By Alex Wilson,
May 17, 2021
WARRENSBURG, MO 鈥 Intelligent.com has ranked the 欧美视频鈥檚
online Master of Science in Educational Technology program as number one nationwide. The ranking comes at an imperative time for educational
technology as many schools have begun to implement new technologies and more advanced
ways to teach, especially this last year.
Based on their methodology, which includes reviewing material directly from universities
and data from other institutional review sites, has deemed UCM the best place for an online master鈥檚 in educational technology degree.
The program was scored highly for its strength, student readiness, return on investment,
cost, student engagement and accreditation with the Council for the Accreditation
of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
The program aims to reinforce modern educational values with 21st-century technology.
For example, the program itself reflects the current developments in the educational
technology field by being offered entirely online. The program also teaches important
but often forgotten aspects of our digital life that are paramount for the educational
technology field. Such concepts include digital citizenship and how important it is
to promote and be a healthy example of a digital user. Digital citizenship refers
to the responsible and productive use of digital and internet technologies. Not only
are students of the program learning about these concepts, but they are engaging in
these exact same positive practices.
鈥淲e aim to remain true to the mission of the 欧美视频 and recognize
the importance of creating relevant 21st century curriculum and content,鈥 Dr. Shantia
Kerr Sims, associate professor and program coordinator, said. 鈥淎s a program, we have
built strong relationships with our global network of alumni and continue to build
on those partnerships to expose students to diverse perspectives and solid instructional
strategies.鈥
In order to refine their studies, students will participate in activities that, according
to the program website, promote excellence and support transformational change throughout
the instructional environment while developing and implementing comprehensive integration
of technology into the academic experience.
With the current state of education evolving to be more technically advanced, it is
becoming vital for schools and educational institutions to hire individuals with knowledge
of these technologies. This is one of the reasons why educational technology is a
growing industry; The demand for instructional coordinators with specialized knowledge
is expected to grow by 6% in under a decade and training specialist positions are
to grow by 9% in the same frame of time. The careers opened up by this degree program
are not just growing but they are needed and many employers are eager to hire experts
in this field.
鈥淭he online Educational Technology program works diligently to ensure students are
well versed in current trends and research-based practices to effectively integrate
technology in a variety of educational settings,鈥 Sims said. 鈥淥ur students are leaders
in their respective fields and this honor is a reflection of the dedicated work of
our students, faculty, and staff.鈥
These same career paths are full of diverse options for graduates which, in turn,
creates diverse opportunities options for students of the program. Upon graduating
from this program, one will be qualified for many vastly different and unique careers
such as educational technology specialists and instructional designers and even instructional
coordinators. The field of educational technology is as vast as it desired.
The diversity of the program continues to grow, with a new course that will be offered
beginning the second half of the fall 2021 semester. The course, Computer Science
for Educators, will prepare future educators to teach the lucrative field of computer
science. The course will be available to both undergraduate and graduate students
and is another opportunity for students to enter a vast field of career options.
For more information about the program, contact Sims at skerr@ucmo.edu.