College of Education and Human Development

Instructional Technology Program

Immersion Program

Program Description

The IDD M.Ed. Full-time Immersion Program is an option within the Instructional Design and Development track of the Instructional Technology Master's program. The Immersion Program is design to allow teams of 8-10 full-time students to immerse themselves in several project-based experiences that require them to utilize their instructional design, development, and management skills through authentic practice.

The features of the program include the following:


Different from a traditional three-credit course model, the Immersion Program is composed of a six-credit (per semester) authentic instructional design project. In these projects, students learn to manage and solve complex instructional issues related to effective instructional design much as they would in the real world. Professors, instructors, and representatives from the sponsoring organization support students through the project experience. The Immersion Program is designed to allow students to participate in at least two separate project practicums, which allow for the opportunity for involvement in multiple roles and the refinement of the design processes crucial to this field of study. In addition to the two six-credit practicums, students are expected to take fifteen credits of core requirements.

Prerequisites and Admission Requirements


Prerequisites

To enter the program, students must successfully complete the following two prerequisite courses. Students may take these courses as a Non-Degree student and transfer the credits into the program once they are accepted.


Admission Requirements/How to Apply/Deadlines


Typical Structure and Sequence of Courses

The Instructional Design and Development full-time M.Ed. Immersion Program requires 30 credit hours of course work which includes the prerequisites. Possible sequencing of the courses would be as follows:

Prior Spring/Summer Semester (6 credit hours)


Fall Semester (12 credit hours)


Spring Semester (12 credit hours)


Add the e-Learning Graduate Certificate as a Secondary Program

Thirteen of the 30 credits required for the IT master’s program can be applied towards the e-Learning Graduate Certificate if it is added prior to graduating by filling out the Declaration of Secondary Program form.

Immersion Projects

Learn about past and present Immersion projects including project websites, syllabi/schedules, and student portfolios here.

Program Availibility

Funding for the Immersion Program is based upon available client-sponsorship of student tuition. Typically, several design groups of students are provided with significant tuition funding across two semesters of full-time project work in instructional design. These students are selected by a panel of professors in the Instructional Technology program according to the match of interest and background to current project needs and availability for full-time study.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of students apply?

The students in the program embody a diverse population with a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds and work experiences. Many (but not all) of our students include:


How does it differ from the part-time program?

The content and objectives for the Immersion Program are very similar to several of the part-time program courses that focus on applied instructional design and development (EDIT 730 and EDIT 752). However, a full-time program allows for an intensive, rich, team-based experience that fully integrates theory and practice. In these extended project experiences students can design, develop and evaluate instructional products in a more realistic time frame than part-time courses afford.

What makes this program unique?

This unique program incorporates an intensive project-based experience across two semesters. These two six-credit project development practicums consist of extended, situated involvement with several realistic projects selected from the corporate, academic or military arenas. In these projects students interact with clients and learn to manage and problem solve complex instructional issues related to effective instructional design and development similar to real world practice. Students are expected to take on a specific role in a design project team and successfully interact with their team and the client to design and produce a prototype instructional project that addresses identified needs of the client-sponsor organization.

What are the benefits to full-time study?

This option for Track 1 students is designed to enrich graduate students experience in the authentic practice of instructional design. Current literature in analysis, learning theory, software design, instructional design, usability testing and evaluation among other topics are discussed in relation to design and development of the project. Supported by faculty, programmers and other personnel, the focus of this authentic, team-based experience is to apply and learn instructional design constructs while adhering to pragmatic demands of real world constraints.

What is expected from the student?

The outcome of the full-time experience is to analyze, design, develop and evaluate a project prototype based on current theory and practice and presented to the client-sponsor organization. To accomplish this, students are assigned specific roles in project teams of approximately 8-10 student members as part of their project development practicum. The design teams focus on the assigned project to propose and develop solutions for that particular design situation. Students are required to work together in this intensive team-based experience to apply and refine a myriad of instructional design and development skills as well implement a high level of communication and problem solving skills that provides significant grounding for the real world practice of instructional design.

How will my instructor be involved in my work?

Students in the full-time program will receive the same level of instruction and guidance as the students in the non-cohort program, however the content of the instruction will be delivered in a "just-in-time" format allowing the instructor maximum flexibility for relevant teaching moments. Instructional design projects vary tremendously in their scope, focus and starting point. Fortunately, the field includes a systematic approach to designing effective instruction that provides consistent stages of design and development regardless of content and delivery method.

The instructional design process, then, provides a guiding mechanism that can be utilized to approach the teaching of this process in a just-in-time manner for individual projects. Therefore, the instructor in the cohort program can provide guidance in approach and tactics relevant to the projects' specific design and development cycles. This can be accomplished through establishing regular project team meetings, directing students toward appropriate content and available resources according the specific stage of the project as well as the facilitating relevant issues, problems and -- most important -- the learning process.

These instructional methods will be implemented through the continual availability of the instructor throughout the project cycle, dialogue about the project facilitated through face to face and computer-mediated communication and structured Web-based resources based on the stages of the instructional design process.

How will I be assessed?

Students are assessed through the creation and maintenance of an individual Web-Based Portfolio and Team-Based Project Website that documents individual contributions to the team's instructional design project. The Web-based portfolio incorporates incorporates regular reflection on the instructional design experience and houses project products produced. Students are graded based on their ability to successfully interact in an intensive team-based experience and positively contribute to a successful instructional design that meets the needs of the client-sponsor as well as their growth and learning as a professional in the field.