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ONLINE MASTER OF EDUCATION IN LEARNING DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Fast facts

Fact 1

Credit Hours

30

Fact 2

Per Credit

$610

Fact 3

Duration

20 mos.

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Program Benefits

  • Project-based Learning Experience - No Course Papers Required
  • Ed Tech Tools Learned and Applied Throughout All Courses
  • #4 Best Online Master's in Education programs in Minnesota – 2021 by US News & World Report
  • 2 Graduate Certificates Available
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Redefine Instruction and Learning Models

The Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology program is designed to help you nurture the spirit of learners by bringing technology and elements like exploration and creativity into the classroom. This innovative program offers courses that teach educators how to connect with their students in a more digitally savvy way, all while developing themselves as an educator. The master’s program promotes a culture of learning and encouragement to seek out new ideas to become a force for positive change.

The program consists of 30 credits (10 courses), and typically takes no more than 20 months to complete.

Students may choose to use credits from the Critical, Creative, and Design Thinking Certificate and/or the Teaching, Training, and Leading with Technology Certificate toward completing the Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology. Students completing both certificates will fulfill all the requirements for the master’s degree.

Required Courses (30 credits)

Click the course names below for more details:

IGNITE: Incorporate New Knowledge

LDT600 – Inquiry and Information (3 credits)

In this course students learn to advance their own learning, practice, and the profession by uncovering, critiquing, synthesizing, and incorporating new information into current knowledge, experience, and values. Students integrate technology and multimedia communications as continuous learning tools.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Evaluate the traditions and practices in the field that are often accepted unquestioningly.
  2. Formulate viable, significant questions.
  3. Construct advanced searches to yield pertinent information.
  4. Evaluate the quality, relevance, and perspective of resources.
  5. Synthesize a variety of points of view to broaden thinking.
  6. Use current awareness technologies to stay versed in research.
  7. Combine text, audio, and graphic modalities in multimedia communications.
  8. Evaluate the ethical, privacy, and intellectual property issues of digital media.

LDT602 – Investigations of Learning and Teaching (3 credits)

In this course students explore how to re-invigorate themselves and their teaching by developing research skills and habits to contribute to their success as learners and professionals. The course focuses on research-based rationale and study of the selection and utilization of technologies for designing, implementing, or evaluating instruction.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Differentiate between types of research.
  2. Critique educational research.
  3. Form a research strategy, including the selection of appropriate research tools.
  4. Articulate how research influences teaching mindset and practice.
  5. Share research work with peers in digital formats.

CENTER: Create Individual Capacity

LDT610 – Dispositions and Mindsets (3 credits)

In this course students examine the changing role of the teacher, student and teacher engagement, and the dispositions required for continual learning and discovery. Students develop creative processes for play, exploration, reflection, and design thinking, especially around how technology transforms learning.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Use reflective practices to advance personal awareness and professional development.
  2. Evaluate personal experiences and background which have shaped current mindsets.
  3. Illustrate a personal philosophy regarding the 21st century teacher’s role.
  4. Create strategies to develop key teaching and learning dispositions, mindsets, and habits.
  5. Identify critical friends for regular feedback.
  6. Integrate culturally relevant educational awareness into practices and plans.
  7. Apply a design thinking process to a learning-through-technology problem.

LDT612 – How Learning Occurs (3 credits)

In this course students examine the social, physical, and psychological conditions to optimize learning and ignite creativity. Students explore ideas and contexts to create and sustain deep learning while exploring theories and practices to bring meaning to learning via collaboration, intention, and the use of technology as a mind tool to enable learning that could not happen in any other way.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the educational psychology theory underpinning developmental appropriateness for learning.
  2. Demonstrate the ability to use culture as a conduit for learning.
  3. Define what understanding means for the diverse range of learners and how mindset affects capacity to learn.
  4. Identify conditions to optimize learning and creative processes.
  5. Apply synthesized learning theories to classroom practices.
  6. Evaluate the role of collaboration and relationships in learning and creating processes along with other factors to foster engagement and motivation.

DESIGN: Create Personalized Learning

LDT620 – Designs for Learning (3 credits)

In this course students meld an understanding of how learning occurs with content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, and design principles to create meaningful learning opportunities for students. Students use a design process to integrate and optimize enduring and conceptual understandings, assessment practices, and instructional strategies.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Design concept-based units that demonstrate mastery of how knowledge is constructed to enable deep understanding.
  2. Utilize data and assessment strategies to inform instruction and advance learning.
  3. Align instructional activities and assessment practices with state and national standards.
  4. Research best practice in teaching and learning in a specific content discipline as well other core areas including literacy and technology.

