Your first step is to contact your advisor and begin planning your program of study. The course requirements are provided in the Courses section. Look ahead to the Portfolio requirement so that you can work on it throughout your program.

What is a Program of Study?

A Program of Study (PoS) is a listing of the courses you will complete to earn your Master's or Specialist degree. Typically, the Program of Study is submitted for SISLT approval before you are half way through the program. Your advisor will help you develop your own personalized program of study.

Note: A PoS Worksheet to help develop your PoS is provided in the LSDD Advising Aid. This may assist you in deciding whether prior graduate coursework can be submitted for possible inclusion in your PoS. This PoS Worksheet is NOT the form used to submit your PoS for your degree. You must use the actual forms listed below to submit your program of study.

Planning Your Program of Study—Master's and Specialist Degrees

When you are accepted into the program, you will be assigned a faculty advisor. You should e-mail your advisor to begin the program planning process.

Use the Learning Systems Design & Development Advising Aid to guide your program planning throughout your program. This aid provides information on the steps you go through in your program: Getting Started, Planning Your Program of Study, and Portfolio Preparation.

Develop your program using the M-1 (LSDD) Program of Study Form. This form establishes the courses required for you to earn your degree. It has to be approved by your advisor.

• Make sure you have at least 15 hours at the 8000- or 9000-level and all required courses, as well as any other requirements.
• The M-1 Form should be filed with the Student Coordinator by the end of your second semester in the program.

For the Specialist degree, students need to file additional forms:

• S-1 Request for Committee Form: to create your program committee.
• S-2 Program of Study Form for the Specialist degree.
• S-3 Report of Committee specifying you have passed your portfolio and signed by committee members.

What Other Graduate Courses Might be Approved in the LSDD Program?

• University of Missouri graduate courses you have completed to date that are relevant to the LSDD track.
• Courses from other institutions you wish to have considered for inclusion in your PoS.
• A maximum of 6 hours may be transferred from another institution with advisor approval.
• Transfer courses must be documented by an official transcript.
• A "customized" PoS is sometimes an option. Contact our Student Coordinator for more information.

Making Changes to Your Program of Study

To make changes to your program of study after it is approved and filed, use the Course Substitution Form. New signatures will be needed to process this form through the Student Coordinator.

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You will take 6 credit hours of core courses, 9 credit hours in each area of design and development courses, and 6 credit hours of electives. Plan ahead by checking the Searchable Schedule for All SISLT Courses for course availability.

LSDD Program Competencies

The LSDD program focuses on the following competencies:

• Conducting needs assessment and evaluating learning systems.
• Designing learning environments, including systems for direct instruction, constructivist learning, collaborative work, and performance support.
• Developing learning systems applications or components of applications.

LSDD Course Requirements (Applicable to all students enrolled or admitted as of January, 2012)

The LSDD curriculum reflects the dynamic nature of the field. Your LSDD program of study consists of 30 graduate credit hours. The overall program structure includes coursework in four categories:

• Core (6 Credit Hours)
• Design (9 Credit Hours)
• Development (9 Credit Hours)
• Electives (6 Credit Hours)

Credit hour limitations:

• A maximum of 6 hours of transfer credits.
• A maximum of 12 hours of Problems courses (ISLT 7085 or ISLT 9085)

Read Course Descriptions

Brief descriptions of all SISLT courses are available at: http://sisltschedule.missouri.edu/courses.

About Online Courses

Almost all EdTech courses are delivered to you online via the Internet. Online courses allow you to fit them into your personal schedule and within time frames established by the course instructor. Our courses use two different "course management systems" (CMS): Blackboard and a new CMS called Sakai. Regardless of the CMS, the general process is the same.

Throughout the week, you will:

• Go to the website for your course(s) and log in.
• Read recent announcements.
• Check the discussion board for new postings.
• Post your ideas and questions to the discussion board.
• Participate in small group activities and assignments.
• Read course documents (online postings, website resources, and textbook).

Periodically you will:

• Complete and submit assigned activities.
• Participate in peer review and feedback activities.
• Check your grades.
• Send/receive emails with your instructor(s).

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Your will develop and present a portfolio of your work to demonstrate your mastery of the LSDD competencies. The portfolio contains descriptions of competencies and what they mean to you, explanations of artifacts, and reflections. You should start on your portfolio early in your coursework.

