What Concerns Did You have Before Pursuing a Graduate Program?
Before beginning a graduate program with OAESA in collaboration with Concordia University Chicago, I had several concerns about starting a graduate program. I had four young children at home ranging from ten years to eight months of age when I began my program, so I was already in the midst of a busy season of life. I questioned whether the online programs were truly designed with full-time working educators in mind. Could I balance being a full-time teacher, mother, and student?
However, my desire to obtain a more prominent leadership position in education prevailed over my concerns, so I took the plunge and spoke with an advisor to help guide me to the right path for furthering my education. Shortly after this phone call, I enrolled in OAESA’s school leadership graduate program, which I have never regretted.
Did You have any Reservations about a Fully Online Program?
I consider myself somewhat old school in nature, only having participated in a traditional educational setting, so the thought of an online graduate program made me apprehensive. Did I have the technical skills to maneuver my way through an online program successfully? Would I feel isolated in this journey learning in an online environment with strangers I have never “met”? Would my professors be accessible to me when I needed something in a fully online program?
All of these fears were quickly soothed after enrolling. It was clear during my first class that the fully online option was tailor-made for working-class educators.
How Did OAESA with Concordia University Chicago’s Online Format Address Your Concerns?
With all of these concerns swimming in my head, I had to have some clarity before deciding to begin or not begin a new graduate program. I spoke with an advisor who gave me an overview of the program and assured me that this program was indeed made for busy working professionals like myself who have other obligations they would have to uphold while simultaneously being enrolled in a graduate program. Having a flexible online format where I would only have to take one class every eight weeks made the program seem more feasible when considering the other demands on my time.
Furthermore, I found OAESA to be very personal, not cold and isolated as I had feared. I worked closely with the Graduate Information Office’s Maggie Kaminska as a point person. I would direct many of my questions to her first. She was friendly and able to either answer my questions or point me in the right direction of someone who could help, creating a very personal experience.
Many professors went above and beyond to make themselves accessible to me throughout my graduate program. I texted, emailed, spoke on the phone, and video chatted with several professors. Communication and support are paramount to OAESA’s graduate programs.
What Resources and Tools did You Use throughout Your Program?
In the School Leadership master’s program with Ohio Principal Licensure, there were many tools that helped support me throughout the program. First of all, OAESA provides personalized advising throughout the entire graduate program. My advisor helped me to navigate registering for classes, deciding the order of classes I needed to take, ordering transcripts, and applying for graduation. I never felt alone; if I had a question that my advisor could not answer, I was quickly directed to those best equipped to answer.
A Concordia email account and access to the online teaching and learning application Blackboard were two examples of resources and tools that supported me throughout my graduate program. The Concordia email granted me access to news of my program, an easy to connect with classmates and teachers, and a central location for communication to flow through.
Blackboard was provided to be the home base for all classwork. Class assignments, notes, reading assignments, discussion boards, and grades were all housed in one convenient location, making the navigation of an online program user-friendly.
How Did You Foster Connection and Collaboration with Your Cohort and Professors
Connection and collaboration were easily made with my cohorts and professors. Having only 18 students maximum in each class created an environment where connections were made quickly with my peers. Small class sizes and a cohort-based program made the entire master’s program feel intimate.
What begins as a group of people you don’t know at all can quickly become a close-knit group of learners working toward the same end goal. Professional connections are forged within the cohort you are placed in and last long after graduation. We were arranged into groups based on our geographic locations for the culminating internship, so a sense of comradery was built as we worked through our internships together with other teachers from nearby districts and schools.
Likewise, my fears of never getting to know my professors were quickly put aside. Professors not only interacted with me via weekly discussion questions, but they were also responsive, answering questions when I emailed them. It quickly became clear that it was possible to collaborate and build relationships with others in the program even in a virtual setting.
In Your Opinion, What are the Top Advantages of an OAESA with Concordia University Chicago’s Online Master’s Degree Program?
One of the best advantages of an OAESA online master’s degree is that the programs are created for Ohio teachers in mind. The program I pursued was made to support the needs and meet the requirements needed for a teacher to take the next step into a leadership position within an Ohio school district. All licensure and endorsement programs are fully approved and recognized by The Ohio Department of Education and aligned with Ohio Education Standards.
Personalized attention is another advantage high on my list. Class sizes limited to 18 students or less keeps classes small and personal, fostering a sense of community in the graduate programs. It was easy to create a network of connections with other local teachers and future leaders in Ohio schools. The completion rate in the principal licensure program is 100%, demonstrating that every student is supported throughout their graduate program from OAESA to ensure we all make it to the finish line.
Finally, affordability is another advantage. Prices are guaranteed not to increase during the entirety of your program. If you cannot “pay-as-you-go” there is a convenient financial aid plan, making this program affordable for working teachers.
Any fears before I began this program dissipated as I navigated my way through an online graduate program. It was evident that this program was made for Ohio teachers working full-time jobs already.
Suppose this is a path you are also interested in following. In that case, I highly suggest that you take the first step and begin your own venture into an online master’s program from OAESA with Concordia University Chicago!