The online Master of Science in Education in Instructional Systems Technology is a master’s degree program to teach online students about Instructional Systems Technology (IST).

In spring of 2020, when the COVID pandemic hit and people were forced to work from home, while their kids attended classes at home, there were numerous articles about the benefits of online learning as opposed to in-person classes. In the context of a global pandemic, online learning offers a distinct advantage, but the pandemic also forced others to consider the long-term aspects of online learning. For me, it raised several existential questions; Will people want to return to campus after learning online?, What’s the role of a college campus after the pandemic?, Will they still need to exist?, Is it possible to teach everything online?, Are there some majors that are easier to move online than others?

Around the same time, there were also articles about professionals who were helping teachers convert their in-person classes into online classes, and how it was expected to be a growth industry. The articles said school districts and universities were investing billions in online learning, partly for short-term results because of the pandemic, but also for long-term results where much of people’s lives will revolve around the ability to do things online. The idea of helping instructors create online classes intrigued me, so I did some digging to find out more.

A little digging on IU’s website led me to a 100% online program for a Master of Science in Education in Instructional Systems Technology, or an MSEd in IST for short.

Required classes:

• EDUC-R 505 Workshop in Instructional Systems Technology
• EDUC-R 511 Instructional and Performance Technologies Foundations
• EDUC-R 521 Instructional Design and Development
• EDUC-R 541 Instructional Development and Production: Design Thinking
• EDUC-R 561 Evaluation of Instructional and Performance Improvement Systems
• EDUC-R 621 Analysis for Instructional & Performance Improvement

Elective classes:

• EDUC-D 505 Adult Learning Throughout the Lifespan
• EDUC-R 519 Effective Writing in Instructional Technology
• EDUC-R 542 Instructional Graphics Design
• EDUC-R 622 Learning Environments Design
• EDUC-W 550 Current Technology Trends