Instructional Technology
Graduate Programs Newsletter
Welcome! Towson University’s Instructional Technology Graduate Programs are excited to share wonderful news with our community! Check out this Fall semester's highlights, stories, and accomplishments from students, alumni, and faculty! 
Welcoming Dr. Vicky Cai as Director of Instructional Design and Development Programs at Towson University
Join us in congratulating Instructional Technology Assistant Professor Dr. Vicky Cai, who has recently become director of the Instructional Technology (M.S.) - Instructional Design and Development concentration and PBC. Dr. Cai has a Ph.D in K12 Administration and Supervision from University of Virginia and a Master's degree in Educational Technology. Upon completion of her degree, she worked as an instructional designer first at College of Continuing Studies at University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, then at the Information Technology Division at Minnesota State University. Before joining Towson University, Dr. Cai was assistant professor and graduate coordinator for the Educational Technology program at Minnesota State University. Congratulations as well to Dr. Cai for her selection as the recipient of the 2020-2021 College of Education’s Gloria Neubert Excellence in Teaching Award for the Educational Technology and Literacy Department.
New educator Master's degree cohort programs are being formed now. We work with school systems across the state of Maryland to offer Master's degree program to teachers with discounted tuition. If you are a teacher interested in joining a cohort, please check with the program directors.

If you are interested in any of our PBCs, Master's or a Doctorate, please contact the program director to apply and enroll. All of our programs can be taken completely online. More...
Recent Projects and Grants
Maryland State Department of Education Elementary Robots Grant
The Department of Educational Technology and Literacy received funding for the project
entitled “Evaluating Effectiveness of TU-COE-Robotics Program” from Maryland State
Department of Education (MSDE).The project aims to develop, implement, and evaluate the
TU-COE Robotics to engage grade 3-5 students in robotics education and improve their STEM skills. The Robotics program is free, with priority given to students from underprivileged backgrounds, including low socioeconomic status families and underrepresented minority
groups. The College of Education prospective teacher education candidates also participate in the program to develop knowledge and skills of learning and teaching robotics to their future students and study the programs impacts in developing higher self-confidence in STEM and improving computational thinking and STEM skills. The program participants will use VEX GO robotics kits to complete theme-based projects.
New Virtual/Augmented Reality Laboratory for COE Faculty and Students
The Department of Educational Technology and Literacy, College of Education, has established a Virtual/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Design, Development, and Research Laboratory to explore the VR/AR design specifications and investigate their potential for teaching and learning. The
College of Education (COE) faculty and students will use the lab to experiment with VR/AR learning materials and design, develop, and conduct research. The department is also offering a graduate-level course in "Augmented and Virtual Reality Learning & Design" starting in the fall of 2022. The COE students and faculty will also be using the lab to study the impact of VR/AR in three areas of research: 1) improving cultural competencies (e.g., the effect of using immersive VR for social and emotional learning; using VR/AR to improve everyday life skills such as empathy, compassion, communication, cognitive flexibility), 2) investigating learning in immersive VR and AR (e.g., the effectiveness of VR/AR in examining diversity and racism; the effectiveness of VR/AR for individuals with special needs), and 3) studying learners' reaction to VR versus AR and the contexts they are more effective.
PK-8 Preservice Teacher Computer Science Education Grant
The Department of Educational Technology and Literacy was awarded a grant entitled "Preparing PK-8 Preservice Teachers to Teach Computer Science: An Alternative Pathway" from Maryland Center for Computing Education. The project aims to design, develop, implement, and evaluate self-directed, personalized, flexible, competency-based modules on Computational Thinking for PK-8 preservice teacher candidates (PTCs). The project will result in 1) creating a comprehensive CT/CS curriculum content aligned with the CSTA PK-8 teacher and student standards and teacher preparation requirements, and 2) conducting a comprehensive learner/PTC analysis to identify specific characteristics of diverse PTCs' interests and motivation.
Student and Alumni Excellence
ISTC Student Designs Real Estate Training in Leadership Position for Redfin
Not only is Luis Montes, an upcoming Instructional Technology Master's graduate, he is also a licensed DMV Realtor and Software Technology Specialist. We celebrate Luis's promotion to a Technical Agent position at Redfin, where he is in charge of piloting new software, as well as handling various complex inquiries involving the exciting space of iBuying. Luis says, "Towson's education has positioned me to be in a leadership position at Redfin, while instilling me with the confidence necessary to tackle new programs that the company adopts. Utilizing various instructional methods from the program, I have created teaching programs for cross licensing members of my team in the Real Estate technology field."
ISTC Graduate Leads Towson's First Fully Online Undergraduate Program
Dr. Kathy Gould, an Instructional Technology Ed.D. ('13) alumna assumed the role of Allied Health Program Coordinator in the Department of Health Sciences at Towson University in June 2020. This program culminates in a Bachelor of Technical and Professional Studies and is the only fully online undergraduate program at the university. If there ever was a time to assume responsibility for an online program, 2020 was it! The program is specifically designed for students who hold AA or AAS degrees in Allied Health fields and recruits from Maryland Community Colleges and elsewhere. A dual program between CCBC and Towson in Respiratory Therapy is also part of this program. Earning a B.T.P.S. allows Allied Health professionals advance their careers and move on to graduate studies in a variety of fields. Recent or upcoming graduates interested in purchasing nearly new academic regalia can contact Dr. Gould at kgould@towson.edu.
Student, Alumni, and Faculty News
Instructional Technology Ed.D. Alumna, Stefani Pautz Stephenson, was recently promoted to Director of Educator Community Partnerships at Digital Promise. Dr. Stephenson also had an article published in EdSurge entitled How Teachers Are Taking Lessons Learned From Virtual School Back to the Classroom.

