MS in Instructional Design and Technology Curriculum

MS in Instructional Design and Technology Curriculum

To earn the master’s degree, students must complete 30 credits of coursework, with a minimum GPA of 3.00. The sequence of courses is composed of required foundational courses, electives and the Capstone Experience.

Foundations

15 credits (five courses), required for all candidates, focus on theoretical foundations of education and fundamentals of design. These courses include extensive exposure to research literature investigating the efficacy of media for educational applications, since it is the ability to understand and apply research that allows instructional designers to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Electives

Individuals select an additional 12 credits (four courses), according to their own areas of interest. Topics include in-depth theoretical and practical aspects of producing educational resources (e.g., web design, design of online courses, video production, interactive digital media) with hands-on use of specific software applications. Other elective options explore the process of selecting, implementing and evaluating digital resources for instruction in a range of environments (K-12, higher education, industry and nonprofit organizations, informal learning and creating accessible materials for individuals with diverse learning needs).

Capstone Experience

Students can fulfill the capstone experience in one of two ways:

• IDN 550. Capstone Experience ​
  • Career Exploration, including preparation of the resume and portfolio. Throughout their coursework, students select their best work to post on an electronic portfolio for critique; in the Capstone, they further refine the portfolio. Consistent with program objectives, this allows the student to demonstrate competence with a range of software applications and serves to present student work to prospective employers.
  • Introduction to Project Management. To develop effective instructional design projects, students need to understand the basics of project management. In some cases, instructional designers may even be asked to serve as project managers. This component of the Capstone explores the basics of project management and the terminology used in this field.
  • The Thesis Project. Each student chooses a topic of personal and/or professional interest, researches existing approaches to and resources for instruction on this topic, and prepares a proposal for the design of a learning resource. The proposal includes a needs analysis, design details and an evaluation plan. The final step is the creation and presentation of a working prototype of the proposed resource. This project serves to demonstrate the candidate’s fluency with elements of an instructional design analysis as well as with the use of theory to inform design.
• IDN 555. IDN Internship
  • Career Exploration, including preparation of the resume and portfolio. Throughout their coursework, students select their best work to post on an electronic portfolio for critique; in the Capstone, they further refine the portfolio. Consistent with program objectives, this allows the student to demonstrate competence with a range of software applications and serves to present student work to prospective employers.
  • Internship. Students have the flexibility to choose their own internships, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge gained in coursework to real-world projects and settings. Internships must be supervised by a cooperating organization, and must be approved in accordance with IDN policies prior to registration.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Instructional Design and Technology program, students will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Communication: Communicate effectively in visual, oral and written form, taking into account the type of information being delivered and the diverse backgrounds, roles and varied responsibilities of the audience.

2. Collaboration: Collaborate effectively with peers, including the use of consensus-building, negotiation, conflict resolution skills and constructive feedback.

3. Research and Theory: Draw on their understanding of the discipline of instructional design and pertinent research to inform their design decisions, explaining and applying key concepts of instructional design approaches and models, learning theory and multimedia principles.

4. Ethical Issues: Identify and respond to ethical, legal and political implications of design in the workplace.

5. Technology: Analyze and apply existing and emerging technologies for instruction, with regard for the learning need, the learners and the learning context.

6. Planning and Analysis: Utilize the instructional design approach to conduct a needs assessment to recommend appropriate design solutions and strategies; address the needs of the target audience and the learning context; and create a plan for the development, implementation and evaluation of instruction.

7. Design: Design instructional interventions in accordance with the instructional design plan, incorporating appropriate principles of visual design, interaction design and learning strategies, and addressing social, cultural, political and individual differences that may influence learning.

8. Development: Produce instructional materials in a variety of delivery formats that align with the content analyses, proposed technologies, delivery methods and instructional strategies included in the planning and design phases.

9. Implementation: Use technology effectively to implement a design plan; target appropriate strategies to prepare individuals and/or the environment for implementation.

10. Assessment: Design assessments; evaluate instructional interventions; utilize evaluation to guide iterative design of learning resources.