Having a master’s degree opens more doors for leaders in schools. It also helps teachers stay informed about the best ways to teach and the latest tools available.

And, of course, it increases a teacher’s earning potential. A master’s in instructional technology is just one type of master’s degree a teacher can pursue. Read on to find out more about a master’s in instructional technology and the benefits of getting this degree.

What is a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

A master’s in instructional technology is an advanced degree designed to teach educators how to utilize technology effectively in the classroom.

To enhance students’ achievement, programs such as this explore various educational tools, and the approaches educators can take to incorporate them into their instruction.

It puts emphasis on authentic real-world application that teachers can bring straight back to their classroom. It inspires teachers to create new and exciting ways to teach. This can include single lesson plans or the entire subject curriculum.

A master’s in instructional technology will redefine the way teachers approach technology instruction in order to create and design lessons that were previously unimaginable.

Taking between one to two years to complete, this 30-36 credit hour degree has options to be completed in person or online at a variety of universities.

While the price of a master’s degree varies, The US News and World Report estimates the payout being between $8,000 and $32,000, at the highest end.    

Who Should Pursue a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

A master’s in instructional technology is a degree suited for many. Teachers frequently discover that this master’s degree is quite useful, since much of the material they study can be directly applied to their classrooms.

Instructional designers, such as professionals who create lessons and materials for instruction, are also good candidates.

Additionally, this degree would be perfect for school technology coordinators or educational technologists.

Online program coordinators and distance learning teachers might find a master’s degree in instructional technology to be a perfect fit for their roles.

Finally, any teacher at any level preschool-higher education would be able to gain beneficial knowledge by earning a degree in instructional technology. It is a master’s that is applicable, easy to implement, and adds excitement to every classroom.

There really isn’t any staff in the educational field that couldn’t gain valuable learning from pursuing this degree.

How a Master’s in Instructional Technology Can Advance Your Career

Receiving a master’s in instructional technology can advance your career in many ways. For starters, it can increase your earnings between 10%-15% or $3,000 to $7,000 depending on your experience and the state you teach in.

Based on a typical teacher’s salary, this can make a big difference in your annual income. The sooner in your career you receive your masters, the faster you can start earning this pay increase and reap the financial benefits of it.

Having a master’s degree is required for some teaching positions. A school principal, instructional coordinator, or educational consultant all often require a master’s degree to even be considered for the position. Additionally, media specialists or learning coordinators require a master’s degree.

Without this additional schooling, you won’t be able to advance your degree outside of entry level teaching positions. For some, that is right where they want to spend their career. Others may need to consider other avenues they are interested in and what post graduate schooling is required for those higher-level educator roles.

Benefits of a Master’s in Instructional Technology

There are other reasons besides the thicker paycheck to pursue an instructional technology degree. The content you learn in these courses is directly applicable to your teaching.

It is a make-and-take masters, a degree where you can practice your learning with your students in real time. It is also a master’s that is very valuable in this 21st century world.

Almost every educational setting utilizes technology in some way or some form. Without any background in technology, one would not be very marketable for even the most basic teaching roles.

Finally, a master’s degree in instructional technology will help you to engage students more effectively by incorporating technology in innovative and exciting ways in their daily activities. Instructional technology provides opportunities for modification and redefinition from old and past teaching practices.

By using the skills educators acquire in their instructional master’s degrees, students will be able to redefine how they work to master standards and meet learning targets.

There are many reasons educators set out to pursue a master’s degree. It advances their educational credentials and enhances their teaching skills. It creates leadership opportunities and makes teachers more marketable.

Not to mention it redefines approaches to instruction in ways that were previously unimaginable. Technology is the world we live in, and will be the world our students work in. It is the past, present and future, and a degree in instructional technology will only benefit everyone it touches.

Love technology? Love teaching? Love teaching people how to use technology? Love leading and working with students and adults alike? If you said yes, what are you waiting for? Get a degree in EdTech!

 *Updated February 2025

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Pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership or administration can provide significant advantages that enhance your qualifications and increase your competitiveness in the job market.

Enhanced Knowledge and Skills

One of the most compelling reasons to consider a master’s degree is the opportunity to acquire specialized knowledge and skills essential for effective school administration. Master’s programs focus on key areas such as:

Curriculum and Instruction

You’ll gain a deep understanding of educational theories, best practices, and how to successfully implement and evaluate curricula.

School Law and Policy

Familiarity with laws and regulations governing schools is crucial, and this training ensures you understand the nuances of special education, student rights, and discipline.

Budgeting and Finance

Managing budgets is a critical aspect of administration. A master’s program will equip you with the skills to make informed financial decisions and understand various funding sources.

Human Resources

You will learn about hiring, evaluating, and supervising staff effectively, which is vital for creating a supportive and productive school environment.

Data Analysis and Decision-Making

Mastering the ability to analyze data allows you to identify trends and make strategic decisions based on evidence.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

This enables you to effectively engage with students, parents, staff, and the broader community. Leadership qualities are fostered as well, preparing you to build and guide effective teams in complex educational settings.

