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University of Wyoming

DEGREES OFFERED

M.A. & Ed.S. & Ed.D. & Ph.D. in

Education

Option: Adult and Post-Secondary Education

 

M.S. & Ed.D. & Ph.D. in Education

Option: Instructional Technology

 

Ed. D. & Ph.D. in Education

Option: Distance Education

 

ADULT AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION The domain or field of adult education is vast and varied, extending from self-directed learning (educational activities initiated and largely conducted by the individual himself or herself) to more formal educational opportunities sponsored by institutions and agencies (such as adult basic education, higher education, enrichment, and professional development).   Within the adult education graduate program at UW, this focus is generally narrowed to educational endeavors sponsored by institutions and agencies and specifically designed for adult participants. Areas of study include the following:   adult development and learning theories; the social, historical, and global context of adult education; equity and access to continuing education opportunities for adults; and, the development and delivery of post secondary education (including distance education activities such as online courses). Graduate study in adult education addresses the challenges faced by institutions and agencies in the design and delivery of post secondary education and the preparation of educators to meet these challenges. Graduates of the program are employed specifically as faculty and administrators in community colleges and universities, human resource developers, adult literacy educators, military training specialists, training coordinators for government and social service agencies (such as the Department of Family Services, the Department of Labor, Family Planning Agencies, and the Eppson Center for Seniors), museum educators, adult learning consultants, and, continuing professional educators in many fields including law, religion, nursing, and pK-12 teaching.   

 

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY Instructional technology has been defined as “the systemic and systematic application of strategies and techniques derived from behavior and physical sciences concepts and other knowledge to the solution of instructional problems.”   This program is dedicated to the preparation of graduates as professionals to practice and lead in this dynamic field.   The rapidly changing field of instructional technology demands a flexible program that can meet the needs of professionals interested in learning, designing and developing, training and teaching within a variety of educational settings.   Therefore, the ITEC program development is an iterative process designed to keep pace with an eclectic and evolving field and the requests from students for diversity in course offerings and delivery systems.   The knowledge base for students within the program is grounded in the work of numerous researchers and theorists working in the fields of instruction, learning, communication, information and design and includes those who have proposed theoretical models of the connections between the external events of instruction and the internal events of cognition and learning. The theory, research, and resulting instructional principles are addressed in courses in the following areas: (a) instructional design, visual literacy, and change (b) instructional material development and production via different media, and (c) instructional management and implementation and technology integration.   Graduates of the instructional technology program have secured employment in K-12 classrooms; school media and technology centers and school district administrative offices; public, corporate, and governmental media, technology, and information centers and training agencies; college and university faculty and administrative positions; military training facilities; corporate design and development labs; corporate product support teams; and individually owned consulting firms.

 

DISTANCE EDUCATION Since it's founding in 1887, the University of Wyoming has established a rich tradition in distance education. Given its unique academic position and its geographic position in the southeast corner of Wyoming , UW remains committed to extending educational resources beyond campus boundaries. Today, UW joins a number of higher education institutions in offering a program that promotes distance learning. The purpose of the courses that make up the degree program is to develop both knowledge and skills in distance education. Courses include learning theory, instructional design for distance teaching and learning, administration and management of distance learning programs, issues pertaining to online instruction, and instructional applications of telecommunications. The audience for this degree program includes any provider of education via distance technologies, to include but not limited to trainers and educators in business and industry; elementary, secondary and higher education; healthcare; religion; non-profit organizations; and government.