Instructional Improvement

Secondary Education -- Instructional Technology

The Master of Education degree with a specialization in instructional technology is designed for candidates working toward a degree in the general field of instructional technology or for candidates with valid Arkansas teacher certification seeking Arkansas certification as School Library Media Specialists (Ten-Year Certificate). Entrance into the instructional technology program does not require teacher certification.

Degree Requirements

Candidates for the Master of Education degree with a specialization in instructional technology must complete 36 hours of graduate-level course work that includes 24 semester hours in approved educational media, library media, or computer science courses, and a minimum of 6 hours of professional education core requirements. Candidates electing to write a thesis are required to take EDMD 6993 and SEED 6993. Candidates may select one of the following areas of concentration: media production, computer education, library media certification (requires Arkansas teacher certification), or a general program without a concentration. A concentration consists of 12 or more hours in a specific area selected in consultation with an advisor. To be certified as a Library Media Specialist, after completing the master's degree, one must attain the minimum score as established by the Arkansas Department of Education on the Media Specialist-Library and Audio Visual Services specialty area section of the NTE Programs.

Persons with Library Media Specialist certification may add additional endorsements to the Library Media Specialist Certificate by completing an additional 9 semester hours in a specific area. A maximum of 3 semester hours from the basic certification program may apply to a specific endorsement. Endorsement areas are offered in reading guidance, television, instructional product development, and computer-assisted instruction.

Media Core Requirements (9 hours)

EDMD 5033 Introduction to Instructional Technology1,2

EDMD 6233 Administration of Media Programs

EDMD 6303 Survey of Instructional Media

Computer Requirements (3 hours)1,3

EDMD 6113 Microcomputers for Education and Training

COMS 6503 Computer Literacy

COMS 6513 Computer-Assisted Instruction Languages

Library Media Specialist Requirements (9-12 hours)4

LBMD 6003 Selection of Instructional Materials

LBMD 6013 Reference Materials in the School Library Media Center

LBMD 6023 Classification and Cataloging

EDMD 6433 Practicum in Educational Media5

Plus a media production course from the following.2

EDMD 6123 Audio in Media

EDMD 6133 Production of Instructional Materials

EDMD 6333 Instructional Television

EDMD 6883 Workshop

Professional Education Core Requirements (6-12 hours)

EDFD 6003 Educational Research (required)

EDFD 6313 Principles of Curriculum Development OR

EDMD 6313 Instructional Design and Product Development

SEED 6993 Thesis Research (required if writing a thesis)

EDMD 6993 Thesis Research/Seminar (required if writing a thesis)

Electives

Additional instructional technology electives to meet the 36-hour degree requirement.

^{1EDMD or LBMD courses or
equivalent courses taken at the under-graduate level, under most
circumstances, cannot be retaken for credit at the graduate level.
An additional three hours of EDMD or approved courses must be taken
instead.}

^{2EDMD 5033 or equivalent
is a prerequisite for 6000-level media production courses.
^{3Students who have taken
three or more hours of computer courses at the undergraduate level within
the past five years are not required to take additional computer courses.
^{4Not required for
candidates working toward a degree in the general field of instructional
technology.}}}

5Not required if the candidate has had two years of successful public school classroom teaching experience in an accredited elementary or secondary school or one year of successful employment in a unified school library media center. Otherwise, the course is required for certification. This requirement could add an additional three hours to the candidate's degree program (thesis option only).