Increased Career Opportunities

A master’s degree can significantly expand your career prospects. Administrators with advanced degrees often enjoy higher earning potential compared to their counterparts without them. The range of positions available to those with a master’s degree is also broader, including roles such as:

• Assistant Principal
• Principal
• Director of Special Education
• Curriculum Coordinator
• Superintendent

Moreover, in today’s competitive job market, holding a master’s degree can enhance your job security, making you a more appealing candidate for administrative roles.

Professional Development and Networking

Another vital aspect of pursuing further education is the professional development opportunities it provides. Master’s programs often offer networking opportunities with other aspiring and established administrators, educators, faculty members, and industry professionals. This networking can lead to mentorship possibilities, collaboration, and job opportunities that might not be available otherwise.

Continued learning is a hallmark of pursuing a master’s degree. It nurtures a mindset geared toward lifelong learning, which is critical in the ever-evolving field of education. Participants in these programs are often encouraged to stay up-to-date with the latest educational trends and research, further enhancing their effectiveness as administrators.

Choosing the Right Program

When considering a master’s degree, it’s essential to choose a program that aligns with your career goals and personal aspirations. Key factors to evaluate include:

Accreditation

Ensure the program is recognized by a credible accrediting body.

Curriculum

Look for a program that offers courses relevant to your interests and future aspirations.

Faculty

Research the faculty’s backgrounds and their expertise in the field.

Networking Opportunities

Consider how well the program facilitates connections with peers and professionals in education.

In summary, a master’s degree undoubtedly brings a wealth of benefits. It arms you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to excel in leadership roles within the educational landscape.

The degree can help you make a lasting positive impact on students and schools, guiding educational initiatives that promote student success and community engagement. If you’re serious about advancing your career in school administration, pursuing a master’s degree is a worthwhile investment in your future that can benefit your career path.

Educators never stop learning; check out our available graduate degree programs  to hone your skills and promote lifelong learning and academic excellence.

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A master’s degree in dual language (sometimes called bilingual, ESL, or TESOL) provides an educator with a background of the philosophy, research, and methods of instruction in a linguistically diverse setting. The goal of a dual language program is for students to become bilingual, bi-literate, and multicultural. Teachers pursuing a master’s in dual language will learn that students learn to read differently in different languages. For instance, in the Spanish language, students learn to read by forming syllables first, and then combine them to form words.

While there are differences between languages, dual language programs focus on similarities between the two target languages as well. Words that sound similar and have the same meaning between the two languages are called “cognates”, and students excel at pointing them out to the teacher. Focusing deeply on the similarities and differences between the two languages is called “metalinguistic transfer”. Students learn a great deal about grammar in both languages when they study the similarities and differences between words and phrases in each language. A master’s degree in dual language will teach you about these similarities and differences and how to best deliver instruction to students because of them.

Most importantly, a teacher who is pursuing a master’s in dual language will learn that students in this program will use their entire “linguistic repertoire” when working in either language. For this reason, it is important that teachers assess student work from an emerging bilingual perspective. When students overgeneralize certain grammar rules from one language to the other, they are showing an understanding of the grammar rule. Penalizing students for doing this does not help the student reach the goal of becoming bilingual, bi-literate, and multicultural. Instead, the teacher would embrace and praise this overgeneralization as a pathway to the end goal. The teacher would also learn the importance of assessing students in both languages or even creating bilingual assessments that are a true predictor of success towards students’ goals.

Reasons to Get a Master’s in Dual Language

If you are looking for a degree that will bring social justice and equity into our public education system, then a master’s in dual language is a rewarding option. Dual language programs see bilingualism as an asset rather than a deficit towards student success. Historically, our schools have focused on subtractive models when instructing students that speak a language other than English at home. In other words, the goal of the model would be to shed the students of their home language in order to focus on acquiring English. In addition, these students have been required to assimilate to the Anglo culture in order to achieve success.

We all know that there are achievement gaps between students who speak English at home and those who speak languages other than English at home. This is to be expected as our previous attempts to instruct bilingual students have been done in segregated classrooms with the assessments of achievement all taken in English. Students in these sheltered bilingual classes have few models of strong English language, and at times it is only the teacher.

Lastly, dual language teachers and specialists are in great demand. As the number of dual language programs increases, there is a shortage of qualified staff to fill these positions. Having a master’s degree in dual language will guarantee, at the very least, receiving an interview for the position.

Benefits of a Degree in Dual Language

The benefits of a master’s degree in dual language are endless. You’ll likely see an increase in salary. Additionally, most school districts offer a signing bonus for bilingual teachers, especially in a dual language setting. Not to mention, with the shortage of qualified staff in this arena, having a master’s in dual language will increase career opportunities for the educator.

The professional development offered to dual language teachers is some of the best, research-based PD provided by highly talented experts in the field. Also, with a master’s degree in dual language, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to advise others on the subject, possibly by leading PD efforts in your school. And finally, having a master’s in dual language will make you a warrior for social justice and equity. Who doesn’t want that?

