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Learning design
Connect technology choices with instructional goals. Assess how digital activities and feedback support the knowledge and skills learners need to develop.
Ph.D. / Ed.D. · Online
Make technology serve learning. Develop the research expertise to evaluate digital tools and make informed decisions about how they are used in education.
For educators and learning professionals preparing to guide technology use and evaluate its educational value.
Educational purpose. Informed decisions.
Choosing educational technology starts with understanding what learners need. Its value depends on how well it supports instruction and what learners achieve through its use.
NMU’s Education Technology program combines doctoral research with the study of technology in educational practice. Develop the ability to assess learning tools and guide implementation with a clear basis for evaluating results.
Connect technology choices with instructional goals. Assess how digital activities and feedback support the knowledge and skills learners need to develop.
Examine the evidence behind a tool’s learning claims. Consider the quality of its evaluation and its relevance to the intended learners.
Plan how technology will fit educational practice. Identify the preparation and ongoing support educators need to use it effectively.
Assess whether learners can use a tool meaningfully. Consider accessibility needs and the practical barriers that affect participation in digital learning.
Interpret digital learning records with attention to what they can show. Make informed judgments about student privacy and appropriate use of educational data.
Field context · National Center for Education Statistics
School technology decisions affect learning at scale. NCES’s December 2024 School Pulse Panel reported:
of U.S. public K–12 schools had a program providing every student a school-issued device for the 2024–25 school year.
NCES · School Pulse Panel · February 2025 release ↗
Experimental survey estimate of reported school practices; it does not measure effects on learning.
For professionals guiding these investments, research expertise helps connect technology decisions to instructional needs and assess their educational value.
Guide technology selection and use in schools or districts. Support educators and evaluate how implementation serves instructional priorities.
Develop and evaluate technology-supported learning experiences. Use educational research to inform course design and decisions about digital tools.
Assess the usability and educational value of learning products. Communicate findings that help product teams improve their tools.
Evaluate digital learning initiatives within educational organizations. Help decision-makers determine what to continue, improve, or replace.
These are possible professional applications. Qualifications vary by role and employer; prior experience and other requirements may apply.
Advanced research in practice
Assess whether a study’s measures and comparisons support its conclusions. Examine whether findings apply to the learners and setting in which a tool will be used.
Combine quantitative and qualitative evidence to understand how technology is used. Examine how instructional practice and educator support influence the results.
Compare educational benefits with implementation demands and costs. Present findings that help institutions make defensible decisions about continued use.
U.S. Department of Education guidance calls for independent evidence of learning benefits and regular reviews of effectiveness. Advanced research skills help you assess that evidence and determine whether a tool serves its educational purpose.
A 2026 research review published by IES reports mixed learning effects from student-facing AI tools and limited strong causal evidence. Research training helps you assess the strength of new findings and explain their limits before recommending adoption.
Ph.D. pathway
Conduct original research that contributes to understanding how technology supports learning and influences educational practice.
Ed.D. pathway
Apply research to technology use within educational organizations, producing findings that inform implementation and institutional improvement.
Foundational coursework differs by pathway and develops the scholarly writing and ethical judgment needed for doctoral research.
Complete EDU720 and EDU721, Current Issues in Education Research I and II, for the Ph.D.; or EDD722 and EDD723, Current Issues in Education Practice I and II, for the Ed.D. These courses total six credits. Select another 12 elective credits with faculty and advisors.
Work with your committee to develop and defend a proposal. Complete the study and present your findings in a written dissertation and final oral defense.
Research involving human participants requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before data collection. Research also requires appropriate data access and protection of confidential information.
From coursework to defense
Coursework is online and asynchronous, with four instructional weeks in each monthly term. Students normally take one course per term.
An advisor helps you plan your studies from admission. Writing support and faculty office hours are available throughout your coursework.
After coursework, complete the candidacy examination and defend a proposal developed with your committee.
Obtain required ethics approval, carry out your research, and defend the completed dissertation before your committee.
Tuition
Per three-credit course for eligible geographic pricing zones. Additional fees apply.
Spread the cost of your doctorate across your studies. Pay for each course as you enroll, making tuition easier to manage.
The catalog lists a $20 application fee, $50 registration fee, and $200 graduation fee. Ask admissions for an itemized breakdown before enrolling.
Eligible first-time students receive a 50% tuition reduction on their first course, subject to catalog terms.
Rates are in USD. Source: NMU 2026–2027 catalog.
Your starting point
NMU reviews your academic preparation and readiness for doctoral study. Discuss how your education or learning technology experience fits the program and which pathway supports your goals.
Before you decide
Education Technology focuses on technology’s role in teaching and learning. Information Technology Management in the School of Technology focuses on managing IT systems and services. Choose according to the professional work you want to develop.
Doctoral study adds advanced research methods and a dissertation to your graduate preparation. Develop the ability to evaluate research on learning technology and conduct studies that contribute to scholarship or educational practice.
The Ph.D. emphasizes original research that contributes to education scholarship. The Ed.D. emphasizes applied research addressing technology use and improvement in educational organizations. Discuss your goals with admissions to choose the appropriate pathway.
The catalog allows up to six transfer credits, limited to approved electives. Courses are evaluated individually for equivalence. A prior master’s degree does not automatically shorten the program.
Asynchronous coursework lets you plan study around work, within published deadlines. Proposal and final oral defenses require scheduled participation. Completion depends on your progress through coursework and dissertation milestones; the catalog allows up to seven years from first enrollment.
The university catalog explains NMU’s status. NMU does not hold accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA. Check with an employer or receiving institution about acceptance for your intended use.
Education Technology · Ph.D. / Ed.D.
Speak with admissions about your qualifications and whether the program fits your goals.
Fill out the form to get personalized guidance and explore how New Meridian University can support your doctoral goals.