Starting my M.Ed. Program on 11/11

Congrats, Acolyte, for completing half of your journey.

Less is more, and today's MS PowerPoint's AI-enhanced Designer can assist me with lots of impressive ideas for presentation.

BTW, from the score, experience, and your assigned work, I believe the University guys could easily identify who you really are on their list ... Could that bother you?

 

I'm not sure what you mean? DO you mean that someone from ACE might see these posts on this forum? I'm only sharing my experiences - not intending anything nefarious. This is most likely my last college experience. I'm 54 and this is my second Master's. I'm just sharing with the hope that it let's someone know what to expect if they chose to go with ACE.

 

The ACE Experience
12.30.24

Things have been quiet for ACE over the holidays. Classes start up again on 01/6/25. I have received notice that the class will be "published and unlocked" on 01/3/25. Also, the tuition bill for the class will also be posted to my account on 1/3/25.
There has been lots of chatter on the ACE portal chat and people starting groups on the "GroupMe" app for the upcoming classes. I held off on taking the initiative of starting a group for my upcoming class to see if anyone else would, and someone did.

As promised, here are some graphics I built for the papers in the first class, submitted here just as examples of how basic they could be and still fulfill the requirements.
I decided to make all of mine match in style so that when the final paper/document was compiled from the separate assignments it would feel like a cohesive doc, but other students submitted a wide range of style and complexity in their graphics. More next week after classes start.

 

The ACE Experience
01.07.25

This first session I am taking "Design of Instructional Media"

Classes for the new quarter technically started yesterday, although they "published" the classes on Friday. The first week seems a lot like the first week of the previous class:

• Mandatory Attendance confirmation
• Pre-Course self evaluation
• "Getting to Know You" post on the discussion forum about who you are and why you are here
• A 2-3 page paper incorporating a graphic representation of the value you bring to a client as an instructional designer. (This class is all about abstracting concepts to visuals)
• Three video "lectures" (about 12 minutes of content)
• A discussion post about your graphic paper
• Two responses to classmates about their posts

Oh, and something the forum may find interesting. American College of Education (ACE) is 20 years old this year.

Here's a little timeline they put together:
https://ace.edu/campaigns/ace-20th-anniversary/?_cldee=Jtxuu5xmgbff301zowvmEPWU8PeVOSdYmnpJcJkBs9X973CThyvZQ4273qjfZjWK&recipientid=lead-8b2e321054d6ee119079000d3a4f1235-b34cab9e282741e7920c90f39e4910e7&utm_source=ClickDimensions&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACE%2020th%20Anniversary&esid=a1414bab-d8b0-ef11-b8e8-7c1e5247ba68

 

The ACE Experience
01.16.25

Not much to tell this week - My first week assignments have finally been graded and I'm at 100%. I've completed my discussion posts and replies for this week and haven't quite started my paper yet (Due Sunday evenings)
This week's paper is designing an online training course. They've provided a three page template for guidance. I've done this work before in my previous Master's program, but it can be time consuming trying to get all the required bits into place. I don't want to wait until Sunday afternoon to get started, but that happens sometimes. So far I'm still spending about 8-10 hours a week on this degree.

And of note: the HLC (Higher Learning Commission) just renewed ACE's accreditation for another 10 years, which bodes well for anyone considering ACE.

https://ace.edu/news/ace-gets-full-hlc-reaffirmation/

 

The ACE Experience
02.06.25

This is the fifth and final week of this period. So far, I'm still holding steady at 100% for this class.
The instruction has followed the same pattern since week 2. Video lectures / teachings. Some recommended/required reading, a discussion board post, two responses to other's posts, and a project due by late Sunday night.
I typically do the videos and readings on Monday and / or Tuesday - the discussion post on Tuesday or Weds, then at least get started on the homework at some point so I don't have a blank page waiting for me on Sunday.

The discussion posts have often been more than just a post on their platform - they have required attaching other work (like a course outline or a video or other presentation) so, you have to put the time into creating that as well.
I also try to respond to at least THREE people instead of the required TWO. It's kind of an assurance that I get 100%.
The instructor usually sends a reminder email in the middle of the week to see if anyone needs help, but other than that, this course has been rather self-guided.

