graduate Program Courses

Graduate programs that lead to a master's degree may include courses in the following subjects:

Applications Software in the Curriculum
Computer Images and Video as Classroom Resources
Curriculum Design and Development
Desktop Publishing for the Classroom
Instructional Design of Software
Research Methodology
Technology in Education
The World Wide Web as an Educational Resource

In addition, a thesis and a portfolio of graduate work may be required.

Things to Know

Studying educational and instructional technology usually involves teaching experience. Some programs include teaching internships. However, other programs require that you have experience before applying for admission.

Some schools offer only a few courses in educational and instructional technology and not a concentration.