scholarly journals Evaluating a Model to Increase Doctorate Program Completion Rates: A Focus on Social Connectedness and Structure

10.28945/4239 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 217-236
Author(s):  
Erin Breitenbach
Keyword(s):  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Curriculum And Instruction ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Program Completion ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Completion Rates ◽  
Survey Question ◽  
New Model ◽  
Emotional Strain

Aim/Purpose: New models of curriculum and instruction are needed to help increase completion rates of doctoral programs, as only about half of all students who begin doctoral programs complete them. This paper presents preliminary results of an evaluation of a promising new model called the Ewing Model© where the culminating projects of a doctoral program is completed in a series of five sequential courses with a cohort. Background: The Ewing Model©, a new model for completing a doctoral research project (DRP) in an online Doctor of Education (EdD) program, was implemented and evaluated for two predictors of doctoral program completion – social connectedness and usefulness of the curriculum and instruction. Previous research has shown these are salient factors predicting doctoral student success. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, quantitative study. An online survey of students who were in the midst of taking one of five sequential DRP courses was emailed in the middle of a term. Survey question answers were posed as 5-point Likert scale options, and means were calculated. Contribution: This paper provides evidence that the Ewing Model© for completing a culminating project in a doctoral program that facilitates social connectedness and provides structure might be effective in helping students to complete their doctoral programs. Findings: Social connectedness and usefulness of the curriculum and instruction were generally high among students going through the DRP process. The frequency of online discussion forums was found to play a role in how connected students felt. Recommendations for Practitioners: Institutions of higher education could consider using a similar model to achieve improved social connectedness and usefulness of the curriculum and instruction, which may help doctoral students complete their doctoral programs. They might also consider incorporating other teaching strategies into the same model that may intervene on other predictors of doctoral program completion. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should take into account that many other individual and environmental factors besides social connectedness and usefulness of the curriculum and instruction influence doctoral program completion. Impact on Society: The findings have implications for improving doctoral program completion rates, which also alleviates the economic, social, and emotional strain that results from unfinished doctoral degrees. Future Research: Future research could focus on evaluating variations of the Ewing Model© depending on the unique requirements of different types of culminating projects in doctoral programs, assessing other known predictors of doctoral program completion besides social connectedness and usefulness of the curriculum and instruction, and assessing student completion rates using this model.

scholarly journals In Good Company: A Collaborative Autoethnography Describing the Evolution of a Successful Doctoral Cohort

10.28945/4078 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 293-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn A Wolfe ◽  
Allison Berger Nelson ◽  
Christina L Seamster
Keyword(s):  
Adult Students ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Collective Learning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Doctoral Cohort ◽  
Varying Environments ◽  
The Individual

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the creation and organization of an organic collaborative doctoral cohort, in order to better understand what makes doctoral cohorts successful. The participant-researchers explore their experience as creators and members of this unique group. Background: Although adults often prefer to work on their own, cohorts provide opportunities for collaboration as well as academic and professional support. The authors explore the purposeful, knowledgeable, and relational collective learning environment created by these adult students. Methodology: Through the use of a collaborative autoethnography, the authors are able to examine the individual and collective purpose of this student-led group. This methodology allowed each participant-researcher the opportunity to reflect on their rationale for participating in an organic cohort. Contribution: While traditional cohorts match students with similar areas of focus, this study found value in the cohort’s diversity. The differing subjects and individual areas of expertise of each cohort member continuously provided a great benefit for each member of the cohort. Findings: This study found that doctoral cohorts may be more successful if students are allowed to form them on their own. When cohorts are organically created by the members involved, the group can solidify when the timing is right for each member and for the group as a whole. Recommendations for Practitioners: Directors of doctoral programs should encourage the formation of naturally emerging cohorts by supporting and encouraging relationships among their emerging leader-scholars. Recommendation for Researchers: This study examined the creation of one organic collaborative cohort; consequently, more research is needed to understand when and how other cohorts form and what the members of other cohorts view as advantageous. Impact on Society: While this cohort was created during a doctoral program, the practicality of organically created cohorts can be applied to training, group building, or educational programs across varying environments. Future Research: Because cohorts vary throughout universities and programs, more research is needed on why driven and dedicated individuals choose to create and dedicate themselves to cohorts, rather than working on their own.

scholarly journals Chair Agency, Chair Preparation, and Academic Supports in Educational Leadership Doctoral Programs in the United States

10.28945/4507 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 111-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason A LaFrance ◽  
Diane LaFrance ◽  
Teri D Melton
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Completion Rates ◽  
Academic Supports