This class "Design of Instructional Media" has also been very graphics and video/presentation heavy. It doesn't bother me much because that is my job - but I can see how it would be difficult for some - I just find it time consuming.
Like, I've just done 8 hours of video and animation for my job, and here is another 3 hours to make something for this class, lol.

The bottom line is that I have one more assignment to complete this class - first, you need to evaluate the course plan you designed using one of two recommended Quality Assurance checklists, then write a three page paper about
the knowledge and skills you have acquired in this course and how you applied them in your course design. You need to include your initial course plan as an appendix. That's due on Sunday night.

Once I've submitted that, I will have completed TWO classes at ACE. Combined with the three they allowed me to transfer - that puts me exactly at the halfway point in the journey toward the M.Ed.

 

The ACE Experience
02.13.25
Got my final grades back from the last two assignments. Completed the class with 100%. The next class will begin on Monday. I've been enjoying my week without homework. I have five classes remaining and a one credit "capstone" project to complete the degree program.

 

The ACE Experience
03.04.25
I haven't posted in awhile because there has been nothing of significance to post. The class I'm taking now is the advanced version of the class I took last session and it has been a bit more of a heavy lift. We are actually building out the courses we designed in the previous class - this means authoring in an eLearning package. I must admit that even though I already have an MS in Instructional Design, the experience in the previous degree was all about the content design - you never had to author it or craft the functionality. Their philosophy was that "the tools will change and evolve" so it was better to focus on theory. This program seems intent on having you author at least one course in an eLearning package.

Also, in my job, I tend to create media assets and provide them to the ID team - they do the authoring. So this is a bit of a learning curve for me and it's stressing me a bit. That said, we are in the middle of week 3 so I have just hit the halfway point of this class and I still have 100%. Not sure about what I turned in on Sunday, though. One thing I will say is that I don't feel they instructors have been harsh with their grading - they just expect to see progress and evidence of work...so far.

 

The ACE Experience
03.27.25
Another 5 week session is complete. The next session starts April 7th.
This 5 weeks was difficult for me. It was, after all called "Advanced Design of Instructional Media" - I have decades of experience writing and creating video and graphics for instructional/informational purposes, but I have still not come to grips with an appropriate authoring package for eLearning. I downloaded iSpring FREE which will allow you to add some functionality directly to a powerpoint, and I tried a free package called "OpeneLearning" but it was clunky and the bottom line is that for the interactivity I called for in my instructional design, the only real contenders would have been the full iSpring suite or Articulate Storyline. I downloaded 15 day trial versions, thinking I could muster something up to complete my course - but these things are A LOT more intense than I thought.

So, I kept writing the papers, and building out my course from the ID /content perspective each week. Where I could not show ACTUAL authored course interactivity, I did create animated videos SIMULATING the user experience. I also wrote of my frustration that graphic design, instructional design, video production, layout and UX design and eLeraning authoring are all separate skill sets - and yet the modern instructional designer is supposed to be good at all of them. It took me years to have any kind of decent design skills, why would I be able to pick up eLearning authoring in a week or so?

Because the final paper due was supposed to include an authored course, which I did not complete, I thought for sure I would have blown my GPA (as if that matters) but I did turn in a full content document that included all of the video scripting and interactive pieces mapped out with my final paper and the prof accepted it as a "completed course". Probably because I had been helpful to others in the discussion posts, there was steady and notable progress on my project over the 5 week course, my papers were all academically sound and properly referenced, and the feedback I got on my posts about trying to master all of these skills at once seeming kind of unfair really hit home with a lot of my cohort as many of them are teachers and they have the instructional design part covered but they struggle with video, graphics, and the authoring part as well.

So, happy to say, I completed the course with an "A" and I am 58% done with the degree program having started in November, that's pretty good. 4 classes and a one credit "capstone portfolio" to go.

