scholarly journals Community-Engaged Faculty: A Must for Preparing Impactful Ed.D. Graduates

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Peterson ◽  
Jill Alexa Perry ◽  
Lina Dostilio ◽  
Debby Zambo
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Institutional Policies ◽  
Education Doctorate ◽  
Academic Environments ◽  
Problems Of Practice ◽  
Practice Doctorate ◽  
Traditional Roles

Since its inception nine years ago, CPED members have re-envisioned and implemented a new purpose for the professional practice doctorate in education, or Ed.D. This new purpose is grounded in the goal of preparing doctoral students to serve as scholarly practitioners, those who engage community as stakeholders in the process of improving problems of practice. Forming practitioners to be leaders in their communities under the CPED framework requires faculty who look beyond traditional roles by embEd.D.ing themselves in communities to work alongside practitioners working to transform their communities. Unfortunately, at many institutions, community-engagement is considered counter-normative to the traditional interpretation of research, teaching, and service, though it need not be. This paper will discuss the implications of CPED's community-engagement principle for Ed.D. programs, institutional policies, and academic environments in which community-engaged faculty do their work and the importance of these faculty members in the design of the Education Doctorate.

Laboratories of practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 346-359
Author(s):  
Valerie A. Storey ◽  
Tom Vitale ◽  
M. G. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Problems Of Practice ◽  
Practice Doctorate

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the following assertions: first, the Laboratories of Practice (LoP) promotes professional growth. Second, the LoP enhances understanding of program design and delivery. Finally, the LoP has a financial value both to the organization where the LoP took place and to the university. The paper examines the responses of program candidates from two cohorts and the community partners they served to a survey focussed on the LoPs. Design/methodology/approach – In summer 2012, Cohort 1 students and their mentors completed a survey, a milestone paper, and reflective papers. LoP mentors (critical friends (CF)) were invited to give feedback on the LoP and the program candidate. In summer 2013, data were gathered via online surveys, milestone paper, and reflection papers from two program cohorts who experienced a LoP. In total, 48 students participated in the research. Findings – In relation to assertion no. 1, both the community partners’ and the students’ experiences with respect to the LoP made clear that the fieldwork has yielded positive outcomes. Students have found that they were able to draw from the classroom learnings to address the problems of practice in the real world setting. They reflected on lessons learned about themselves as well as the process itself, which sometimes resulted in redefining the problem at hand. Finally, the goals that were accomplished by the students during the LoP experience provided them with immense satisfaction, next steps, and, in some cases, the affirmation of their choice to participate in a professional practice doctorate. In relation to assertion no. 2, LoP data have been used by faculty to refine and improve the program and the LoP experience itself. In relation to assertion no. 3, while field mentors (CF) indicate that the services provided by the students during their LoP were invaluable and provided significant insights and improvements in their workplace, it was a challenge to assign a specific financial value to the LoP. Research limitations/implications – In terms of the internal validity of the study, it is possible that the findings are weakened due to the reliance on doctoral candidates and their mentors from one professional practice doctorate, and the potential for recall bias. In the future, a longitudinal or multiple source research study would have a much stronger internal validity. In terms of external validity, the study can only be reasonably generalized to doctoral students in professional practice doctorates grounded by CPED principles. Practical implications – While each LoP is highly individual, the process does require the candidates to reflect on their professional practice and their professional growth. CF facilitate reflection and conceptual thought, thereby developing professional practice. LoPs appear to be of value both to the individual and to their organizational context. Social implications – Students’ and LoP employers’ survey responses, established and/or furthered excellent relationships with many community partners, and provided quantifiable evidence of accomplishments. Originality/value – Many professional practice doctorates are struggling with what a LoP in the field should and could look like and the benefits of a LoP. This is an innovative paper as it explains the development and learning from one program that is becoming identified with its LoP. It is likely that university faculty will be interested in the design of the LoP and the value of the LoP as indicated by the survey results to the student, mentor, faculty, and program.

scholarly journals Problems of Practice: A Document Analysis of Education Doctorate Dissertations

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Gillham ◽  
Nicole V. Williams ◽  
Gwynne Rife ◽  
Kara K. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Professional Roles ◽  
Education Doctorate ◽  
Local Contexts ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
Problems Of Practice