Portfolio Assessment

The EdTech Master’s and Specialist degree programs culminate in a web-based portfolio showing mastery of the program competencies. The portfolio is used as the comprehensive exam at the end of the program of study. Ideally, your products and process artifacts are added to your portfolio as the work is completed, rather than waiting until the last semester in the program.

While each portfolio is as unique as the individuals in the LSDD focus area, all share the following elements:

1. Your Program of Study.
2. Description of the competencies including a reflection about your level of achievement of each competency.
3. Products and artifacts that demonstrate mastery of the competencies, including reflection statements explaining what you have learned from the work and how the products and artifacts demonstrate your achievement of the associated competency. Also, include a description of your role(s) in group-generated products and artifacts.
4. Evaluative information regarding the quality of the products.
5. A statement that represents your understanding of Learning Systems Design & Development and your expectations for how you will use your competencies and talents in a professional context.

Portfolio Details

A portfolio is a website consisting of products and artifacts demonstrating mastery of the LSDD focus area competencies. There may be a few elements that are not actually included in the website (e.g., video clips of needs assessment interviews; a network solution you designed), but there is some representation of these products (e.g., a slide show about the interviews; blue prints or design documents for the network). Larger documents can be included as PDF files.

Creating the portfolio is just like creating any other product: design it, build it, test it, revise it. Periodically, you will probably add something to the portfolio. If you choose to build a website and you don't have easy access to a server to host your portfolio website, an account will be provided for you on a university server.

LSDD Portfolio Preparation and Evaluation

Portfolio preparation should begin early in a student’s program of study. Students who wait until the last semester of their program put themselves under a great deal of counter-productive pressure.

Portfolio coaches are assigned to each student the semester of their intended graduation. The SISLT Student Services Office will notify the student of his/her assigned portfolio coach after each semester’s graduation application deadline has passed. Students must contact their portfolio coach within one (1) week of receiving this notification. Failure to contact the portfolio coach within one week of receiving notification may result in the student's intended graduation date being postponed.

Portfolios can be submitted spring, fall, and summer semesters. Portfolios must be submitted to the assigned portfolio coach for review no later than three (3) weeks prior to the last day of classes; you will be notified by the SISLT Student Services Office of the specific date at the beginning of your final semester.

The student will work with the portfolio coach who will provide feedback and support to the student as she/he prepares the portfolio for review.

The review process asks three basic questions:

1. Does the portfolio demonstrate the student's knowledge of what the competencies mean?
2. Does the portfolio demonstrate the student's mastery of the competencies?
3. Does the portfolio present the student in a positive and professional manner?

Once a portfolio is deemed acceptable or unacceptable by the portfolio coach, the coach will notify the student and the SISLT Student Services Office. Should the portfolio be deemed unacceptable by the portfolio coach, the student may appeal this decision by petitioning the Director of SISLT and requesting that two other faculty review the portfolio.

Portfolio Samples

• Krista Galyen
  http://sisltportfolio.missouri.edu/kdgrz9/default.html
• Fictitious Student
  http://sisltportfolio.missouri.edu/lsdd/index.html
• Susan German
  http://sisltportfolio.missouri.edu/ssg392/
• Stella Wong
  http://sisltportfolio.missouri.edu/swqz3/

After Portfolio Approval

Provided you have completed all the coursework listed in your official M-1 (LSDD) Program of Study for Master’s degree, or S-2 Program of Study for Specialist degree, you are ready for graduation!

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The semester before you intend to graduate, you need to apply to graduate. Then once you have completed all the coursework and your portfolio has been presented and passed, you are ready for graduation! Beyond graduation, join the EdTech social media networks to stay involved and informed and contribute to the EdTech community!

Application to Graduate School

Prior to your final semester, you need to fill out the Application for Completion Form. This form is available for approximately six weeks prior to the beginning of your final semester. Watch your MU email account for notices from the Graduate School and SISLT Student Coordinator as to when the application will be available.

The Application for Completion is your indication to the Graduate School that you intend to graduate during a particular semester. Fill it out at the beginning of your final semester in the program.

Participation in MU Commencement Ceremony

If you plan on participating in MU’s commencement ceremony, read the Graduate School’s Commencement Ceremony Checklist, including where to obtain regalia. At this site you will find information about times of ceremonies, check-in procedures, and access. The Graduate School will send you details on commencement and you are welcome to attend.

It generally 8-12 weeks from the end of the semester to receive your diploma. If you have questions about your diploma or transcript, you may contact the Office of the Registrar at 1-800-225-6075 or umcunivregistrarwr@missouri.edu.

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