LDT622 – Personalizing Learning with Digital Technology (3 credits)

In this course students combine culturally relevant awareness and adapted or created digital applications for personalizing learning and promoting self-directed learning. Assessment data and learning analytics are used to refine and tailor instruction. Trends in online social networking, game-based learning, and other technological advances challenge students to transform their practices and achieve new levels of media literacy.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Evaluate principles of ethics and digital literacy as factors in the teaching, learning, and design process.
  2. Integrate technology including the use of social media to enhance the learning process.
  3. Apply principles of culturally responsive teaching to emerging technology learning trends.
  4. Analyze and implement informal and do-it-yourself activities as a part of learning design to personalize the learning process.
  5. Use formal and informal assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of design and instruction.

EXCHANGE: Create Shared Solutions

LDT630 – Interdependence and the Collective Advantage (3 credits)

In this course students use collaboration strategies focused on student success to enhance teaching and learning perspectives, techniques, and connections. Students explore their own self-efficacy as a team member, promoting educational success for all pre K-12 learners, and learn to identify and integrate available resources from the school and community. Students utilize collaborative technologies to communicate, problem solve, and showcase learning excellence.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Devise and implement a technology-enhanced collaborative problem solving strategy that promotes optimized learning design and student success.
  2. Assess one’s own collaboration skills and evolving mindset and the relationship to the mindsets of others to work together effectively for change.
  3. Locate and integrate learning and community resources.
  4. Employ collaborative technologies to advance learning and to communicate among community members.
  5. Present, as part of a group, a collective vision for advancing technology as a learning tool.

LDT632 – The Networked Global Community (3 credits)

In this course students seek and use global resources and international examples of innovative teaching and learning approaches. Students utilize technologies and electronic resources to broaden their understanding of the global community, contribute to academic idea exchange internationally, and develop global competencies to analyze the opportunity gap and benefit preK-12 learners. Students analyze cultural contexts to discover ideas transferable to student achievement in their own classrooms and schools as they continue to develop an annotated bibliography.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Connect and compare global education teaching and learning approaches to local situations.
  2. Integrate concepts of global citizenship and interdependence of individuals and systems into the curriculum.
  3. Analyze solutions for access to education.
  4. Use social media and interactive technology to engage in national and international dialogue on education.
  5. Contribute to national and international resources on education.
  6. Synthesize ideas from a breadth of literature related to networked global communities and cultural contexts to discover ideas transferable to student achievement.

INITIATE: Create Change

LDT640 – Rethinking Education (3 credits)

In this course students analyze educational institutions and expectations to foster policy and systemic changes. Students evaluate change processes to engage colleagues and the school community in educational innovation. The role of an ethical educational leader in a school community is explored. Relevant trends from arenas such as the arts, science, or business enrich the possible approaches.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Articulate a personal philosophy regarding the 21st century teacher’s role based on learning throughout and beyond the program.
  2. Identify systemic changes required to achieve transformational goals in education.
  3. Use an ethical approach in educational decision making.
  4. Apply change processes used in other fields or arenas to educational systems.
  5. Initiate a lifelong learning practice which taps into the capacity of current technologies and the power of the internet while honoring principles of systemic change, ethical leadership, and goals that align with one’s personal philosophy regarding the 21st century teacher’s role.

LDT642 – Advocacy and Sustainability (3 credits)

In this course students consider how to use their own design thinking project as a dynamic learning opportunity to initiate change. Students propose an advocacy plan, which includes how to sustain the project and a professional support network during change.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

  1. Engage in a new design thinking project.
  2. Synthesize literature from the entire program along with multiple additional perspectives to expand one’s viewpoint, question assumptions, and reflect on research-based themes related to a design thinking project.
  3. Create an advocacy and sustainability plan/activity to advance the findings or application of a design thinking project.
  4. In an interactive digital/public format, publish themes uncovered in an investigation of literature to demonstrate how it is initiating change coupled with a design thinking project.

LDT600 and LDT602 must be the first two courses taken, in sequence.

LDT632, LDT640, LDT642 must be the last three courses taken, in sequence.

Become a Master Teacher. Request more information about the M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technology today or contact an enrollment counselor at 877-308-9954.

Current Degree Requirements

For current degree requirements, visit the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Course Catalog.