The purpose of this study was to learn how education doctorate students create the problems of practice researched in their dissertations, and the potential impact of their research on their local contexts to enhance the generation of knowledge.  Three research questions guided this study: 1) How do education doctorate students derive their problems of practice?, 2) What is the nature of the problems of practice that the students have studied?, and 3) What are the reported impacts the study of problems of practice has on doctoral students’ local contexts?  To answer these questions, the researchers conducted a document analysis of 19 dissertations.  Student dissertations included a diverse set of problems of practice largely determined by their professional roles.  The findings indicate a need for further refinement of the concept of a problem of practice and how the education doctorate program and their candidates employ the concept of a problem of practice in their dissertations and how this impacts local contexts. Furthermore, the nature of their problems of practice researched through the dissertation contributed to the perceived impact on the local context of the author.

scholarly journals Understanding the Problem of Practice: An Analysis of Professional Practice EdD Dissertations

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Wei Ma ◽  
Nancy Fichtman Dana ◽  
Alyson Adams ◽  
Brianna L. Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Real World ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Local Contexts ◽  
Problems Of Practice ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Large Research

Investigating a “problem of practice” is a signature feature of the EdD dissertation. Yet, little is known about how doctoral students derive their problems, the nature of the problems they study, and the impact studying problems of practice has on students’ local contexts. The purpose of this study was to investigate EdD students’ problems of practice through document analysis of 28 dissertations completed in one EdD program at a large, research-intensive university. Findings revealed that problems are derived from doctoral students’ felt difficulties and real-world dilemmas in three main categories: supporting marginalized students, increasing the quality of educator professional development, and supporting novices’ entry into the profession. Furthermore, five generic themes that describe the types of impact dissertation studies had on students’ local contexts are reported. Based on findings, four guidelines to assist EdD students in deriving problems of practice are offered.

EdD students’ identity development in a Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate program

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-53
Author(s):  
Ray R. Buss
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Possible Selves ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Doctorate ◽  
Growth And Change ◽  
Possible Selves Theory ◽  
Method Approach ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to describe how a Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate-guided EdD program has fostered the development of leadership and research skills and strong identities as learners, leaders and researching professionals (RPs) among its graduates. In doing so, the researchers explored students’ identities as learners, leaders and RPs and examined the development of those identities over a three-year period. Design/methodology/approach A mixed method approach was used, including pre- and post-program surveys and interviews. Findings The results showed students enhanced or developed these identities over time. In particular, there was substantial growth and change in the “RP” identity as compared to development of the “learner” and “leader” identities. Research limitations/implications The possible-selves theory and the provisional-selves framework (P/PS) were helpful in accounting for these changes as the program requirements fostered students’ efforts in elaborating and developing their identity roles. Further, examination of P/PS and their influence on identity development is warranted. For example, examining outcomes about more explicit use of P/PS and reflections on P/PS is warranted. See next section. Practical implications There are implications for teaching of EdD students such as faculty members making more explicit the concept of P/PS during instruction and in the work required of students. Additionally, students could be required to engage in reflection on P/PS to make this process more concrete for them. Originality/value Using P/PS provides a way to understand and foster processes underlying doctoral students’ identity development.

scholarly journals STEM Faculty Instructional Data-Use Practices: Informing Teaching Practice and Students’ Reflection on Students’ Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 291
Author(s):  
Cindy Lenhart ◽  
Jana Bouwma-Gearhart
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Instructional Technology ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Data Use ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Institutional Policies ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Stem Faculty ◽  
Standardized Curriculum ◽  
Learning Data

This paper explores the affordances and constraints of STEM faculty members’ instructional data-use practices and how they engage students (or not) in reflection around their own learning data. We found faculty used a wide variety of instructional data-use practices. We also found several constraints that influenced their instructional data-use practices, including perceived lack of time, standardized curriculum and assessments predetermined in scope and sequence, and a perceived lack of confidence and competence in their instructional data-use practices. Novel findings include faculty descriptions of instructional technology that afforded them access to immediate and nuanced instructional data. However, faculty described limited use of instructional data that engaged students in reflecting on their own learning data. We consider implications for faculty’s instructional data-use practices on departmental and institutional policies and procedures, professional development experts, and for faculty themselves.

