The College of Education is looking to meet the needs of teachers in the age of technology.
A new online program has been launched, allowing students, as well as those looking to continue their teaching education, to earn their master’s degrees in education.
The program aims to concentrate in the areas of technology and learning, special needs students, school leadership, literacy education and science and mathematics.
Carole Ames, the dean of the college, said the new program will suit students’ needs because it will favor anyone’s schedule.
“(It is) more responsive to (students’) schedule,” she said. “Instead of driving they can do it online.”
Ted Lawless, a political science senior, has just added education as a second major and said earning his master’s degree is a future plan. He has mixed emotions about the new program.
“I think it’s better to have a classroom setting,” he said. “It’s a good idea to keep up with the times.”
Education Professor David Pearson is looking forward to working with the online program.
“I was supportive of the online program,” he said. “Because they are a fact of life in the 21st century.”
Pearson said he supports the program because he has seen respectable universities following the online trend and to have MSU join the list is a good thing.
“A lot of universities that have quality programs are doing online programs,” he said.
Lawless’ classroom-setting concern is one Pearson is aware of, but he believes the experience will be comparable to the classroom environment. Pearson said the virtual classroom could become more social than a lecture hall.
“Just because it’s online doesn’t mean it’s isolated,” he said. “(A) virtual community of learners has more of a classroom discourse than an actual classroom.”
Pearson has one concern, which entails the careful observation of each online program to ensure nothing is taken away from the student.
“I think it remains to be seen how it will turn out,” Pearson said. “What learning will be achieved. (I want) to make sure they are comparable to a classroom setting.”
For more information about the online master’s program go to http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/onlineedu or contact the College of Education at 355-1825.
