Practicum and Portfolio
The master’s degree program in Educational Technology requires that all students take a course that combines practical experience with the development of a professional online portfolio. The practicum part of the course requires approximately 100 hours of work in a professional setting appropriate to an individual student’s interests and specialization within the field. For example, students can develop and implement a professional workshop in their workplace, work on a collaborative project with a teacher or instructional designer, design, develop and evaluate an online or blended course, or conduct a project related to educational technology or instructional development. The setting and content of the practicum are worked out between the student, a faculty member, and the practicum site.
The portfolio is compiled at the same time and placed online through systems provided by the university and the program. It is organized according to the national standards appropriate to the student’s specialization in the field. It consists of a variety of projects, papers, and other products developed by the student during the master’s program. Among the standards to be met are those set by
When students enroll in the Practicum and Portfolio course, the instructor will provide guidelines and other materials for completing the work satisfactorily. These will differ according to which specialization the student chooses.