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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 132
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 Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2013 6:54 pm Post subject: Concordia University online M.Ed |
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| Anyone here have experience with, or a strong opinion of, the Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction: English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) offered online by Concordia University in Portland? |
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haleynicole14
Joined: 20 Feb 2012
Posts: 178
Location: US
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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| All I know is that I looked into that Concordia and decided it was too expensive. But, I live in Oregon, and they have a good reputation around here. |
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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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Well, let me rephrase my question.
I'm looking into online Masters programs in TESOL. I've seen many of them advise that most students finish in two or two-and-a-half years. However, Concordia's program is structured for a one-year pace. At the same time, they stress that their program is for working people who don't have more than 20 hours a week to devote to their studies.
Is that believable to you? Is a one-year Masters necessarily a breakneck pace for a working person? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Mike E wrote: |
Concordia's program is structured for a one-year pace. At the same time, they stress that their program is for working people who don't have more than 20 hours a week to devote to their studies.
Is that believable to you? Is a one-year Masters necessarily a breakneck pace for a working person? |
It's been 3 weeks since you first posted this thread. Obviously, you may not get responses from other Cafe members who have personal experience with this specific university's TESOL program and its particular delivery of online instruction.
Perhaps the question (to yourself) should be whether it's feasible to work X amount of hours while completing an online degree program in a year. Frankly, others can't answer that for you because only you know your study habits, research skills, critical-thinking skills, ability to write at the graduate level, organization and time management skills, resources available to you, comfort level using technology and various forms of multimedia, family priorities, etc.
To start, I suggest you look into what it's like to complete an online degree---to be an online learner. Do an internet search using advantages disadvantages online learning. Anyway, you may find that a goal of one year is too much pressure on you---that two years is a better fit for completing the program. |
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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| It's been 3 weeks since you first posted this thread. Obviously, you may not get responses from other Cafe members who have personal experience with this specific university's TESOL program and its particular delivery of online instruction. |
Yes, that's precisely the reason that I asked a more general question. |
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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| Perhaps the question (to yourself) should be whether it's feasible to work X amount of hours while completing an online degree program in a year. Frankly, others can't answer that for you because only you know your study habits, research skills, critical-thinking skills, ability to write at the graduate level, organization and time management skills, resources available to you, comfort level using technology and various forms of multimedia, family priorities, etc. |
I understand that ultimately we all have to answer our own questions. In a sense, that's no answer at all. By definition, I'm asking questions on a public forum to look for the input of others. For instance, others who have taken online Masters programs, in 1 or more years, with or without a concurrent work schedule. Perhaps those people can say things about how many hours they were able to put into their schooling each week, and whether they would recommend fewer hours. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:21 am Post subject: |
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| Mike E wrote: |
| I understand that ultimately we all have to answer our own questions. |
How about... Ultimately, we all have to look at the options and make responsible decisions based on our own personal experiences, personality traits, needs, and goals.
| and wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
| Perhaps the question (to yourself) should be whether it's feasible to work X amount of hours while completing an online degree program in a year. Frankly, others can't answer that for you because only you know your study habits, research skills, critical-thinking skills, ability to write at the graduate level, organization and time management skills, resources available to you, comfort level using technology and various forms of multimedia, family priorities, etc. |
In a sense, that's no answer at all. By definition, I'm asking questions on a public forum to look for the input of others. |
Seriously? My response was completely useless in helping guide you toward making an informed decision about your own education?
Well, since you asked for the input of strangers in determining your future (for the second time within this forum), here's my personal experience: For my first masters degree, I worked a 40-hour a week, high-pressure job in a legal field while attending two (on campus) graduate programs at two different universities concurrently. I completed my MA in just over a year. However, given the nature of my job and background, I had those crucial skills mentioned in my previous post (e.g., time management and organizational, research, high-level writing, critical thinking, analytical, ability to work autonomously, etc.) to get through the program expeditiously. The only other person providing input into my academic 'journey' was my university advisor. Years later, I completed both my second MA (MA in Teaching) and an online grad certificate in applied linguistics in two years, again, while working full time.
Glean what you can from my experiences. |
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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:23 am Post subject: |
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| No, I don't intend to call your responses useless. Perhaps I will come around to seeing them as just what I actually needed to hear. At any rate, I appreciate your laying out your experience. It's an interesting point of reference; it illustrates the extent of that skill set you're describing. I'll consider it something of high bar. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 5:26 am Post subject: |
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I did an MA mostly by distance (it was research-based, not online, to be precise). It took 2 years, working full time. I had a semester on campus for observations, and took off a semester to write my dissertation (British degree, it was called a diss, before someone jumps in to point out that an MA paper in North America is called a thesis).
It took much more time to complete every step of the degree than I'd planned, but there was quite a lot of real value in the process, and the outcome. |
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Mike E
Joined: 06 Oct 2011
Posts: 132
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| Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:23 am Post subject: |
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| Actually, so long as the school's reputation is good, a fast track could be brilliant, psychologically. Like boot camp. There's no possibility of slowing down; you let go of that possibility when you entered a one year Masters program. |
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