Ready to pursue your graduate degree in dual language? Check out our available programs and enroll today!

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What is a Master’s in Literacy?

A master’s degree in literacy covers a broad range of knowledge. This degree prepares you to meet the literary challenges that students face today and will face in the future. Many programs provide content such as; new technology-based literacy programs and strategies, tools and strategies for how to assess areas of need, tools and strategies to address areas of need, and ways to coach colleagues on meeting the literary needs of students.

Programs for earning a master’s in literacy often include relevant coursework that will incorporate best practices in literacy instruction and development for grades K-12. This coursework is often focused on all aspects of literacy including: exceptional learners, reading intervention, and how to incorporate literacy across all curricular areas.

The curriculum in literacy and language master’s programs are not all alike, however; curriculum typically addresses how people learn to communicate and read, research on reading instruction, learning challenges like Dyslexia, social disparities in literacy, and assistive technology in literacy learning. Courses such as children’s literature, literacy assessment and intervention, and reading difficulties are often present in master’s of literacy programs. These courses help prepare the learner to meet students where they are and grow them as readers and communicators.

Reasons to Get a Master’s in Literacy

There are many reasons one might acquire a master’s in literacy. Firstly, literacy specialist positions will likely always be in demand. Literacy in schools is essential to ensuring students meet reading and literacy goals set both federally and locally. For this reason, reading and literacy specialists are in high demand in the job market overall. Both private and public schools need reading support. The job of a literacy specialist is important and rewarding and can be found throughout kindergarten all the way to high school. With qualifications such as a master’s in literacy, you will be able to help students meet reading goals and help prepare students for the literary skills they will need for the rest of their lives.

Additionally, obtaining a master’s in literacy offers a wide variety of job opportunities. Some of these include, but are not limited to;

• Reading specialist – elementary
• Reading specialist- middle/high
• Adult reading instruction
• English instructor at the community college level
• Instructional coaching
• Title I specialist
• Educational writer

Benefits of a Degree in Literacy

Not only does obtaining a master’s in literacy open the door to new career opportunities, it also opens the door to an increase in salary. According to the Center for American Progress, a master’s degree can result in a pay increase for teachers ranging between $1,423 to $10,777 annually. The median pay raise is $5,192. This type of pay increase can be very appealing.

A master’s degree in literacy can also qualify you for jobs that just a bachelor’s degree would not allow you to do. Many positions such as instructional coaching and Title 1 specialists require experience in education and a master’s degree in an educational area. Obtaining a master’s in literacy qualifies you for these types of jobs.

A position as a reading specialist may be the most common type of position that educators with a master’s in literacy attain. Becoming a reading specialist can be beneficial in many ways. The role is similar from school to school and includes working one-on-one or with small groups of students who have difficulty reading on grade level. Furthermore, the specialist provides intervention for students that are struggling and assists colleagues in doing the same. Those that are in this position have the opportunity to impact many students.

Even if you are not interested in changing jobs or bumping up your pay, earning a master’s in literacy will expand your knowledge of literacy and how to teach it in a way that will meet the needs of diverse learners. Educators that enter said programs often find interest in exploring new grade levels. For example, elementary educators that participate in a master’s in literacy program will have the opportunity to learn about literacy from a middle and high school perspective, thus giving them an idea of what they are preparing their elementary students for in the future.

In turn, middle and high school educators get the opportunity to see where students get their foundational reading skills and better understand how to bridge the gaps that remain open for students that never received the intervention needed. Additionally, throughout the completion of a master’s in literacy program, you will develop research skills and intervention skills that can be applied at the classroom level. You will become an expert on literacy and how to apply your skills in whatever position you are in.

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How can a Master’s Degree Impact You Currently?

If you are interested in being at the forefront of education, now is the best time to earn that degree. A master’s degree in education can have a great impact on your life, and there are a variety of paths you can pursue. Obtaining a master’s degree will prepare you to educate students in an ever-changing society and help you deliver instructions quickly and confidently by analyzing technology and applying best practices. Master’s degrees extend beyond the traditional bachelor’s degree.

Education is rapidly changing, and new tools have enabled us to complete our schoolwork online which means it is not necessary to quit your primary job in order to enroll in a master’s program. Students can now get their education without ever leaving their house by taking online classes, downloading mobile apps, and submitting all their classwork online.

The master’s degree provides real-life experiences; it allows professionals to advance their practice by developing deep knowledge of their workplace. This gives students the experience to immerse themselves in a subject they are passionate about. Students in a master’s program are often taught government policy because most of them are going to be employed by the federal or state government.

As you choose what major to pursue, there are two important elements you need to look at: salary and expected job growth. For you to stay certified, there are requirements for more professional development sessions or course work beyond the bachelor’s degree. Educators must be lifelong learners: as an education major, it is necessary to stay abreast of ever-changing situations in education. Getting a master’s degree will help you learn new things, and as a result, you will be able to produce better students.

