Presentation that discusses the job roles of distance educators in today's job market. Also discusses venues for professional development

1. What is a distance
educator?
Master of Distance Education
Graduate School of Management & Technology
University of Maryland University College

2. What are the core roles of distance
educators?
Here is one
Administrator
Instructional possibility…
designer
• staffing
• course development
• planning
• curriculum development
• operational control
Teacher
Consultant • pedagogy IT specialist
• delivery
• advice
• media
• audit
• infrastructure

3. Core roles and distance educator jobs
match?
 Not necessarily…
 Needs of the market are still blurred
 Professionals come with diverse
backgrounds
 Professional development is not yet
standardized
 The professional is not yet fully known
within many rising markets

4. Defining the Dist. Educator…
 Wecan use core roles to define sample
jobs
 Combinations vary immensely
 Eachcore role contributes with a subset of
competencies, that together define a
specific D.Educator job
 Let’s see some examples…

5. The all-around jack-of-all-trades
Consultant
D.Educator
Adm
i nistr
ator
IT specialist

6. The Instructional Designer in IT
DEducator
Consultant Adm
i nistr
ator
IT specialist

7. The Instructional Designer in the academic department
DEducator
Consultant Adm
i nistr
ator
IT specialist

8. The Faculty Member
DEducator
Consultant Adm
i nistr
ator
IT specialist

9. The D.E. Unit Manager
IT specialist
Adm
i
nist
DEducatorrator
Consultant

10. The IT Manager
Consultant Adm
i nistr
ator
DEducator
IT specialist

11. The IT Support Specialist
DEducator
IT specialist
Adm
i nistr
ator
Consultant

12. What are the general knowledge areas
for these groups of professionals?
 IT / Network / HW & SW training
 Management theory & practice
 Student Support Services
 Technology management
 Distance Education Systems
 Cost Analysis and Economics of D.E.
 Course Development and Instructional Design
 Multimedia / Web-based instruction
 Faculty training and development
 The Business of DE

13. Where can these professionals get their
necessary training?
 Short courses
 State University of West Georgia
 Many others…
 Certificate programs
 Wisconsin
 UMUC
 BOU
 University of South Africa

14. Where can these professionals get their
necessary training?
 Masters degree programs
 UMUC
 Athabasca University (Canada)
 California State University at Hayward
 University of Phoenix
 Capela University
 Nova Southeastern
 Walden
 BOU (UK)
 University of Southern Queensland (AUS)
 George Washington University
 Florida State University

15. Where can these professionals get their
necessary training?
 PhD programs
 Athabasca
 Nova Southeastern
 Walden

16. Where can one get information about
job availability for DEducators?
 The Chronicle of Higher Education
 E-learning Jobs
 University Continuing Education Association (UCEA)
 American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)
 The e-Learning Guild
 USDLA
 Higher Ed Jobs
 MDE Job Board

17. What is the “market” for distance
education professionals?
 Academic DE director / DE Director
 DE coordinator
 Instructional Designer
 Online Faculty Trainer
 Development Manager
 Director of Training
 Assistant Dean for DE

18. So… What will be the job
of a DEducator in…
5 years?
10 years?

19. In 5 years:
The generalist…
Consultant
D.Educator
Adm
i nistr
ator
IT specialist

20. In 10 years:
The generalist…
D.Educator
Consultant Adm
i nistr
ator
IT specialist

21. Thanks!
Any questions?