| | Instructional Coordinator | Educational Software Developer | Training and Development Manager |
|---|
| Degree Required | Most employers require a master's degree | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree, but some employers require a master's degree. |
| Educational Field of Study | Education,
Educational technology,
Curriculum and instruction | Educational technology,
Computer science,
Software engineering,
Mathematics | Education,
Business administration,
Educational technology |
| Key Responsibilities | Develops curriculum; plans and organizes workshops; recommends teaching techniques; creates instructional material | Creates computer programs; designs computer applications | Assesses need for training; develops training programs; teaches new methods; evaluates effectiveness of programs |
| Job Growth (2020-2030)* | 10% | 22% (for software developers, applications) | 11% |
| Average Salary (May 2020)* | $70,160 | $114,270 (for software developers, applications) | $125,920 |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Education Technology Defined
Educational technology degree programs teach you how to integrate technology into the classroom. Technology can help elevate the classroom learning experience and introduce students to new ways of learning. You may implement technology to help make the classroom interactive, increase learning opportunities or make it easier to present information for students. Educational technology is a new area of education and with the increased use of technology is in almost every area of daily life; it is likely to become an area that is more in demand.
Degree Programs
Most educational technology programs are offered as master's or doctorate degrees. Within the program, you examine virtual classrooms, digital tools, blogging, web design and other technology that can be used in education. The program may investigate methods to evaluate technology, ways to integrate technology into your current classroom environment and how to use technology to make learning fun. A program in this field may also teach you how to create technology-based coursework, materials and other tools for classroom use. Some programs may focus on web-based learning, as well as how virtual classrooms work.
Programs may prepare you to lead others in introducing technology in their schools or enter into a career designing digital instructional materials. You may also use technology to interact with others in the educational field and to stay current on trends, changes and new developments that you can bring to your classroom.
What Career Choices Do I Have?
You may work in elementary, middle or high schools, colleges, trade schools or online schools. Work may also be found in businesses developing educational materials. Educational technology graduates may be used by companies to develop training videos for new hires. If you earn a master's degree, you are likely to qualify for teaching positions or development careers. If you earn a doctorate degree, you may qualify for director and other leadership positions. Specific career titles available include:
- Instructional coordinator
- Educational technologist
- Multimedia designer
- Training and development manager
- Director of learning
- Educational software developer
- Distance learning director
- Educational technology director
Those with a bachelor's degree in any of these fields have a wide array of options available for career choices. Teaching positions can be found at any level from elementary all the way through high school, as well as special education. Computer programmers test and write the code used by programs and applications, making sure that no bugs exist within the lines of code. There are also career and technical education teachers, who instruct various classes such as culinary arts or auto repair.
