The primary employers of LTEC graduates are educational institutions, both public and private, at all levels: K-12, post-secondary (community colleges and universities). Also, government and private agencies like software companies, publishing companies, and companies and agencies with training and design departments, such as health care, manufacturing industries and large retail corporations.

There is no single job title for learning design and educational technologists in organizations, but some examples include: Training Coordinator, Instructional Designer, Technology Support Specialist, Museum Education Specialist, and so on.

The OTEC MEd is cohort-based, with students only admitted in the fall term each year as part of a group that takes initial classes together and beginning with a three-day, on-campus orientation. In a cohort model, students enroll in a series of core courses, beginning and ending the series together. Such an approach helps build community and support structures within the program. Students work with like-minded professionals to achieve a common goal.

OTEC courses are offered fully online, except for two required weekend sessions at the Manoa campus in the first semester. Courses are scheduled within the standard UHM semester.

The first is an orientation scheduled as part of a three-day, on-campus retreat usually beginning on the Friday of the weekend proceeding the first day of instruction in August. The second is a two-day Saturday-Sunday session after the fifth or sixth week of classes. There are no on-campus sessions required after these two in the first semester.

The M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technology is a 33-credit graduate program of six required core courses and a minimum of five elective courses. Core courses are taken in sequence. All students follow the same sequence in their first year. Courses for the second year depends on whether students are attending full-time, with those on a part-time basis typically completing core requirements in year 3.

• The six core courses in the OTEC program are offered online and include live sessions on the Internet weekday evenings to accommodate adult learners, typically from 6:00-8:30 PM HST on Tuesdays and Thursday.
  • LTEC 600 Theory and Practice in Educational Technology
    
  • LTEC 602 Innovations in Educational Technology
  • LTEC 611 Ed Tech Research & Evaluation
    
  • LTEC 613 Instructional Design and Development
  • LTEC 687 Instructional Design & Technology Practicum
  • LTEC 690 Seminar in Technology Leadership
• Electives may be taken on campus or online and in any semester, including summer, and are selected from LTEC 400-level and 600-level courses. At least three electives must be graduate level and taken after admission to the program. Students develop a plan for electives with their program coordinator based on individual interests and goals.

Culminating Experience

Plan B option which is most commonly selected includes the following:

• a design or research project selected by the student and approved by an advisor; and
• a conference presentation showcasing the project

Students have the option of completing a Master’s thesis under Plan A.

For a full listing of courses, see UH Manoa Catalog.

The tuition rates are generally around $650 per credit for residents and $1402 per credit for non-residents. In addition, student fees typically total $451. Students enrolled in an online program will only be assessed for resident tuition regardless of their residence in a different state or country. Please see the “Graduate General & Post-Baccalaureate Unclassified” heading on the Office of the Registrar’s website for more accurate tuition rates.

See the following sites for funding information:

• UH Manoa General Scholarship List
• Financial Support section of the Graduate Division website
• STAR website (please note that this is only accessible to students with a valid UH ID number – must be admitted as a student prior to looking for scholarships on this site)
• UH Manoa Financial Aid Office (finaid@hawaii.edu).