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory qualitative case study was to understand dissertation chair agency, chair preparation, and academic supports provided by experienced Educational Leadership Ed.D. dissertation chairs in the United States. Background: Previous research has identified attrition rates of 50-60 percent in education doctoral programs. This research helps identify the faculty profiles and academic supports provided by Educational Leadership faculty who have served on successful dissertation committees. Understanding these findings may help to improve retention and completion in other doctoral programs. Methodology: This was an exploratory qualitative case study. Ten doctoral faculty who have successfully chaired 419 Ed.D. Educational Leadership dissertations at accredited U.S. colleges and universities were interviewed. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Contribution: The findings from this study contribute to the body of knowledge on doctoral retention and dissertation completion by providing information on promising practices from the perspective of dissertation chairs. Findings: While successful dissertation chairs exhibited expertise as researchers, seven of the ten participants reported that they had limited training for chairing dissertations. Academic supports included coursework that was organized coherently with a focus on opportunities for substantive feedback, writing support and research methodology. Recommendations for Practitioners: Dissertation chairs should utilize their agency to ensure that the program has the proper resources to support doctoral education. This includes adequate writing support for graduate students, courses taught by faculty who are engaged in research and understand the requirements for completing a dissertation, and protecting faculty time so that they are able to provide students substantive feedback within coursework and at the dissertation phase. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should continue to explore the causes of attrition in doctoral programs and identify specific actions that can be taken to improve program completion rates. Impact on Society: Increasingly U.S. institutions of higher learning are being called to validate their success and improve retention rates. Understanding the faculty profiles and academic supports utilized by successful doctoral faculty has the potential to improve retention and thereby increase completion rates and consequentially alleviate the stressors that ABD students experience. Future Research: Future research could focus on expanding the findings of this study by exploring the perspectives of faculty based on institution type and examining how socio-emotional factors such as student-student and faculty-student relationships are intentionally established in programs with high graduation rates.

scholarly journals Ranking of Accounting Doctoral Programs Based on Student Ratings in Ratemyprofessors.com and the Effect of Formal Teaching Training on the Rankings

10.28945/4252 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 307-324
Author(s):  
Kam C Chan ◽  
Barbara R Farrell ◽  
Patricia Healy ◽  
Annie Wong
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Student Ratings ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Doctoral Graduates ◽  
Program Administrators

Aim/Purpose: Although there are calls for better teaching training for accounting doctoral students, there are limited research findings on rankings of accounting doctoral programs based on the teaching effectiveness of their graduates. Background: There are two research objectives of this study. First, we rank the US accounting doctoral programs based on the student perceptions of the teaching effectiveness of their graduates using student ratings in ratemyprofessors.com. Second, we examine whether the ranking is associated with the presence of formal teaching training in the doctoral programs. Methodology: Overall quality ratings posted in ratemyprofessors.com are collected for 822 accounting professors who graduated in 2001-10 from 75 US accounting doctoral programs. The curriculum information is collected from the web pages of their doctoral programs. Contribution: This study fills two voids in the literature. Unlike previous accounting doctoral studies that rank programs based on the amount of research output of the graduates, this paper ranks programs based on the perceived teaching effectiveness of the graduates. It also adds insights into the importance of offering formal teaching training to doctoral students, which is called for by the AACSB. Findings: We find that the teaching ranking in this study is only mildly related to previous research rankings that were based on the research output of doctoral graduates. We also find that doctoral programs with higher rankings in this study are more likely to have formal teaching training in their programs. Recommendations for Practitioners: Given the findings in this study and the literature, accounting doctoral program administrators should incorporate or strengthen a formal teaching training component in doctoral programs. Recommendation for Researchers: There is a need for researchers on doctoral program evaluations to broaden their scope of assessment to include both teaching scholarship and research output of the doctoral graduates. Impact on Society: The findings in this study show that there is limited formal teaching training for accounting doctoral students, which is consistent with results in the literature of other fields. This study echoes the calls for more training on how to teach to improve the teaching ability of the graduates. When doctoral graduates become more effective professors, the learning outcome among college students can be improved as a result. Future Research: Future research can explore other better and more direct measures of teaching effectiveness in the evaluation of the accounting doctoral graduates and the accounting doctoral programs. The effect and the methods of more innovative pedagogical training on doctoral students can also be examined.

scholarly journals Assessing Doctoral Student Development of Self-Authorship: The Epistemological, Intrapersonal, and Interpersonal Growths

