Program Leader's ColumnDecember 1, 2000 |
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Without a doubt, there has been more program development activity this semester than in any of the other 16 years that I have been at Florida State University. Highlights of this activity are:
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The excitement surrounding the ISeNews and the other electronic programs in the isunion have been center stage. Alumni are enthused, as are many of our employers, "friends of FSU Instructional Systems," and, of course, those of us who are right here. Many people are responsible for this achievement, and Doretta has brought them to our attention in several of her messages. If I tried to list all of them, I know I would miss some, but I definitely want to express my appreciation to Doretta and Marie. They have provided not only hours of labor, but the stimulation, organization, and leadership to make this project successful. I was impressed when the group actually produced a completed newsletter, and I have been nothing short of amazed that they now have a whole series of newsletters. It will be wonderful to see this tradition continue into the future. The portfolio requirement for the masters degree is also progressing nicely. Twenty-one students submitted their portfolios this semester, and the faculty were most positively impressed. We continue to believe that this is a useful exercise both as a comprehensive self-review of your work, and also a valuable syntheses to have for employers and for your own reference in your next professional activity. The process and requirements are still in a formative state, and we will continue to refine it based on our experience as a faculty and the feedback we receive from you. The growth of our distance learning program has also been dramatic! Currently, we offer a masters in Open and Distance Learning. This is a major within the Instructional Systems Program. And, we also offer a certificate in the same area. The number of students has grown impressively, and quite a few of them made the trip to Tallahassee for the program orientation meeting at the beginning of the semester. We will be building on this program by offering more distance learning courses in the Instructional Systems Major, offering an Instructional Systems certificate at a distance, and making the program available internationally. In closing, I want to mention that this semester's graduating class is large and appears to be doing well in terms of employment. I have talked to several students who received two or three offers. And, in addition to many of our traditional employers, we continue to receive calls from employers who have not previously hired our graduates, but they continue to get referred to us. All of these activities and accomplishments provide a wonderful foundation for the transition into next semester, which is almost here! The Thanksgiving holiday is past and there is less than two weeks before the end of classes this term. In case I don't get another opportunity, I want to wish all of you the merriest of holidays. I will be taking the second half of my sabbatical leave next semester, but I will certainly be keeping abreast of the program, and will probably be involved in one or more activities. To those who are graduating, best wishes and please keep in touch. To those who are returning, let's make the next semester as interesting and productive as this one! |