 

he ACE Experience
04.30.25

Hello gang, not much to report. This 5 weeks has been "Online Course Design" and I have been heads down with it when I had the chance. There has been a lot of overlap in my opinion between the last few classes - this time I'm making a go of authoring a course in CANVAS. It's less about interactivity and more about content. It's overlaps heavily with some of the work I did in my previous degree program, and to be honest I find it tedious. Writing goals, Objectives, and putting together task inventories is definitely at the crux of what Instructional Design is, but I think I would enjoy it more without the time constraints / due dates of the class. That said, we are in week 4 of 5 and I am still carrying an "A" in this class with a few points knocked off here and there on my assignments, but overall I've been keeping up.

The class has been following the familiar format - some videos to watch that introduce concepts and explain a few things, assigned readings from the online library, a discussion post and two responses (they appreciate more - even one extra post seems to guarantee you full credit on those assignments). Then some kind of paper is expected along with adding content to your online course as we go.

On a personal note, It's been hard for me to keep up this session as I've had some health issues and just had surgery yesterday - in addition to having some contract work done on my house that left me without a functioning bathroom for about a week among other things, lol. It's been difficult to keep on track.
I have tended to get my discussion posts done at the last minute (Thursdays) and let my major assignments wait until the last minute as well late into Sunday night. Which has just added to the stress.
That said, the work isn't necessarily difficult, and if I were just a little more disciplined, putting in a couple of hours each evening, I would be fine.

I think the lesson is that discipline is the real lesson - especially when it comes to online learning. After this class, I have three classes and a one credit capstone portfolio to go.

 

The ACE Experience 06.05.25

Hello gang,
It's been more than a month since I posted. I am halfway through my current class and I only have two classes left after I complete this one (I'll be done June 22 with this class) I'm still carrying a 4.0 GPA. The current class is "Instructional Strategies for the Adult Learner". The first couple of weeks were actually pretty intense, a longer paper (3-5 pages) was due the first week in which we had to compare five published sources on adult education and explain which learning theories were at work and what strategies were used, key takeaways, etc. We also had to build out a table summarizing our findings in addition to the paper. The second week was designing a five day curriculum on a topic of our choice for adult learners incorporating various activities that were backed by adult learning theories. These were in addition to the weekly videos, assigned readings, and our discussion posts and two required responses.

Overall the workload was a bit heavy and I put in quite a few hours on these projects. To be honest, I am burning out a bit on school and it is taking a toll on me. I find myself going over things I read in my head and in my sleep, and worrying that I didn't turn in something that the professor wanted or that I am going to fall to less than a B in the class and I won't be reimbursed. But so far, I have a 4.0 as always.

Occasionally I get delusions of grandeur and think I could pursue yet another degree in the future, especially when you can acquire one in about a year, but there are so many things I would rather be doing, lol.

 

They call this senioritis and I've experienced it in every program I've done. Something about getting close, especially after putting in so many hours, makes it hard to pull yourself over the finish line. But it's so worth it!

 

The ACE Experience
06.24.25

Well, Sunday night I completed my final Application paper for this course. It was mostly about comparing various adult education theories and their practical application and how that lines up with your personal philosophy. We did have to create a visual presentation two weeks about about our own adult educational philosophy (backed by theory and scholarly sources, of course) so there was a video that I had to make for this class as well, lol.

This was the first class that had an actual "final exam" and actually it had quizzes each week - none of the other classes have followed that format but I feel like it's an easy win for both the instructor and the student - the quizzes cover the concepts covered in the "video lectures" - so it's easy points for the student and it ensures that even if you didn't watch and retain the video content, you would have had to at least reference it or the transcripts (ACE provides transcripts in a pdf form for each video which is nice) to pass the quiz.

Even though the final exam is basically "open book" since you have access to all of your materials, I still missed two questions I was trying to actually TEST myself to see how I would do with the material.

I managed to end the class with another "A" 98.61% with a few points off here and there on papers, mostly for minor APA formatting issues, but the prof was unhappy with the lack of overall summary on one paper as well.

I now have TWO WEEKS off before the next class starts on July 7.
One other note - I have been recovering from Achilles tendon surgery (April 29) and I was really hoping to be mobile for the commencement ceremony on July 25 but I'm really uncertain about it so I just canceled my confirmation with the college. It's a bit of a disappointment, but even if I am mobile I might be on a walker or crutches or something and I don't want to navigate some big event like that. It's kind of shame because the college usually has the ceremony in Indianapolis, where the college is located - but it has gotten so big - for the first time - they decided to have it in a larger arena and they are having it here in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

The surgery is more than the normal tear that most people experience and it required a piece of donor tendon from higher up on my leg so recovery has been more involved. I think I'm at 8+ weeks since surgery now and I'm still not even properly hobbling around. I'm in the midst of PT sessions twice a week as well. Oh well, it's given me plenty of time to lie around and work on school stuff.

