**Will there be a face-to-face component of the Two Summers Program during Summer 2023?**
Two Summers 2023-24 will use a hybrid format for its Summer meetings/coursework.
- 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 again on Saturday, 22 July 2023; they will also meet virtually (using HuskyCT, the UConn version of Blackboard) from 9:00a – 4:00p on the intervening days, 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.
Is Two Summers just for Connecticut educators, or can anyone participate?
Though many matriculating Two Summers students have been from Connecticut, cohort members often join us from around and outside New England, including New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and as far away as California.
We’re always excited to include voices from distant regions as their addition ultimately expands our diversity of thought and practice.
I teach elementary school rather than middle or high school. Will there be content for me?
Two Summers welcomes educators of ALL backgrounds, disciplines, and grade levels.
We address the wise integration of technology as it applies across disciplines, so our coursework fits elementary, middle, high school, university, and other teaching and learning environments as well. We earnestly believe that web resources, multimedia “new” literacies, assistive technology, virtual reality, robotics/coding, and educational games are for everyone—so we would be thrilled to help you incorporate them into your K-5 classroom!
Do I need to be a teacher to apply to the Two Summers Program?
Not at all! Two Summers alumnae include military administrators, freelance graphic artists, school district technology coaches, legal and medical trainers, musicians, and a range of other professionals. We see interdisciplinary experience sets and diverse points of view as an advantage—varied perspectives ultimately make the program better for all of us.
Do I need prior technology experience to succeed in the Two Summers Program?
The Two Summers Program utilizes standards-based assessment measures that emphasize theory-driven individual growth over acute assessments of particular software/hardware skills. That means we adapt to match students’ relative levels of expertise so they can set personalized, achievable goals throughout our year together. We have successfully graduated individuals who came into the program as novices, and likewise, we have assisted relative experts in identifying new areas for skill development/refinement. Everyone everywhere on the technology-familiarity spectrum can benefit from participating in Two Summers!
Are GRE scores required to apply to the Two Summers Program?
No. Applicants are not required to take the GRE or submit GRE scores for admission into the Two Summers Program.
Should I enroll for a Master of Arts Degree (MA) or Sixth Year Certificate (SD)?
If you DO NOT already hold a graduate degree, you should select the Master of Arts Degree option when applying to the Two Summers Program.
If you DO already hold a graduate degree, you will need to consider the specific circumstances of your contract. Various union contracts negotiated in Connecticut’s 166 school districts (as well as MA, RI, NY, etc.) tend to include different language, forcing teachers to meet different kinds of criteria to qualify for salary step increases and/or tuition reimbursement for. Many contracts specifically require a Master of Arts degree, but others specify a “6th year beyond the Masters degree” (i.e., Sixth Year Certificate).
Most Two Summers students will be counseled toward a second Masters degree since it is most likely to have long-term utility (in Connecticut and across the United States); however, we caution that some districts will deny a pay step increase due to legacy contract language if you do not select the appropriate option (e.g., “Sixth Year Certificate”).
If you are not sure which is best, please contact your human resources department and/or a Two Summers Program administrator.
Why does Two Summers include “face-to-face” meetings in an otherwise online program?
There are two reasons for our face-to-face summer meetings.
From a practical perspective:
There are multiple tools we want to familiarize students with, including drones, robots, virtual reality, alternate reality, assistive technology, and various educational games/simulations. It is far easier and more cost effective to have students visit the university campus for a brief period of time to interact with, discuss, and reflect on these tools (whether for the initial professional seminar or the final capstone presentation) than for students to purchase/use/reflect on them independent of one another.
From a community perspective:
Part of what makes the Two Summers Program special is its cohort-oriented design. Our cohorts are typically capped at ~20 students so that faculty and staff can better attend to individual student needs and interests. By bookending the program with two face-to-face summer meetings, we are able to foster a sense of camaraderie and belonging/home at UConn that makes students feel supported—a positive, collaborative community of practice with everyone working toward a shared goal (i.e., improved expertise with Educational Technology).
The trust and friendships built during past face-to-face meetings have proven integral to overall cohort success and satisfaction with coursework/the program.
I’m confused… Does “technology coach” mean sports or athletics?
No. The phrase “technology coach” (in this context) refers to a specific educational role played by an employee of a school district. This person is typically responsible for technology visioning and implementation across classrooms/learning environments, prioritizing needs and finding solutions to problems of pedagogy/technology/content integration (as described in the ISTE Standards for Coaches).
HOWEVER, numerous athletic coaches/physical educators have enrolled in and completed the Two Summers Program, finding tremendous use for Educational Technology in their own teaching and learning environments. We also have a keen interest in esports training/coaching, affordances of which have been folded into portions of the Two Summers coursework.
Do Two Summers students graduate on time?
More than 90% of Two Summers students have successfully completed the program within 12 months.
How much does it cost to complete the Two Summers Program?
As with other graduate programs, UConn Graduate School costs apply.
However, because the Two Summers Program crosses summer, fall, and spring semesters, not all courses are billed at the same rate (i.e., it depends on the year’s particular [fall/spring/summer] tuition rates). Although summer online courses eliminate some fees, others are still included and may be set differently than they would be for fall and spring online courses (i.e., pricing fluctuates).
As a general estimate, applicants can review the prior year’s online tuition rates; combine the most recent summer (Summer 2), the previous fall/spring semesters, and the summer before those (Summer 1).
Is it possible to get funding for a degree through Two Summers?
Two Summers students are typically working educators who hold a variety of positions (including K-12 schools and institutions of higher education). Consequently, courses are paid for in multiple ways, with some students pursuing traditional financial aid, some receiving specific benefits as current/former members of the armed forces, and some taking advantage of tuition reimbursement or other professional development opportunities available through workplace contracts.
There are no assistantship or scholarship opportunities available through Two Summers at this time, but students are encouraged to explore other opportunities where available (both internal and external to the university).
The UConn Office of Student Financial Aid Services can assist with specific questions.
What jobs do Two Summers graduates get?
Because Two Summers students are usually working professionals, most continue in their current positions or shift to other internal opportunities (e.g., teacher to district technology coordinator). Some graduates have developed interests in related fields (e.g., instructional design) and sought to pursue opportunities with start-up companies, charter schools, and other organizations.
Importantly, the Two Summers Program is NOT associated with any certification/endorsement offered through the Connecticut State Department of Education. It is NOT a certification program for Technology Education. The program CANNOT be used to fulfill state teacher certification requirements.
For more information on the Neag School of Education’s gainful employment disclosures, please visit the school website.