Dejá Vu
Back in January, to prepare for my graduate program, I spoke with a fellow committee member from the school about jobs in Instructional Technology. She led the department on campus that handled all course content for online and the possibility existed that she *might* have a position for a graduate assistant this past spring. Alas, the chess pieces that needed to move did not, which is why I am where I am and doing what I'm doing.
I use the skills I've learned so far, but that is not the intent of my role-just a bonus that my employer is only too happy to let me play with on a regular basis. (Yes, I am a lucky woman on that front!)
So, when I spoke to that director back in January, she urged me to go introduce myself to the Instructional Technologists on staff and ask them about their jobs, and what I could expect to do if I came on board as an Instructional Technologist. I met with two people and the time was well spent-as I found that what I expected of the IT Master's is what they do on a daily basis.
Here I am, in my third semester of the program and one of my courses is better suited to the first semester. The first assignment of the semester is to interview an Instructional Designer who works in the same specialty as I hope to, ask what they like and dislike about their career, find out what led them to study it and ask what their typical day (or week) is like.
Other than my professors, the only Instructional Tech people I know are the two I spoke to in January (and I had peripheral interaction with one on a regular basis before we spoke in January.) I emailed both, requesting an interview and explaining the purpose. One graduated from my specific program, so he probably knew the request would come sooner or later. They both agreed to meet with me in the coming week.
It feels a little weird that last year I was asking them from the PoV that I might be working with them, and now I'm asking as a student in the program. In fact, thanks to talking to one, I went and purchased Captivate and Camtasia, because she'd explained that those are the two programs she uses the most for the University.
Who knows what will come of this week's meetings? One order of business is to thank her for the heads up, because those two programs are the ones I'm most comfortable using for video capture and creating educational content with.
I use the skills I've learned so far, but that is not the intent of my role-just a bonus that my employer is only too happy to let me play with on a regular basis. (Yes, I am a lucky woman on that front!)
So, when I spoke to that director back in January, she urged me to go introduce myself to the Instructional Technologists on staff and ask them about their jobs, and what I could expect to do if I came on board as an Instructional Technologist. I met with two people and the time was well spent-as I found that what I expected of the IT Master's is what they do on a daily basis.
Here I am, in my third semester of the program and one of my courses is better suited to the first semester. The first assignment of the semester is to interview an Instructional Designer who works in the same specialty as I hope to, ask what they like and dislike about their career, find out what led them to study it and ask what their typical day (or week) is like.
Other than my professors, the only Instructional Tech people I know are the two I spoke to in January (and I had peripheral interaction with one on a regular basis before we spoke in January.) I emailed both, requesting an interview and explaining the purpose. One graduated from my specific program, so he probably knew the request would come sooner or later. They both agreed to meet with me in the coming week.
It feels a little weird that last year I was asking them from the PoV that I might be working with them, and now I'm asking as a student in the program. In fact, thanks to talking to one, I went and purchased Captivate and Camtasia, because she'd explained that those are the two programs she uses the most for the University.
Who knows what will come of this week's meetings? One order of business is to thank her for the heads up, because those two programs are the ones I'm most comfortable using for video capture and creating educational content with.
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