What Career Opportunities are Available with a Master’s Degree?

Total employment in the U.S. economy is projected to grow by 156 million during the 2012-2022 decade to reach 161 million, representing a 10.8 percent employment increase. Occupations that typically require a master’s degree are projected to grow the fastest, 18.4 percent, from 2012 to 2022.

In a field like education, it is important to look at the potential roles and not limit your options. As the field continues to grow, the need for educators and teachers with master’s degrees will always be in high demand.

For a master’s degree you need to be familiar with what type of program you want to pursue. It is essential to take the time to understand what you need in a master’s program and future career opportunities that relate to that degree. Practitioners in the field of education can improve the economic, social, and environment in their communities. Also, take the time to generate professional contacts; this opens up doors for field experts to mentor you or even help you land your next promotion.

Below are some roles in education that can help advance your career:

School Principal

In this role as a school principal, you will oversee all the instruction and operations of a school. This requires a degree that includes a focus on educational administration.. If you are seeking to be in leadership specifically, the best option is to pursue a master’s degree in leadership.

Instructional Coordinator

This is another career that is outside of the traditional classroom: instructional coordinator. In this role, you will oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. This job requires a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.

School Counselor

A school counselor helps students develop academically, socially, and make plans for after graduation. This role is for people who want to develop academic and social skills for students. School counselors earn an average salary of $58,120 with the top 10% commanding salary of over $93,000. This job requires a master’s degree in school counseling.

School Technology Integration and Director of Technology

To pursue this path you will need a degree in instructional design and educational technology. There are a lot of opportunities for jobs in instructional design and educational technology.

Classroom Teacher

If you want to continue in teaching, the best choice is a master’s of art in teaching. This program will prepare you to be critical in your decision-making and prepares you for how to help students develop and learn information. Teachers are social servants dedicated to helping students reach their potential; they need to be equipped with educational skills to understand people and well-versed on subject matter to meet students’ needs.

What Additional Benefits Does a Master’s Degree Provide?

One of the benefits of receiving a master’s degree is preparing for the constant change that occurs in the field. One way to be prepared for the ever-changing industry is never to stop learning. Additional benefits in earning a master’s degree in education include:

Pedagogy

If you are an educator who wants to advance your knowledge and ability to make a difference, a master’s degree is an excellent fit. The degree prepares you for the constant change in the industry and equips you with the skills to analyze these changes to improve your practice.

Leadership

A master’s degree will give you the skills to become a public or private school or school district leader. Earning a degree will help you develop the necessary leadership skills to do so.

Transformation

The master’s degree prepares students to lead and transform educational fields through innovation and policy. It enables educators to shape the needs of education within K-12 and higher education.

Teaching and Learning

Master’s degree candidates work in a broad range of fields. Obtaining a master’s degree provides students with a broad set of teaching practices, classroom management resources, and effective learning strategies.

A Diverse Network

The degree provides students with a diverse network. Students engage in discussions with other students who have similar interests.

Financial

There is also a considerable financial component to the work. Many states require districts to pay teacher salaries based on degrees. Teachers who hold a master’s of education degree earn 15 to 25 percent higher than teachers who hold only bachelor’s degrees.

How can a Master’s Degree Impact the Classroom?

One of the benefits of a master’s degree is to prepare you for the classroom. Teachers learn how to communicate with students, parents, and the community effectively. With the master’s degree, you learn how to solve problems, come up with valuable solutions, and will be equipped to be a team player. These are skills you will need to be an effective classroom teacher.

Several other skills obtained as you are pursuing a master’s degree that will impact the classroom directly are: classroom management, public speaking, evaluating performance, data analysis, and technology integration. Teachers experience and acquire a complete inventory of high-demand skills.

*Updated November 2021

The post The Importance of Obtaining Your Master’s Degree Early in Your Career appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

In order to implement technology appropriately and use it to its greatest capabilities, teachers are turning to, as well as turning into, instructional technology coaches. Instructional technology coaches are able to develop curriculum, train teachers in educational programs, and assist in integrating technology into the classroom.

While sharing many similarities to a master’s in educational technology, a master’s instructional technology degree is slightly different. It provides teachers with many skills they can use to amplify students’ learning experiences and gives these educators options for different career paths.

What is a Master’s in Instructional Technology?

A master’s degree in instructional technology provides its graduates with skills and abilities needed to integrate technology into classrooms, the confidence to train teachers in best practices and implementation processes, and the leadership skills needed to promote the district-wide vision for technology.

This is similar yet different from a degree in educational technology, where the main goal is to support a student’s academics through the use of technology tools. An instructional technology degree develops a variety of essential skills that help one become a leader in the technology field as well as the skills to support staff and students in effectively using technology to enhance student achievement.

