"All the courses provide skills I can apply to my job right now while also preparing me for the future."
- Matthew Shuman, UMUC Graduate Student
Master of Education in instructional technology
MyUMUC Story:
Teacher Takes Technology to Class— UMUC Master of Education Helps Local Teachers Enhance Education
By: Amanda Agatstein
When Matthew Shuman heard about UMUC’s Master of Education in instructional technology degree program and its unique partnership with local schools, he realized it was the ideal way to earn his master’s degree. In spring 2006, UMUC established the partnership with Montgomery County public schools in Maryland, offering the Master of Education to teachers in a special cohort format that brought them together in small groups throughout the course of study, from their first class to graduation. The format appealed to Shuman.
“I heard about the program from a colleague and decided it would be great to work on my degree alongside her and a group of other teachers who have similar needs and demands in their careers,” said Shuman. He was also drawn to the convenience of UMUC’s online classes. “Since all the program courses are online, I have the flexibility to complete my master’s degree while also juggling everything else in my life.”
Shuman, an instrumental and general music teacher at Stedwick Elementary and Whetstone Elementary schools, is especially interested in the program’s focus on instructional technology, including ways to use the Internet, software applications, and other forms of multimedia as learning resources in the classroom. Shuman plans to use the degree to pursue a career in instructional technology application in the Montgomery County school system. In the meantime, he’s already putting the skills he has learned to work.
“The Web-based design class has been particularly interesting and very innovative,” says Shuman. “All the courses provide skills I can apply to my job right now while also preparing me for the future. Being able to use what I’m learning has really motivated me to work hard and complete my degree.”