10.28945/4413 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 597-611
Author(s):  
Mohammed S Alkathiri
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Student ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Defined Contribution ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Self Authorship

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess to what extent current doctoral students developed self-authored perspectives, as well as to assess whether or not there was an association between the number of years in the doctoral program and the development of three dimensions of self-authorship (i.e., Epistemological, Intrapersonal, and Interpersonal). Background: Self-authorship is a way of knowing that assists adults in the management of their lives in a way that helps them succeed in society. It is important to study the development of self-authorship in doctoral students because such development is necessary for individuals to overcome the challenges they experience in doctoral programs. The importance of this study rests on the fact that self-authorship development may prompt doctoral students’ ability to succeed in the completion of their doctoral degrees, as well as to meet the challenges of their future in academia. Methodology: Forty-five doctoral students in a Teaching and Learning program were surveyed on three constructs: Epistemological, Intrapersonal, and Interpersonal. The Doctoral Students’ Self-Authorship Questionnaire was developed by the author based on Baxter Magolda’s theory of self-authorship development. Three level-two constructs of self-authorship were conceptually and operationally defined. Contribution: There is no instrument available (i.e., a questionnaire) to assess the self-authorship perspectives of doctoral students. Although it is expected that people will develop self-authored perspectives as they get older, it is unknown to what extent current doctoral students develop self-authorship. No previous studies have assessed doctoral student self-authorship. Findings: The findings showed that participants had advanced levels in all three dimensions and continued to develop towards self-authorship. However, results showed a nonsignificant association between years in the doctoral program and self-authorship development. In other words, although doctoral students spend many years in certain programs, this spent time does not contribute significantly to their development of self-authorship. Recommendations for Practitioners: The current study suggested that doctoral programs should investigate their students’ development toward self-authorship and provide them with more opportunities to better improve their self-authorship. Recommendation for Researchers: The findings suggest further research into the developmental opportunities available for students within doctoral programs that assist students’ ability to develop self-authored perspectives. Impact on Society: The findings supported the importance of assessing doctoral students’ self-authorship as part of doctoral programs. Without the assessment of doctoral student development of self-authorship in their programs, less effort might be taken to address student needs in developing self-authorship. Future Research: Future research may continue the study of self-authorship for doctoral students from different disciplines or schools, especially where attrition rates are high.

scholarly journals Examining Educational Leadership Doctoral Students’ Self-Efficacy as Related to Their Role as a Scholarly Practitioner Researcher

10.28945/4811 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 487-512
Author(s):  
Juliann S McBrayer ◽  
Katherine Fallon ◽  
Steven Tolman ◽  
Daniel W Calhoun ◽  
Emily Ballesteros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Degree Completion ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Program Completion ◽  
Practitioner Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Doctoral Preparation

Aim/Purpose: This study examined an educational leadership doctoral preparation program to better understand how students’ self-efficacy evolves from the lens of a scholarly practitioner researcher as they progress through specified checkpoints to degree completion. The aim was to identify what factors contributed to building scholarly practitioner researcher skills and what factors hindered the development of doctoral students as they progressed through their educational leadership preparation program. Background: Doctoral programs have the highest attrition of graduate programs, with almost half of the successful students taking six to seven years to complete. Thus, educational leadership doctoral preparation programs must find ways to enhance students’ perceived capability in an effort to facilitate their progress through the program in a timely manner. The researchers believe having high research self-efficacy coupled with evidence-based practices to strengthen scholarly practitioner research skills may be a contributor to effective program progression if viewed from the lens of a scholarly practitioner researcher. Methodology: A mixed-methods study utilizing an ex-post-facto research design based on descriptive statistics coupled with an analysis of qualitative data examined students’ perceived self-efficacy of educational leadership doctoral students in relation to their rate of progression. Contribution: This study provides other doctoral programs a lens into the importance of maintaining students’ high self-efficacy, specifically in the area of scholarly practitioner research to ensure efficient progression through the program to completion in a timely manner. Findings: Educational leadership doctoral students in the specified cohorts reported high self-efficacy at the pre-, mid-, and post-assessment checkpoints in the program during their coursework tier, and findings revealed this high self-efficacy was sustained throughout this progression to the dissertation tier. Four overarching narrative themes influencing students self-efficacy in scholarly practitioner research were identified as Social Support, Academic Challenges, Discipline, Effort, and Motivation, and Personal Challenges. Recommendations for Practitioners: Educational leadership and related doctoral programs should consider using a scholarly practitioner researcher approach. This focus may lead to faster rates of degree completion and better prepared students to solve problems of practice in their practitioner settings. Recommendation for Researchers: While the results are promising in support of evidence-based practices to prepare scholarly practitioner researchers, in turn sustaining or supporting high levels of self-efficacy may prove impactful, thus warranting further research. Impact on Society: Ensuring high levels of self-efficacy may help students to complete their doctoral degree in a timelier manner due to the perception they are capable of program completion and may also, better prepare students to serve as scholarly practitioner researchers in their educational settings. Future Research: Future research should continue longitudinally to examine self-efficacy from the lens of a scholarly practitioner researcher to better understand how this shapes doctoral students’ efforts and capabilities in their doctoral work from admit to program completion. Additionally, future research can quantitively assess a model identifying the relationship between self-efficacy and the four identified themes for the development of doctoral students’ research skills as scholarly practitioners.