What You Will Learn in an Instructional Tech. Program

There are many skills that one will develop through an instructional technology degree program. Not only will educators learning this field gain understanding of new technology tools and best practices; but they will become guides and leaders that other staff can lean on. Instructional technology skills one will develop through a master’s program include how to:

• Integrate technology into educational classrooms or environments
• Facilitate digital learning
• Address diverse needs of learners
• Use theories, standards, and frameworks to select appropriate technology tools for classrooms and districts
• Demonstrate mastery of evidence-based concepts through the modeling of best practices in educational technology
• Effectively manage digital resources
• Establish cultures of 21st century learning and growth mindsets
• Understand principles and theories of curriculum design through the use of technology

Career Outcomes

Instructional technology degrees open up a range of career opportunities for educators. Teachers with this degree can become technology coordinators, technology integration specialists, district-level technology specialists, mentor coaches, or media specialists. Instructional technology degrees shape educators into experts in the technology field, including how to effectively implement various technology tools or programs to amplify student learning.

They are well versed in research on how technology can connect to teaching and learning. They can troubleshoot and assist teachers when technological glitches arise. Along with these things, people with this degree stay on the forefront of innovative technology tools and practices.

Why Now is the Right Time to Get an Instructional Technology Degree

Education has undergone many changes over the past year and a half with the COVID-19 pandemic overtaking the world. Students learned in ways they never had before, most of which included technology either partially or, much more common, completely.

Teachers and students alike had to pivot to online learning without any sort of notice or preparation. Some teachers, the ones with instructional technology degrees, more than likely felt somewhat confident in this abrupt learning switch. Others, those teachers unfamiliar and not comfortable with technology, describe that transition as one of the hardest moments in their career.

Whether teachers were comfortable or not with the online learning environment, the pandemic taught us that students can, in fact, learn in a variety of ways and even from a variety of places. This realization is going to forever change how we look at educating a child. Is a student gone on vacation? They can still submit their assignments through Google Classroom or Seesaw. Are you having a handful of snow days that are interrupting learning?

Students can meet virtually with their teacher to attend lectures or stay caught up on work. If there is one thing the pandemic has taught the world of education, it is that we don’t have to be in the same physical space to see learning and growing happening.

If you were hesitant before about getting an instructional technology degree, proof of the importance of this additional education should be clearer than ever. Technology is the language students speak; they were born with it, learn with it, and will likely have jobs where technology is a necessary part of completing their day-to-day work.

Instructional technology degrees are available in person and online, making it easy to choose the format you can learn best in. Some even offer “go-at-your-own pace”, which can be helpful if you have little ones at home or other obligations that make it hard to find the time to fit it all in.

Conclusion

Technology is used in classrooms on a regular basis, which means it is important to have staff who are experts in implementing, developing, and educating others on best practices. Instructional Technology degrees develop valuable skills educators can use to support 21st century learning and amplify students’ learning experiences.

Harness the power of technology in your class with the expertise gained from one of our instructional technology degrees! Explore our available programs to get started.

The post What Are the Benefits of an Instructional Technology Degree? appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

What is Teacher Leadership?

Teacher leadership is exactly what it sounds like. It is individuals in a building who are seeking opportunities to intentionally and officially expand their practice. It opens doors that lead to creative challenges, common mistakes, and novice practices. Good programs expand teacher’s minds out of their own classroom, content, and even level to consider big picture solutions for issues.

For instance, have you ever considered the emotional intelligence of your colleagues, yourself, or the leadership in your building? Do you even know what it is? Learning about emotional intelligence (basically this is the ability to “read the room” and determine how others feel to gauge how to move a meeting) was something that impacted my practices immediately.

I shared the information with my hall mates and content area. We all took a DISC personality tests, took a deep dive into how our personalities affected our personal practices, and ultimately learned to be better, more considerate, and more deliberate colleagues in all future interactions. What a difference it made for my department. We kept the results of the personality test up in our workroom and regularly referred to those results during difficult conversations or during times when we had to have challenging data talks.

During my leadership program, I was able to network with colleagues from different counties, subject areas, and every single level of every single level. We had a really diverse group and it was always a beautiful moment when the honors secondary education teacher was able to learn something from the elementary school special education teacher.

This sort of experience is pivotal because we all chose to teach what we chose for a reason. It is often difficult to consider the experiences of others, but as a leader, that is exactly what needs to happen. Being solution-oriented is something else that these programs expose you to. One of the best classes is Educational Law. During the time spent in that course we analyzed several court cases where we had to consider the best outcome, regardless of how we felt. We had to consider who was at risk, what would best protect the students, who did what, and if there was already a precedent for that incident.

There were some heavy discussions during educational law where my cohort colleagues had an opportunity to share about experiences that had happened to them. We listened, talked about the ethics behind the situations, and shared our feelings. We learned a lot during that time. We let a little vulnerability in to our safe space and were able to really dig deep, generate plausible solutions for future issues, and got to really practice our active listening skills.

That is really the essence of leadership: learning. Teacher leadership programs help future leaders focus on actively listening to colleagues in order to find the best solution, offer the appropriate response, or even sit silent when it is necessary.

