Aug 15th, 2011 - 10:42 am
Posted In: Featured
Boise State will offer a new online doctorate in educational technology, building on the College of Education’s successful thesis-based and professional online master’s programs.
With the approval of the Idaho State Board of Education (SBOE) last week, the new program will examine the use of current and emerging technologies for effective and efficient teaching and learning in a dynamic, global society.
“Recent legislation in Idaho and other states affirms the need for leaders in educational technology who will not only develop more effective uses of such technology but assess their impact on student learning,” said Martin Schimpf, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Boise State. “Boise State’s nationally recognized success with research and practice in this field makes it a natural area of expansion for us, and this program will allow Boise State scholars to continue driving innovations in a rapidly evolving field at the center of our national discussion on education.”
Areas of particular focus will include online teaching and learning, technology integration, academic technology leadership, innovative teaching in K-12 and higher education, educational web software or mobile applications development, and educational games and simulations. The first full cohort of doctoral candidates is expected to start their studies in fall 2012.
“Because technology changes so often and so quickly, programs should not focus on mastering today’s instructional tools. If they did, graduates’ skills would be outdated within a few years,” said Kerry Rice, chair of Boise State’s Department of Educational Technology (EdTech). “Instead, this degree program will focus on the attributes of effective instructional tools in the context of emerging technologies, and on the impact of changing technologies in the classroom.”
EdTech’s development of new classroom technology systems, like the quest-based learning experience “3D GameLab,” which has generated thousands of dollars of revenue in the past year, will likely receive a boost from the research of doctoral candidates. Also, the program’s online format not only provides an intuitive medium for the subject matter, but also gives in-service educators more flexibility in pursing a terminal degree despite busy schedules and provides the university with a national pool of prospective students from which to draw.
“The use of instructional technologies for improved teaching and learning has become extremely important in classrooms from the elementary school to the university campus,” said Diane Boothe, dean of Boise State’s College of Education. “We’re certain that this new offering will draw the attention of those forward-thinking educators from around the nation who recognize the dynamic shifts happening in education all across the country.”
Tags: Diane Boothe, Doctorate, Educational Technology, Kerry Rice, Martin Schimpf, Online program, State Board of Education
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