Technology Components

According to ASTD’s 2010 State of the Industry Report, technology-based formal learning has increased from 15% to 37% since 2002. That means that continuing education and training professionals must step up their management, knowledge, and skills in technology-delivered instruction while strengthening their abilities in instructor-led real time delivery (which was still a significant 59% of formal learning.) Students in the MSTD learn effective design, delivery, and evaluation, whether through technology or face-to-face.

All courses are available in a highly interactive online format. Technology is part of every course, and you not only learn about the most effective approaches, you also experience them throughout the program.

In your courses, many of the online lectures are delivered as slides accompanied by audio so that you can experience the lecture at your convenience and review it as many times as you’d like.

For example, Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction are a classic in instructional design models. These “events” can provide a framework for creative, inspired, and effective instruction.

Online student learning is further enriched through web conferencing, wikis, and websites. Web conferencing gives students the opportunity to experience delivering live presentations over the Internet.

For example, in the Communication course, Kelli Jandura of Channahon, Illinois created the presentation “Analysis of Group Leader Effectiveness” for the course, but she also presented it to the monthly meeting of her Respiratory Therapy Department.

Web conferencing is also used for live office hours with the professor and for guest lectures on current topics.

Students in the E-Learning course are building knowledge in a website of e-learning resources which will continue to grow in subsequent classes. To view the website, CLICK HERE.

Through collaboration on wikis such as Google Docs, students learn to complete projects and compose documents in small groups, reflecting the team approach found in most effective organizations today.

Each year, new and exciting technologies are incorporated into the online courses of the MSTD.