Reasons to Get a Master’s Degree in Teacher Leadership

A primary reason to get a master’s in teacher leadership is growth. There’s something about learning while working with other learners that activates a part of our brains that may have been stagnant since undergrad. During the time I matriculated through my program I was more creative than I had been in years. I was able to apply many of the skills I was learning to my classroom and building experiences immediately.

Further, because of the knowledge I was gaining, I was confident enough to apply for an advanced position in my building that moved me out of the classroom. If it had not been for the information I gained during my program, I would not have been able to answer questions during my interview with the confidence and genuine expert knowledge that I was able to provide. Personality can only take a person so far; a degree in teacher leadership carries legitimate clout that indicates a person is not only a master at their craft, but they are also a master learner, willing to lead while continuing to learn and grow.

In school buildings, teacher leadership capacities can range from being a department chair to an instructional coach. A teacher leader can be tasked with monitoring a few teachers in an instructional group or PLC, or maybe the lead of an entire grade level or subject. In other instances teacher leaders may be in charge of school-wide professional development or the monitoring of new teachers in the building.

Regardless of the capacity the teacher leader serves, a program will encourage them to lead with empathy, be assertive in difficult situations, but most importantly be an active agent for change. If you are already serving in a leadership capacity, why not make it official and become a certified teacher leader?

Other Benefits of a Degree in Teacher Leadership

Let’s begin with the most obvious: in most cases, it allows for a pay raise. We all know we don’t get paid quite enough for what we do. The pandemic has made that painfully obvious. However, many states will still allow teachers to get pay raises for teacher leadership degrees even if they remain in the classroom. Teacher leadership degrees allow you to have credentials that show you have expanded your practice and you are ready and willing to share that knowledge with others.

Getting certified in teacher leadership has really changed my life. I’ve been able to move out of the classroom and provide service to my colleagues. I’ve been able to attend so many workshops where I’ve learned about everything from childhood trauma to how to increase writing practices across the curriculum. I’ve been able to take that knowledge and share it with those who need it, and I’ve also been able to artfully share it with those who didn’t even know they needed it too.

I’ve been able to see the world a little different because all I learned through my teacher leadership program and would highly encourage anyone to take the chance and grow. Education needs strong teacher leaders and strong advocates for education, and a master’s in teacher leadership would put you well on your way.

*Updated December 2020

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What is a Master’s Degree in School Counseling?

A school counseling master’s degree is typically designated as a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree. This graduate degree represents the completion of comprehensive coursework and rigorous counselor training designed to prepare an individual to facilitate student wellbeing and achievement.

The primary goal of a school counselor is to support students’ development across three specific, critical domains:

1. Academic
2. Social/Emotional
3. Career

Accessibility and Prerequisites

This graduate degree is accessible to individuals with an undergraduate degree in any major. However, applicants often hold a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) in fields such as education, psychology, or social work.

Credentialing and Certification

Graduating with an M.Ed. in School Counseling signifies that a person possesses the credentials required to become a certified school counselor. Depending on the program’s structure and accreditation, graduates may also qualify for additional, highly valuable credentials:

• Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC)
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) eligibility within the state the program is located.

School Counseling Program Structure and Accreditation

School counseling graduate programs vary widely in affordability, accessibility, and academic quality. Crucially, they also differ in program formats, admission procedures, course credit totals, and the credentials you can acquire.

Program Delivery Formats and Credits

To accommodate diverse lifestyles and careers, programs offer various formats, including:

• On-campus day and evening classes.
• Virtual asynchronous classes.

Most school counseling programs require between 48-54 credits, which typically equates to five semesters of full-time enrollment. The increased number of credits is directly related to the required clinical experience hours.

Clinical Experience Requirements: Practicum and Internship

A hallmark of a high-quality school counseling program is the required clinical experience, which provides essential, supervised, real-world experience. These hours are supervised by qualified faculty and on-site supervisors.

Accreditation and Program Quality

Programs that require these extensive practicum and internship hours are typically accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

CACREP accreditation ensures a program meets stringent standards for professional training. Some programs may also hold accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Admissions and Application Procedures

Admission to a school counseling graduate program is competitive and requires specific materials:

Required Admissions Exams

Commonly required graduate school admissions exams include the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) – General Test or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Some programs may waive an admissions exam requirement altogether, but those that require one often set their own specific passing score range.

Undergraduate GPA

All school counseling graduate programs will require a specific undergraduate G.P.A. While this minimum requirement varies, a strong academic record is always advantageous.

Career Paths and Opportunities with an M.Ed.

While the primary career path is becoming a certified school counselor, this degree’s associated credentials, clinical knowledge, and experience offer flexibility for other professional pursuits.

School and School District Employment

• School Counselor: The most common role. School counselors are regarded as faculty members and often receive the same benefits as teachers, including salary, health insurance, and retirement. They serve as the lead advocate for students, mediating concerns between students, teachers, parents, and administrators, and performing administrative-type tasks.
• School-Based Therapist: Graduates may pursue a career as a therapist employed by a community agency but working directly within a school setting.

