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However, I think that if an employer needs somebody to develop an eLearning program that they would be more interested in somebody who is educated in multimedia web development and instructional design as opposed to somebody who is educated in finance, public relations, homeland security, or organizational development.

Yeah - you would think that, but the reality is there is (and probably always will be) a mish mash. For example, the director of our division landed her position after coming up the ranks from an entry level position, not because of any particular training or education in the field of instructional design, training, etc. The one corporate university I worked for was led by two guys who came up the ranks through the company from entry level positions (again - nothing related to education, training, instructional design, but rather the fact that they were experts in what they did and happened to be good leaders). Actually, in every single company for which I've ever worked, I was usually the only person who actually had a degree IN education.

I think when it comes to getting a Masters, it's not so much the major as it is the demonstrated ability to learn and do well in the on-going pursuit of self-development. And, because I cannot stand the academia of education, and these other reasons I've already stated here and in previous posts, I'm pursuing a major outside of my primary focus to expand my horizons and avoid the tediousness of academic academia.

P.S. Here's another way to look at it... pick a subject you'd really like to learn about - anything at all. Now ask yourself... would you like to be taught by someone who knows both how to facilitate learning AND knows the subject matter, or by someone who is adept at only one or the other? (This is what a friend posed to me when I was trying to decide my major.) I'm already adept at instructional design and learning facilitation through my undergrad degree and over 17 years of practical application and continuous professional development. It's time to branch out.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Fanatic Facilitator,

I agree with Fanatic, in do whatever makes you happy. I am personally pursuing my Masters's at Capella in Instructional Design. To Fanatic's point, depending on the position and most importantly the hiring manager sometimes a degree matters and sometime it doesn't. It's 50/50, so a getting a degree has to be a very personal decision and now that it might not get you the dream job you wanted but might open other doors, other possibilities. In response to the original post about e-learning, is that make sure you have time and you know how to manage your time. Time Management & Motivation is critical to online learning, no matter what the degree is in. I love the convenience, I love the flexibility but it can be challenging to find the time, but so far so good, get a good support system and you'll do fine. It is a great experience. Best of luck

First off, as someone who is currently considering pursuing a masters in ID online myself, I've found this string to be extremely informative and helpful, so a sincere thanks to all that posted on this.

As someone with some training experience and no formal education in it, I've found that, while many have risen to leadership positions in corporate training without a degree, my anecdotal experience has often been that their methods are frequently not ideal or pragmatic. Being an expert in a subject matter (especially tech stuff) does not necessarily mean that you are the ideal individual to teach it. But that's just my professional experience

I am considering pursing NCU's business administration degree. This thread has been very helpful.

Hi Linda,

I'm finishing up my Masters in Educational Techology through Boise State's distance program this semester and preparing for comp exams. In reading over this thread, I see BSU mentioned quite a bit, which is heartening. The program has had the attributes I was looking for as a working professional: relevance, affordability, flexibility, innovation, and customizability within the program and individual courses. Gearing projects and studies toward real-life problems and challenges is encouraged.

Additionally, I'm very happy that the leadership of this program does consider and, when appropriate, embraceemerging technologies for their educational suitability. Consider Second Life, for example, where BSU teaches grad students and builds community with students, scholars and researchers who view virtual worlds as the ultimate distance learning environment... for now

I wish you well on your journey. I don't think it will be long before this niche of education is absorbed and assumed by the more generic "instructional design" field. Thankfully, most of the Masters programs I researched covered the foundational content very well before branching out to the technological details around design, delivery and evaluation.

Good luck!
Brent