Congratulations to student Alexis Guethler for being awarded a Graduate Student Fellowship for the 2021-2022 academic year!

We celebrate Megan Murphy's achievement of being awarded the 2020-2021 College of Education Teacher Education Excellence Award. This award is given to one graduate student and/or one undergraduate student in recognition and gratitude for the support to the mission and goals of Towson University and the College of Education and contributions to excellence in teacher education.

Congratulations to Tracy Boyd for her new position as an Instructional Designer for Calibyr Courses!

Congratulations to Amy Bollt for being selected as the recipient of the Maryland Association for the Educational Uses of Computers Scholarship award totaling $1,000.00 for the 20/21 academic year! Amy is a SPED MAT Student and HCPSS teacher. Amy will use the funds to purchase technology to be for students in her class with special needs to "break barriers" and give all students an equal opportunity to learn.

Instructional Technology M.S. (Instructional Design and Development) student, Dominique Villar, has successfully landed an internship with Proficient Learning, LLC. Dominique will be working alongside the Vice President of training operations of this women-owned small business (WOSB), as well as other instructional designers. As an intern, she will participate in the daily tasks of designers at Proficient Learning such as designing and implementing training and coaching solutions for life science industries. Dominique will learn firsthand how to develop coaching solutions through various modes such as eLearning, microlearning, and virtual training that will lead clients to create a solid experience for the patients they serve.

Join us as we congratulate Instructional Technology Ed.D. student, Emily Bailey, for earning her tenure at Towson University. In addition to her continued scholarship, Dr. Bailey is a published subject matter expert, having earned her Ph.D. in Religious Studies from University of Pittsburgh in 2015. Dr. Bailey has been promoted to an Associate faculty member in Towson's Philosophy and Religious Studies program.
Course Offerings
Spring 2021
First Seven Weeks (January 31-March 28)
  • ISTC 541 Foundations in Learning Technology & Design
  • ISTC 603 Foundations of Distance Education
  • ISTC 615 Collection Development
  • ISTC 655 MultiMedia Design
  • ISTC 663 Intro to Learning Sciences
  • ISTC 667 Instructional Development
  • EDUC 605 Informing Educ. Practice To Affect Change

Second Seven Weeks (April 1-May 24)
  • ISTC 605 E-Learning Design & Development
  • ISTC 651* Information Literacy and Access
  • ISTC 685 Research in Instructional Tech
  • ISTC 702 Educational Leadership & Tech
  • ISTC 735 Technology, Learning & Design
  • ISTC 787 ISTC Capstone
  • EDUC 717* Children's Literature and Other Materials for Teaching Reading

Full Term (January 31-May 24)
  • ISTC 709* Legal and Ethical Issues in Instructional Technology 
  • ISTC 780/782* Investigating & Evaluating Research in ISTC I/II
  • ISTC 789 Practicum in School Library Media

* = includes synchronous meetings

Note: All courses are offered asynchronously online. Some courses include synchronous meetings. Doctoral courses, ISTC 707 and EDUC 791 are offered both in-person and synchronously online.

New Research, Recent Publications, and Dissertation Defense
This year, the Instructional Technology faculty and doctoral students presented research on topics such as remote teaching, combating Zoom fatigue, building virtual community in scholarship, and Universal Design for Learning.

Congratulations to Dr. Cai, Shaimaa Alyehaibi, and Alexis Guethler on their presentation at the 2021 Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) Convention. The poster session was titled: “Designing hard and soft scaffolding to enhance graduate students’ online collaborative learning."

Faculty and students presented at SITE, AECT, and AERA. More information can be found here.