Alternative Counseling Careers

The comprehensive clinical preparation allows graduates to pursue roles outside the school setting. The ability to pursue other counseling careers, such as opening a private practice, is dependent on the specific program’s structure and the state’s licensure requirements.

Common alternative careers include:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Therapists
• Behavioral Specialists
• Mobile Therapists employed by community agencies
• Therapeutic Day Treatment Counselors

Professional Benefits and Skills Gained

Beyond the degree itself, completion of a school counseling graduate program confers critical professional skills, preparing graduates to excel in diverse settings:

• Ethical and Professional Considerations: A deep understanding of the ethical framework for the counseling profession.
• Clinical Counseling Skills: Possession of core counseling and intervention techniques.
• Assessment and Evaluation: Ability to conduct assessments and interpret results to inform interventions.
• Educational Systems Knowledge: Understanding how educational systems impact student development.
• Leadership Qualities: Development of necessary skills to serve as a leader and advocate within the school community.

The complex, multifaceted work of a school counselor—facilitating student wellbeing, achievement, and development across academic, social/emotional, and career domains—is made possible by the comprehensive preparation provided by a high-quality graduate program.

For more information about school counseling careers, please visit the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

You’ve got important career goals — we have the graduate program to get you there. Check out our available graduate degree programs to advance your career today!

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In this space before, we talked about why now is a great time to get a degree in EdTech. With technology changing as rapidly as it is, with teachers and administrators who need to use the technology to reach our students, there is a great need for those who seamlessly make that happen.

A master’s in educational technology takes this further, allowing one to pursue roles as instructional specialists, school consultants, continue working with teachers and administrators, and expand into leadership roles with your experience and education.

In many states, to be a district or campus administrator, a person must hold a certificate from the state, and often a master’s degree is required to obtain the certificate, thus putting one in more of a position of leadership.

This principal’s desire is to grow our people into the professionals they want to be. With a master’s in educational technology, you can now take what you learned as a member of a team and now lead and grow that department, campus, or maybe even a district.

What You’ll Learn in an Educational Technology Program

An educational technology degree will prepare you to leverage technology in the classroom and with administrators to help them teach their staff. These programs will focus on how to integrate technology in the classroom, use technology for professional development, to reach community members and stakeholders, and overall to create more effective and efficient learning experiences.

Another way to say what an EdTech program teaches you is to analyze, design, implement, and evaluate how technology can improve teaching and learning. And, I would like to add, reach more of your community and stakeholders.

Reasons to Earn a Master’s in Educational Technology

The first one has been mentioned a couple of times already, but it is so valuable to find good leaders that it needs to be stated again. A master’s in EdTech opens the door to someone who not only has the instructional prowess of using technology effectively in the classroom, but they have the people skills to empower and grow members of a team at the same time. In short, a master’s degree in EdTech opens doors for you that you might not have opened otherwise.

In my experience, I know three Asst. Superintendents who started out as instructional technologists and worked their way into administration because of their ability to understand teaching, integrate technology, and lead people.

Increased Salary

According to Educational Technology Jobs and Salaries, the mid range for an Instructional Technologist is between $43,000 (starting) and $76,000. About ten percent of those are earning more than $95,000 a year.Other research showed average salaries from in the mid $60,000s all the way up to $105,000 per year.

Needless to say, there is some earning power that comes with a master’s degree in EdTech.

For what it is worth, the higher end of these numbers reflect district and campus leadership salaries that I regularly see in the state in which I have worked for 19 years.

Career Opportunities

Being a principal, I am biased toward the educational impact one can have with a master’s degree in EdTech, but the career opportunities are not limited to a campus or district.

There are many companies that their products are used in classrooms everyday and require those who understand technology and how to integrate technology that train our teachers, sell us their products, and even design the products that will be used in the classroom. These companies need people who can teach and communicate about their product.

Even further removed from the education world, however, are the companies that need great teachers and people who use technology to do their own training of their staff. I worked with an administrator for four years who during the summer was a trainer for a company and their new workers in the summer spent their first week with him because he trained them on how the company operates, how to use the company’s technology and to team build. This takes educational know-how and technology know-how in a non-educational environment.

Things to Consider Before Pursuing a Master’s in EdTech

What are your career goals?

Do you feel like you can teach others how to more effectively teach and have greater student success with the use of technology? Do you feel like you can train others to teach how to integrate technology in their classroom? Do you feel like you can lead a group of people to accomplish the goals of a department, campus, or district? If you answered yes to any of the questions, a career goal of yours may include a master’s in EdTech to help you achieve what you want as a professional.

What necessary experience is needed to get a master’s in EdTech?

The number of years varied between three and four years of relevant work experience. In the State of Texas before you can move into an administrative role, you need three years of experience in the classroom. And of course to earn a master’s degree one needs to hold a bachelors degree first.

How much time and energy will it take to earn this degree?

