NIU’s M.S.Ed. in Educational Administration is going 100% online next fall for those future school principals who prefer that mode of course delivery.
And, for those who would rather earn their master’s degrees in a hybrid structure with classroom and virtual settings, that traditional option will remain available.
The move, approved in October by the Illinois State Board of Education, authorizes the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations to extend its reach throughout the Land of Lincoln – and, in doing so, grow enrollment by removing geographic barriers.
Jim and Becky Surber, clinical assistant professors and co-coordinators of the principal preparation program, see only advantages by allowing students to choose which method will serve them best.
“I think COVID really demonstrated that we can still provide instruction in an engaging and interactive manner,” Becky says. “We did have some questions about it, but we found out that it works, and the feedback we got during those COVID periods when we were totally online was very positive.”
“The technology now still allows you to do group work,” Jim adds. “It still allows you to have ongoing interactions during class, after class and even throughout the week.”
Meanwhile, “we received feedback from students in the program, and from other people who have been interested in the program, wanting to know if this was a format that we would consider moving to,” Jim says.
“Because this is a graduate-level program, every one of the cohort members have full-time jobs and full lives,” he adds, “and it’s oftentimes extremely difficult for them to join a program like this where they have classes twice a week and then a full-year internship the second year.”
Providing the virtual option is likely to attract prospective students for whom commuting to DeKalb, Rockford or Naperville is difficult or impossible.
“Reduction in driving time is going to be huge because we’ve had students drive as far as an hour-and-a-half, one-way, to get to class. They’re working nine- and 10-hour days, and when you add on three hours of driving time and three hours of class, that can take its toll,” Becky says.
“We’ve also had candidates come from the Chicago Public Schools, so the mileage isn’t as great, but they’re coming out right at 5 o’clock rush hour, they’re sitting in traffic, and they don’t know if they’re going to get to class on time,” she adds. “This is going to reduce a lot of stress for people. It’s still difficult moving past COVID, and they already have a lot of things that they’re dealing with in the schools, so it’s nice to take just this one piece off their plates.”
Carolyn Pluim, chair of the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations, applauds the Surbers for “working diligently to transition the program to this new mode that enables students from across the state to join.”
“Our online format offers additional flexibility for hard-working professionals who balance home and family commitments,” Pluim says, “and our decision to continue in-person internship site visits was mindful as we believe aspiring principals benefit from face-to-face touchpoints and individual mentorship opportunities.”
Going online also is expected to enhance the numbers and quality of the adjunct faculty, Jim says.
“We want people to teach for us because they have certain skills out in the field, but they might not want to drive to campus,” he says. “This is going to allow us to reach out to those people who might help us teach certain courses where they have expertise, whether it’s in law or in the principalship course or whatever it happens to be.”
NIU’s 36-semester-hour M.S.Ed in Educational Administration comprises six semesters, which include the internship.
Spanning three consecutive semesters during the second year of the program, the internship requires candidates to work full time at their current jobs while they apply the knowledge and skills acquired through their coursework.
During its summer residency component, the internship fully immerses candidates in a more intensive administrative role to gain required experiences in P-12 settings.
Lasting 80 clock hours, the summer residency asks candidates to take full responsibility for a leadership role, such as a summer school program or an extended-year school service program for students in special education.
Yet it’s the internship that distinguishes NIU’s degree, the Surbers say, and why it will remain an in-person component of both delivery options.
“Jim and I will continue to go out to be in the buildings, working with the interns and their mentor principals and doing observations, because we just feel like that internship pieces is so important. We didn’t want to relegate it to online,” Becky says.
“Obviously, we can Zoom in and meet with our candidates, but it was our preference, and after talking with Dr. Pluim, that we continue to provide that,” she adds. “We feel that’s going to make us stand apart.”
Jim agrees.
“That second year is where our students get direct involvement in leadership roles, and we’re out there supervising them and giving them feedback,” he says.
“In our mind, that’s the critical piece – not that the actual teaching of the courses is not as important, but the practical experience they gain comes during the internship – and we’re traveling to them. They’re not having to travel to us.”
Keeping the Surbers on the road also is key to nurturing NIU’s strong K-12 connections.
“It helps us maintain those relationships that we’ve built with the school districts. There are principals who we’ve worked with over the years with several different candidates, and we’ve expanded in some of the districts through our partnership with Rockford and Elgin,” Becky says. “We think that in-person piece is big in maintaining communication and collaboration.”
