Walden University - Education

Education Reform

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 28, 2009

Materials:		Teachers:
Institution:		Support:
Value:		Technology:

Review:

I finally graduated a month ago and I must say that the program (Master's of Science in Education with Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment specialization) has been worth my time and money. I know that generally people are very skeptical about on-line learning and I do not blame them. As an educator, I concede that people have different learning styles and as adult learners, they are free to choose the method that benefits them the most.  

Quality of instruction: There is a wonderful balance of teacher centered learning and student centered learning through out the whole program. Those who are familiar with the world of education know that the ultimate goal of the learning process is to develop self-directedness, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment. For me, Walden's program gave me an excellent opportunity to further enhance my attribute as a life-long learner. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA but let me tell you, it was not as "easy" as many people would have assumed. I loved the challenge! My writing got better and my whole insight about  education had changed. The professors were supportive, excellently credentialed, and have authored books on education. 

Cohort learning: Online learning brought educators from multiple states together. Different states have different standards and via the online discussion forum, we learned from each other. That is the most invaluable experience for me. As we educators try to promote learning outside the classroom, online learners at Walden experience it first hand. Truthfully, there were colleagues who did the minimum but this phenomenon is not unique to online learning. I remember my friends in Pharmacy school who just got by and graduated with minimum requirements. 

Assignments: There were clear expectations on how assignments should look like and how there would be graded. Basically, you will get what you put in. The rubric was clear and if you want to get an A, just follow the guidelines. The assignments were were very thought provoking and helped me exercise the much needed critical thinking skills in today's classrooms. My having difference of opinion with my professors was never viewed as a negative element. In fact, it was celebrated and brought into discussions for further analysis. 

Student support: English is not my first language. I grew up in an ESL environment. Therefore, I struggled in my writing but the Writing Center was extremely helpful and supportive. My essays were constantly 2000 words or more due the depth that I chose to discuss the topics in and the writing center staff gave inputs and suggestions on how to improve the essay. It's a lot of work but one should not expect just to "breeze" through graduate school. 

I highly recommend this program for teachers who wish to pursue a higher degree in education.