This largely depends on your situation. Colleges and universities have made online degrees so much easier to obtain. With any program you enter into, I would delve deeply into how much hands-on experience will be needed to obtain the degree. This hands-on experience will be closer to what you need to use in the workplace/classroom. Some universities will allow students to earn their master’s in 12-18 months, most advertised two years, and some talked about three to four years for part-time students.

How quickly you can earn this degree is based on the amount of time you feel like you can soak into your studies and at the same balance work, family, and other events you have going on in your life.

Love technology? Love teaching? Love teaching people how to use technology? Love leading and working with students and adults alike? If you said yes, what are you waiting for? Get a master’s in EdTech!

The post Reasons to Earn a Master’s in Educational Technology appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

What is a Master’s in Differentiated Instruction?

In the field of education, there are multiple options when choosing a master’s degree. Differentiated instruction is one of those options. Everyone learns differently and has different interests. This is true for students, both young and old. Differentiating instruction ensures that these varying needs and interests are met.

Differentiation involves tailoring education to meet the individual needs of each student. Since students have various learning styles, different learning needs, and are on different readiness levels, it is imperative that teachers differentiate instruction in order to meet students where they are and grow students as much as possible. Anyone who spends a considerable amount of time in the classroom realizes that different students need different teaching strategies. Most teachers naturally develop teaching habits and ways to meet the needs of their students.

Digging deeper into the meat of what it means to truly differentiate for learners is a fascinating journey In order to gain more information on how to effectively differentiate instruction, you can build on the knowledge you already have of differentiation by earning a master’s degree. This type of degree is designed to help teachers apply purposeful and engaging strategies that reach each learner and help them access the curriculum in a way that is personalized and allows them to be successful. Such degrees provide knowledge on effective practices and strategies for differentiating, alternatives to traditional classroom learning, educational research, differentiation for gifted students and students with special needs, and how to differentiate across content areas.

Educators that take part in such a master’s program can gain a deeper understanding of how to differentiate instruction in a way that is effective for English language learners, gifted learners, at-risk students, or students that are considered learning disabled. Graduates of master’s degree programs in this area learn how to differentiate content (what students are learning), process (how students are learning), product (how students demonstrate learning), and learning environments (where and with whom students learn).

Earning a master’s degree can prepare you to implement best practices regarding differentiation in the classroom, as well as outside of the classroom. Once you complete your degree, you may choose to move outside of the classroom into a role such as an instructional coaching or intervention specialist. Both of these positions require educators to have expertise in the area of adapting instruction to meet the needs of students. These positions also provide opportunities for leading other educators and colleagues in differentiating instruction for their own students.

Benefits and Reasons to Get a Master’s Degree in Differentiated Instruction

Benefits of getting a master’s in differentiated instruction are many! A master’s degree in this area allows learners to gain knowledge of differentiation methods necessary to teach all learners in diverse areas and classrooms. Furthermore, learners are able to develop leadership skills such as completing needs assessments, improving communication, increasing knowledge of adult learning, and measuring efficacy of differentiation strategies being used. In gaining more knowledge regarding differentiation, learners can support other staff at their site in differentiating instruction for students, making a greater impact on education as a whole.

A master’s degree in education can include many titles and majors including: administration, counseling, curriculum and instruction, elementary and/or secondary education, general education, special education, and more. So why choose differentiated instruction? By completing a graduate degree in the area of differentiated instruction, educators are able to apply their knowledge in so many different areas. Differentiated instruction can be applied to an administrative role, a counseling role, an instructional coaching role, a classroom role, or a special education role. This degree is a stepping stone for those who aspire to be leaders in their buildings, districts, and fields.

Those that earn a master’s in differentiated instruction also gain the knowledge and leadership skills necessary to teach adult learners. School leaders often refer to needs made evident in their School Improvement Plans when determining what professional development is needed for their staff. If data reveals a need for closing achievement gaps or raising performance percentages for subgroups, professional development in differentiated instruction can be a strategy to help schools reach their instructional and performance goals.

According to the ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), there are three key ideas that should drive professional development in the area of differentiation. These include:

• High-quality professional development leads teachers to gain and refine knowledge of both content and pedagogy.
• High-quality professional development demonstrates best practices in teaching and learning, assisting adult learners with varied interests, readiness levels, learning profiles, and help them feel like they are part of a community of learners.
• High-quality professional development has a positive impact on schools and classrooms regarding teacher effectiveness and student achievement.

Educators that participate in in a graduate program regarding differentiated instruction will be able to focus staff development efforts around those key ideas and will be able to provide teachers, schools, and even districts with tools to implement high-quality instruction that will meet the needs of all students, thus positively impacting school improvement efforts and outcomes.

In an ever-changing world, those in the business of education must change with the times. With each year that passes, educators must model a lifelong learner attitude by learning new content, new strategies, and new ways to meet the needs of their students. Whether this happens inside or outside of the classroom, knowledge gained from a master’s program on how to differentiate instruction proves to be invaluable and timeless.

*Updated November, 2020

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