My degree roadmap is now at 77% and I should be done by Labor Day:

 

Get better soon, and congratulations!

 

The ACE Experience 07.28.25
Well, the commencement / graduation ceremony was this past weekend and I did not participate. My healing is progressing normally, but I think it would have been a bit much for me to navigate, so it was probably for the best that I skipped it. I am now in the 4th week of my current 5 week class, "Assessing Adult Learners" and I must say it's been a little easier than the previous course. The format remains the same - a set of videos, downloadable readings, participation in the discussion forum (which is really like doing a mini-paper as they are often required to be supported with APA citations, etc.) a unit quiz, and a paper or project due by Sunday evening. The first week was the most work with a 3-5 page paper as the first project, but the second week was a rubric design project and this past week was an "academic poster" project which I designed in Canva. Don't get me wrong, all projects required some writing and scholarly references, etc. but for me these past two projects were a little less intense and time consuming than writing a full paper. The professor also seems to grade very quickly - I get my Sunday project grades back on Monday afternoon, whereas with the previous class it could take up until the end of the week.

There are two weeks left in this class - this week and next, then a week break and I start my final class. I think I will be done around mid-September.

Has anyone else taken any classes or completed a degree with ACE? I'd be curious as to their experiences. I'll reserve my full critique until I've finished my program.
Cheers!

 

I officially became a graduate on September 30, 2025. My last class was completed on 9/21. I ended with a 4.0 GPA.
I actually had typed up a summary and review here a couple of weeks ago, but had to pivot to other things and when I came back and submitted my post - the site had signed me out and I lost the entire post. :-( .

So, how would I rate my ACE experience? At this point I have technically attended six different colleges. Five of them are listed in my signature, but I also enrolled in Franklin university back in about 2007 for an MBA program - I didn't make it past the first couple of weeks as I got overwhelmed and realized that school was NOT what I wanted to be doing right then.

As far as the level and depth of work expected, I would say that ACE was not as intense as my previous MS program. The bulk of the work was reading academic papers, writing papers, and responding to others in the discussion forum. My previous program required between 16-20 hours a week on average and required a wider range of assignment deliverables. The ACE program required about 12 hours each week - fairly consistently. I definitely had some late nights, but in general I was able to complete the work by breaking it up into a couple of evenings during the week and a full day on Sundays.

Would I recommend it? Looking at online Master's programs, I was looking for a credential that will make me more competitive as I age toward retirement, and of course, I wanted to learn something. Price was also a factor - my employer covered all but about $1000 of this program. I maxed out my tuition reimbursement this year and had to cover the rest myself. I think ACE is a good solution for someone that is in a similar position - if you are looking for a lot of interaction from your instructors and cohort, or are looking for a very rigorous, research-driven coursework, ACE is probably a little lighter than what you are looking for. Not that the work wasn't academically sound, I read a LOT of papers and studies, It was just lighter on requiring original thought - I often felt like my papers were comparative in nature - so I would try to incorporate other sources to support broader interpretations of the material - but maybe that's why I did end up with a 4.0, I'm not sure where the expectations for what level of effort were considered "A" work, lol.

I was able to complete the program in less than one year (I had transferred the max of three classes from my previous MS program) , by putting forth about 12+ hours per week of work, for a total out of pocket expense of about $1000 due to my employer's reimbursement program. If you are self-motivated, disciplined, and looking to earn an online degree with an affordable price tag and a manageable workload, it's worth exploring what ACE has to offer.

I'll post a pic of my diploma once it arrives.

 

Got notice that my diploma is on the way and a link to a digital version at Parchment. I assume the "Distinguished Graduate" addition is for my 4.0.

 

Congratulations!

 

Congratulations, Acolyte!

That's a great looking diploma. Planning to hang it up somewhere?

 

Congratulations!