scholarly journals International Perspectives on Designing Professional Practice Doctorates Book Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Hawkins
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Design Work ◽  
Education Doctorate ◽  
Future Design ◽  
International Perspectives

This review demonstrates how Dr. Valerie Storey and her colleagues have helped to enlighten the activities of CPED member institutions by providing a global perspective on the EdD.  Discussion links the various facets of the book to historical, structural, operational, and evaluative aspects of our future design work.  Takeaways from the review are provided for those of us who are leading the reclamation and transformation of the education doctorate.

scholarly journals Stage-Based Challenges and Strategies for Support in Doctoral Education: A Practical Guide for Students, Faculty Members, and Program Administrators

10.28945/2347 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 015-034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan J. Pifer ◽  
Vicki L. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Multiple Stakeholders ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
The Past ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Apply Theory ◽  
Recommendations For Practice

Studies of doctoral education have included an interest not only in processes, structures, and outcomes, but also in students’ experiences. There are often useful recommendations for practice within individual examinations of the doctoral experience, yet there remains a need to strengthen the application of lessons from research to the behaviors of students and others engaged in the doctoral process. This paper is the first to synthesize research about doctoral education with the particular aim of informing practical strategies for multiple stakeholders. In this article, we summarize findings from a literature review of the scholarship about doctoral education from the past 15 years in a stage-based overview of the challenges of doctoral education. Our aim is to apply theory to practice through the systematic consideration of how research about doctoral education can best inform students and those who support them in the doctoral journey. We first present an overview of the major stages of doctoral education and related challenges identified in the research. We then consider key findings of that research to offer recommendations for doctoral students, faculty members, and administrators within and across stages.

An Adaptive Model for a Rigorous Professional Practice Doctorate

2016 ◽  
pp. 478-493
Author(s):  
Robert Crow ◽  
Kofi Lomotey ◽  
Kathleen Topolka-Jorissen
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Science Methods ◽  
Adaptive Model ◽  
Improvement Science ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Know How ◽  
Practice Doctorate ◽  
Doctoral Candidates ◽  
Alternative Capstone

As part of the current re-envisioning movement in professional practice doctoral education, the culminating activity and subsequent product have received heightened scrutiny. This chapter responds to the mandate that, in order to differentiate herself from her sister, the research-based PhD dissertation, the EdD's capstone exercise and culminating product arise through a practice-based, pedagogically appropriate application reflecting the philosophy and principles established for a problem-based dissertation in practice. Inexorably bound to context, and therefore unique in purpose, practice-driven models reflect a range of purposes and formats. This chapter presents a model that engages improvement science methods, the four dimensions characterizing a problem-based thesis, and the lens of contemporary thinking on the professional practice degree. The disquisition is an alternative capstone framework that affords doctoral candidates the opportunity to develop the qualitatively distinct ‘empirically-grounded know-how' of practitioner-scholar thinking.

An Adaptive Model for a Rigorous Professional Practice Doctorate

2016 ◽  
pp. 205-220
Author(s):  
Robert Crow ◽  
Kofi Lomotey ◽  
Kathleen Topolka-Jorissen
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Science Methods ◽  
Adaptive Model ◽  
Improvement Science ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Know How ◽  
Practice Doctorate ◽  
Doctoral Candidates ◽  
Alternative Capstone

As part of the current re-envisioning movement in professional practice doctoral education, the culminating activity and subsequent product have received heightened scrutiny. This chapter responds to the mandate that, in order to differentiate herself from her sister, the research-based PhD dissertation, the EdD's capstone exercise and culminating product arise through a practice-based, pedagogically appropriate application reflecting the philosophy and principles established for a problem-based dissertation in practice. Inexorably bound to context, and therefore unique in purpose, practice-driven models reflect a range of purposes and formats. This chapter presents a model that engages improvement science methods, the four dimensions characterizing a problem-based thesis, and the lens of contemporary thinking on the professional practice degree. The disquisition is an alternative capstone framework that affords doctoral candidates the opportunity to develop the qualitatively distinct ‘empirically-grounded know-how' of practitioner-scholar thinking.

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