After student teaching/graduation from University of Toledo, I began my masters through Boise State University.  I could not have asked for a better experience, especially when it came to my opportunities to learn and get my hands dirty through my official degree title of “Master of Science in Education, emphasis in Educational Technology”.  I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in a masters degree in the area of educational technology.  The professors were always willing to answer questions and seemed to be very knowledgeable, especially my faculty advisor.  Some people seem to have ONE problem with the fact that I went to a highly thought of university where thousands of people earn degrees and move on to fame and fortune (maybe not all have fame).  I accomplished this degree completely ONLINE.

• Why do I receive dirty looks when asked if I have my masters?
• Why do people instantly chuckle when I state that it is from Boise State University.  So what if it is 1,974 miles away and would take 1+ days if I didn’t stop the car?  This is the new global society.
• Why do I have to explain how I accomplished this to every single person?
• Why does everyone think that an ONLINE degree has lost credibility?  I just don’t get it at all.  Obviously, I have had this boiling over a little bit.

Here are some highlights of my experience…

• I received instruction in the topics of Internet, Technology in the Classroom, Quicktime, Instructional Message Design, Evaluation, duties of a Technology Coordinator, Computer Networks, and many other Web 2.0 topics.
• They allowed me to supplement my education with a practicum and transfer credit, which I appreciated A GREAT DEAL.  It seems like many institutions discourage the practice.  I attended the K12 Online Conference 2006 and transferred the credit back to Boise State University.  The practicum was a combination of my instruction at a technology camp for 5th to 8th graders, attendance at a summer institute for computer science, and a full detailed yearly plan for my AP Computer Science A course.  They are time zones away; however, they still allowed my local activities to count for some graduate credit.
• I did not have to go at the pace of my cohort.  It is popular around Ohio to join a cohort and take 2+ years to finish the graduate degree.  I finished my graduate degree in 4 consecutive semesters, all of which were during my first year of teaching.  Obviously I was able to COMPLETELY load up my Summers.
• Believe me, I felt the pressure of assignments and presentations.  In my opinion, it is much more time consuming preparing a presentation online.  You have to adjust the microphone settings, video settings, and then after you have submitted the presentation, make sure it runs smoothly via internet delivery.

This is not a salespitch, this is an explanation and some questions for those out there that give me the dirty/weird looks.  I know there are a great deal of people who believe online education is a complete loss of educational opportunities.  I am one who does not believe in an online HIGH SCHOOL education.  Does this make me a hypocrite, not at all.  I can only imagine how convenient an ONLINE degree would be for people with full families and jobs which put food on the table for all household members.  Feel free to comment on my ramblings (or BLAST me if you think I am a complete fake because my diploma comes via an online education).

GO BRONCOS!!!