The University of Connecticut is dedicated to preparing educators who are capable of wisely-integrating technology, pedagogy, content knowledge, and learning theory across a diverse range of classroom, training, and other teaching and learning environments.
Housed within the university's broader Cognition, Instruction, and Learning Technology program—ranked among the Top 15 Educational Psychology Graduate Programs in the United States by Successful Student—the Two Summers Online Graduate Program serves as our pathway to a Master of Arts Degree (MA) or Sixth Year Certificate (SD) in Educational Technology.
Each spring, the Two Summers Program recruits a new cohort to begin in July.
Applications received after the May 15 deadline and/or after the 2023-2024 cohort is filled will be waitlisted, but there are often last-minute openings as applicants’ plans change.
The University of Connecticut's Two Summers MA/SD Educational Technology Program is designed for the working educator. We target learning outcomes based on national standards and incorporate a variety of emerging technological/pedagogical tools:
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- Online / Distance / Web-Based Learning
- Problem- & Project-Based Teaching & Learning
- Situated Teaching & Learning
- eportfolios / Artifact-Based Assessment
- Playful Teaching & Learning (e.g., Game-Based Learning, Simulations, "Serious" Games)
- Assistive Technologies
- Digital Literacies for Teaching & Learning
UConn offers state-of-the-art facilities complete with a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) wireless environment, Smartboard-enabled classrooms, Blackboard-based course management software, and several custom mobile, online, and other tools for learning. Costs are consistent with policy set by the Graduate School, and online application is encouraged (assistance with the online application system can be found here). Two Summers Program course offerings are part of a standard Plan of Study for all cohort students.
NOTE: Although Two Summers typically features one full week of on-campus classes and cohort-building during Summer Year 1 and capstone Summer Year 2, as of now, we are planning a hybrid format for Summer 2023.
- The outgoing Two Summers cohort (2022 - 2023) will meet virtually from 9:00a - 4:00p on Monday (July 10) through Thursday (July 13), then face-to-face on the UConn Storrs campus from 9:00a - 4:00p on Friday, 14 July 2023.
- The incoming Two Summers cohort (2023 - 2024) will meet face-to-face on the UConn Storrs campus from 9:00a - 4:00p on Monday, 17 July 2023 and Saturday, 22 July 2023; they will also meet virtually from 9:00a - 4:00p on Tuesday (July 18) through Friday (July 21).
While on campus, Two Summers students will be expected to adhere to all university, state, and CDC guidance, including wearing masks and maintaining a safe physical distance.
Playing with Perspectives Symposium (2022)
[Keynote] Play Nice: Empathy at the Heart of Design
On Friday, 2 December 2022 at 3:00p CST, University of Connecticut professor Dr. Stephen Slota gave a keynote address at the Playing with Perspectives Symposium hosted by Texas Christian University. The presentation, titled 'Play Nice: Empathy at the Heart of Design,' described subjectivity and identity; individuals' positioning within and between complex systems; the relationship between empathy and perspective-taking; authorial intent; three levels of narrative; storytelling in contemporary transmedia properties; collaborative worldbuilding; and best practices for high-quality storytelling in education, training, and game design.
Dr. Stephen T. Slota, Assistant Professor-in-Residence of Educational Technology and Digital Media & Design at the University of Connecticut, shares eight quick tips for K-12 and higher educators in the process of transforming face-to-face instruction into online instruction.
