CSUF MSIDT Midpoint Reflection

Hello!
After completing more than half of the CSUF MSIDT program, it seems like a good time to look back and see how far I have come in the process. Today we are going to take another look at how I chose the program and a few things I have gotten out of it already.
After deciding to pursue a master's degree in instructional design, I did some homework and the program I chose would have to be:
1. Worthwhile, as I was not doing this just to get a degree, there would actually have to be development of knowledge and skills.
2. Completed while working full-time at my career. This made flexibility of online programs more attractive.
3. Accredited so it would be accepted by future employers (or customers).
4. Affordable on my family's budget.
After completing a lot of research and speaking to other instructional designers, I focused on five different instructional design programs: Indiana University, Florida State University, Virginia Tech, Boise State University, and California State University at Fullerton.
These are all good programs, but out-of-state tuition prices put many of these out of reach. I initially gravitated towards CSU Fullerton because it would be more affordable, but the more I looked at it, the more I liked it. Also, the Fullerton program is well-regarded, and its a Master's of Science brings many elements of online learning into the mix, which how a lot of learning will happen in the future.
There are a few things that I have learned in the CSUF MSIDT program that are already helping me in my career.
The first thing is a more extensive knowledge of learning theories. Learning about them is one thing, but there is also the realization that there is no single right way to do things. All learners are different, and effective learning for any group or individual will probably require more than one theory or approach so that as many students as possible can benefit from the experience.
The other thing that has been great for me is having the luxury to go through full development processes with completely prepared design documents. I often do not have the luxury of time to do this on work projects, and there are some important steps that I have missed in the past that could have made my life much easier.
Thanks for checking in, and stay tuned for more news from the IDT program!

CSUF TITANium / Moodle Online Interface

As this is the year 2014, there are things that you would expect to be able to do online with your college program. California State University, Fullerton has a robust student interface that allows students to apply for programs and purchase textbooks, as well as to enroll and pay for classes online. But for the MSIDT program, all of the classwork is conducted online. How can that possibly work while still providing student interaction and encouraging participation? The answer is the TITANium Moodle system.
Moodle is much maligned in the academic world because it is kind of a clunky old interface that is not visually appealing, and it has many features that are redundant and unnecessary, but it worked just fine for my first term.
For the first two courses, IDT 505 Foundations of Instructional Design and Web Authoring Tools and IDT 510 Research Practices in Instructional Design and Technology), the professors posted assignments for each week on Sunday or Monday, with homework assignments that included readings, short assignments, and quizzes, as well as major assignments that included the submission of learning objects and research papers.
But the heart of this online experience was the discussion forum for each course. For many weeks the instructors would provide a prompt (e.g. a reading assignment or a video to watch) and then it was the students’ responsibility to post their thoughts on the subject and have online discussions with the other students. This was helpful in helping to define the instructional design process, as it provided the opportunity to learn from the others’ experiences and to gain consensus.
The final output of many of the major assignments were posted to the forums as well. It is helpful to have another 28 sets of eyes take a look at a learning object you have created and to have them provide positive feedback, and suggestions for improvement. Plus, every student seems to be running a different type of computer and web browser, so any functionality problems were quickly unearthed.
Surprisingly with this many students with diverse backgrounds there was no discord. Apparently the interview process resulted in students that would be a positive force in the progress of the program. I approve!
Also available through Moodle was an online chat function that allowed the instructors to provide online office hours. I only participated a few times as I had a good idea of where the courses were headed, mostly because the syllabus for each class was complete and left little to guess about.
And one last feature of Moodle is that how you are doing in the courses is never a mystery. If the instructors are on top of their grading you can check your grades anytime to see if there are any missed assignments or if your progress is sliding.
As this is the modern era, the Moodle / TITANium app can also be accessed on mobile devices, such as tablets or cell phones. While it is admittedly difficulty to participate in lengthy forum discussion on such tiny keyboards (at least for fat-fingered me), it is a great way to stay up-to-date on assignments and grades.
There are a few things that I did not care for with Moodle, but it mostly had to do with the choices that were made when setting up the courses for each course. Each course had its own weak point.
For one course the assignments were a surprise each week, while the other instructor had every week’s work posted right from the beginning of the course. This is helpful for me, because it helps me know which books I need to pack for my business trips. If the assignment is posted Monday morning it is too late, so I had to study the syllabus carefully each week.
In the other course the forums were set up so that every post was a response to the initial prompt, which meant that there were often hundreds of posts to sort through to figure out which ones were new. The other instructor had the first response from each student set up in its own thread, so they were much easier to read (and it was easier to find responses that did not have many comments and I could make sure that everybody got some sort of feedback.) To get around this, I had each of the posts automatically sent to my email. This resulted in a metric ton of emails, but it also ensured that I did not miss out on anything.
But, all-in-all, I find this to be a great solution for distance learning, and it is going to work well for me as I continue through the program.
Thanks for checking in! Next time we will take a look at Turnitin, the ultimate big brother of the anti-plagiarism movement.

