American College of Education Reviews of Master's in Instructional Technology

"Great program! I find the readings and video lectures useful and a great reference for my job. I appreciate the opportunity to interact with classmates to share ID resources and ideas. Professors go above and beyond to set office hours and answer questions. One of them, takes the time to recorded a videos to provide feedback."

"One of the major issues I encountered was the lack of guidance and examples provided during projects. It often felt as though we were thrown into the deep end without clear directions or tutorials. This lack of direction made it challenging to navigate through assignments and felt like a waste of time when I spent 98% of this course googling. It would have been beneficial to have concrete examples or real-world applications to refer to, enabling a better understanding of the expectations and objectives. Becoming an instructional designer means being able to create courses and understand technology. At no point is there any technology taught but just expected for learners to find the tools themselves and then self-teach the skills necessary. Please start teaching actual skills for instructional design. In hindsight, considering the financial investment required, I can't help but wonder if self-education through online resources like YouTube would have provided a better educational experience. Save your money; you will end up teaching yourself anyway."

"ACE gave me the flexibility I needed to pursue my Masters but still earn a time and money worthy degree. It was challenging enough to push you to learn new things but also has bandwidth to where you can show your individuality and creativity. I enjoyed my time at ACE and improved upon skills helping in my new job. My writing skills definitely improved and I learned networking, new applications, and gained a strong foundation for training/teaching. I’m more well rounded and ACE helped me cultivate those skills."

"ACE is very big on project-based learning. There's a heavy focus on production, so if you're looking for a traditional lecture format you'll be disappointed. I think some of the low reviews here are from people who had the wrong expectations. The formatting is indeed very linear, but the readings and projects are interesting. The faculty are also very experienced, so they have a lot of good feedback. If you want to listen to professors talk for hours and take notes, this is not the program for you. Watch YouTube videos instead. If you want guided project-based learning for professionals by professionals, that's what you'll get."

"I am very pleased with my experience at ACE. The affordable online program made it possible for me to earn a Master's degree. I found all my instructors to be present and responsive. The coursework is well designed to give solid base of knowledge. A few negative reviews stated the coursework was too heavy a load. I found the amount of work to be rigorous but reasonable. I spent about 15-20 hours a week on school work. I liked the consistency in class and assignment schedules. Each course is 5 weeks. Typically each week there are presentations, required readings, and assignments that required research to complete. The smaller assignment is due on Wednesday and the larger assignment is due on Sunday. There is some interaction with other students in your class via a discussion board that is part of the required assignments."

"ACE has to be one of the best online programs that I have attended. I received my Master's and Doctorate from another online institution, paid a lot of money for them. However, with ACE's mission for affordability, this was the way to go for another Master's. The registrar, student services, library, student commons, department chairs and instructors are all willing to help you. For an online college, it is amazing the communication that is provided. The curriculum is also amazing,relevant and rigorous. Not to mention, for Ed Tech students, we get a seat in Articulate 360! The courses are 5 weeks long, and there is a lot of work to do in them. That is expected as it is a Master's course. I have read other reviews stating that the work was too hard, too long, and too much. Perhaps a Master's was not for them. Master's degrees are hard to obtain. Most Master's programs have working students. But, there is still a level of rigor that has to be upheld. ACE does a great job of providing students with the knowledge, practice, and rigor for their degree programs."

"Im very curious of those who reported low reviews of this fine online college. In some cases it was the technology (navigating, architecture) noted, which is still commensurate with most online institutions. In other cases it was the rigor some took exception to, something you would hope to see in a graduate level experience from any institution. I found the technical aspects of an online campus challenging and frustrating at times, but therein lies the rewards for those who persevere in an environment free of poster paper, smelly markers, and mind numbing presentations in a brick and mortar environment.The weekly mandate of digging into the research and challenging myself to produce graduate level papers on short timelines, was on par with any other institution. It was well worth it, and has already paid for itself in a short amount of time. In the past, I have witnessed colleagues submit less work in traditional environments from what most would consider fine institutions.Those who take issue with ACE should reconsider their angst and take their reviews inward. Thank you ACE for the value and professional advancement you brought to my life. Im extremely grateful."