MALS in Online Learning and Teaching

Areas of Study Overview

Return to the Heavin School of Arts and Sciences Homepage

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) degree program in Online Learning and Teaching focuses on developing online pedagogy for those who want to be well prepared to teach online. Since Thomas Edison State University pioneered the use of technology to deliver quality higher education, this program leverages the institution’s deep expertise.

Credit Distribution

I. Core Course Sequence (18 Credits)

LAP-500	Liberal Arts and Professional Life	3
SAM-501	Sense of Community I: Art and Morality	3
SAM-502	Sense of Community II: Faith and Reason	3
CCR-610	Change, Conflict, and Resolution	3
SIC-520	The Species, the Individual, and Community	3
THC-625	Technology and the Human Community: Challenges and Responses	3

II. Area of Study (12 Credits)

OLT-510	Theory and Culture of Online Learning	3
OLT-520	Learning Technology as an Issue in Online Learning	3
OLT-630	Issues in Instructional Design in Online Learning	3
OLT-640	Communication and Interactivity in Online Learning	3

III. Capstone (6 Credits)

MLS-700	Capstone I	3
MLS-710	Capstone II	3

Total Credit Hours: 36

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the area of study in Online Learning and Teaching, students will be able to:

• apply learning theories and student learning styles to online learning;
• assess the impact of culture and diversity on online learning;
• identify best practices for technology-infused education that resolve the student and teacher issues with learning in the online environment;
• develop appropriate assessment strategies that are relevant to online learning, including formative and summative evaluations of instruction as well as design;
• evaluate ethical issues in online learning environments, such as educational copyright law, fair use, the TEACH Act, cheating, and plagiarism;
• design strategies and techniques that promote student engagement and motivation in online environments; and
• create an online course using a learning management system that incorporates models, techniques, and strategies for online learning and teaching learned throughout the program.