CSUF MSIDT Course of Study

Hello!
Over the 21 months of the program, Cohort 13 of the MSIDT program will have to copmplete 10 courses to fulfill the degree requirement. It is hard to believe that 2 of them are already finished! Here is a list of the courses, which is adapted from the CSUF online catalog (https://www.fullerton.edu/catalog/pdf/HumanServices-Women_and_GenderStudies.pdf):
Session 1 – September, 2014 through December, 2014
1. IDT 505 Foundations of Instructional Design and Web Authoring Tools
--Necessary understanding of operating systems, hardware and networking environments to develop instructional tools and products using a multimedia authoring tool.
2. IDT 510 Research Practices in Instructional Design and Technology
--Survey course on terms and accepted procedures in qualitative and quantitative inquiry as they apply to instructional design and technology. Students conduct controlled portions of IDT research and prepare preliminary proposals for larger projects.
Session 2 – January, 2015 through early May, 2015
3. IDT 520 Instructional Design 1: Issues in ELearning and the Design Process
--Systematic design of instructional courseware, including analysis, media selection, design, development and evaluation. Topics include learning principles, learner characteristics, instructional strategies, screen design, response analysis, feedback and interactivity.
4. IDT 525 Learning Theories for Postsecondary and Adult Instructional Settings
--Behavioral, cognitive, constructivist learning theories, related concepts and their implications for designing instruction. Develops critical thinking about desirable cognitive outcomes when designing educational experiences.
Session 3 – May, 2015 through August, 2015
5. IDT 530 Instructional Design 2: Advanced Issues in Implementation, Management and Program Evaluation
--Application of computer-based instructional design principles to develop new methods and materials for technology-based instruction. Topics include computer-based instruction, project management, planning, assessment, design principles and development tools. Students will design multimedia courseware.
6. IDT 535 Instructional Strategies and Universal Design Issues in Learning Environments
--Instructional strategies for Pre-K through adulthood. Emphasizes current research on instructional strategies and assistive technologies in a variety of instructional contexts.
Session 4 – September, 2015 through December, 2015
7. IDT 540 Systematic Approaches to Web and Multimedia Design and Development
--Design, development and implementation of Web pages and sites for instructional purposes. Issues surrounding using the World Wide Web for instruction.
8. IDT 545 Trends, Emerging Technologies and Issues in Instructional Design
--Theoretical basis, issues and strategies for improving teaching and learning through the use of emerging technologies.
Session 5 – January, 2016 through early May, 2016
9. IDT 550 Practicum in Instructional Design and Technology
--Strategies for effectively implementing and evaluating instructional design and technology to improve learning; includes significant field work assignments in work-related settings.
10. IDT 597 Project
--Individual research on an empirical project, with conferences with the instructor, culminating in a project.
Thanks for checking in! Next time we will take a look at Moodle / TITANium, which is an essential online system for this distance learning experience.

MSIDT Program Tuition and Fees

Well, the MSIDT program is not free, but it is a great value in the masters program world, at least if you are a California resident. I figured this out ahead of time to make sure it was within my family’s budget, but of course there were a few things I forgot. Surely there will be more unexpected things as time goes on, too…
There are a lot of things that are not a financial issue in the distance learning world. No parking fees! No extra holiday trips home to see the folks. No dorm room to redecorate. No kegs of beer to take to toga parties…
But there is the rest of the stuff, as well as things I did not have to pay for when I was studying for my bachelors degree.
First off was a new laptop, which I am not including as it was not necessary. But it is really nice to have a good piece of equipment for school and blogging. I went with a MacBook Pro, and after a lifetime of PCs, it is an amazing breath of fresh air.
Of course there is tuition, which is currently $1953 per semester (for two classes)
Next come other expenses that will occur each semester, some of which I will never get to use:
-Online learning fee:$198
- Books: $463
- ASB Fee: $74
- Campus Union Fee: $134
- Consolidated Course Fee: $25.00
- Health Center Fee: $78.00
- Health Facilities Fee: $3.00
- IRA Fee: $36.00
- Student ID Card Fee: $4.00
- Student Success Fee: $60.34
- Titan Participation Fee: $7.00

If I added that up correctly, that is $3035, so for five semesters it will be $15,175, barring any inevitable fee increases. Of course it would be much higher if I were paying non-resident tuition.

But that is not all, there are some one-time costs to include:
-Application fee: $55
-Transcript: $13
-Boot-up Camp: $345
-Mid-point Symposium: $228
-Adobe Captivate 8 Software: $299

These extras add up to around $940, and when added to the tuition make for a grand total of $16,115. This will creep up as unexpected expenses that pop up and fees increase, but I think this going to be a wise investment in my future. I do not think you will find a better deal on an instructional design program from an accredited university, and the CSUF program is highly rated.
Thanks for checking in; next time you will get an overview of the courses that make up this program!