scholarly journals Parents Pursuing a Doctorate of Education: A Mixed Methods Examination of How Parents Manage the Roles of Student and Parent

10.28945/4741 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 253-272
Author(s):  
Amy J Catalano ◽  
Susan T Radin
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Barriers To Advancement ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Education Doctorate ◽  
Student Parents ◽  
Decisions To Leave

Aim/Purpose: Doctoral students who are parents are increasingly more common, particularly in female-dominated disciplines, such as education. This study aims to examine the experiences of parents pursuing an education doctorate Background: This study examines the experiences of doctoral students who are parents and their perceptions of support in order to determine how programs and faculty can better serve students. Methodology: This mixed methods study examines the experiences of 52 doctoral students who were parents or became parents during their doctoral program. Methods includes surveys and interviews. Contribution: Very little published literature focuses on the experiences of both mothers and fathers who are doctoral students. This study is unique in that education doctoral students are generally established professionals with families and career success. Findings: Among participants, 37% were women who became pregnant during the program. While most parents persisted in the program to graduate with a doctorate, several participants, including fathers, discussed their decisions to leave the doctoral program due to family responsibilities. Recommendations for Practitioners: In order to uphold standards for a high-quality doctoral education, while also supporting student-parents, recommendations are presented for both doctoral programs and students. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research is needed on LGBTQ families and single-parent families of lower incomes. Impact on Society: Differences between workloads and barriers to advancement still persist for mothers in comparison to fathers. Future Research: Future research should examine the experiences of fathers more fully.

scholarly journals Student Support Networks in Online Doctoral Programs: Exploring Nested Communities

10.28945/3676 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 033-048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharla Berry
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Doctoral Programs ◽  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Students ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social ◽  
Online Doctoral Programs

Aim/Purpose: Enrollment in online doctoral programs has grown over the past decade. A sense of community, defined as feelings of closeness within a social group, is vital to retention, but few studies have explored how online doctoral students create community. Background: In this qualitative case study, I explore how students in one online doctoral program created a learning community. Methodology: Data for the study was drawn from 60 hours of video footage from six online courses, the message boards from the six courses, and twenty interviews with first and second-year students. Contribution: Findings from this study indicate that the structure of the social network in an online doctoral program is significantly different from the structure of learning communities in face-to-face programs. In the online program, the doctoral community was more insular, more peer-centered, and less reliant on faculty support than in in-person programs. Findings: Utilizing a nested communities theoretical framework, I identified four subgroups that informed online doctoral students’ sense of community: cohort, class groups, small peer groups, and study groups. Students interacted frequently with members of each of the aforementioned social groups and drew academic, social, and emotional support from their interactions. Recommendations for Practitioners: Data from this study suggests that online doctoral students are interested in making social and academic connections. Practitioners should leverage technology and on-campus supports to promote extracurricular interactions for online students. Recommendation for Researchers: Rather than focus on professional socialization, students in the online doctoral community were interested in providing social and academic support to peers. Researchers should consider how socialization in online doctoral programs differs from traditional, face-to-face programs. Impact on Society: As universities increase online offerings, it is important to consider the issues that impact retention in online programs. By identifying the social structures that support online community, this study helps build knowledge around retention and engagement of online students. Future Research: Future research should continue to explore the unique social networks that support online students.

Self-Compassion and Quality of Life in Adults Who Stutter

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 2097-2108
Author(s):  
Robyn L. Croft ◽  
Courtney T. Byrd
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
The Self ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Adults Who Stutter ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify levels of self-compassion in adults who do and do not stutter and to determine whether self-compassion predicts the impact of stuttering on quality of life in adults who stutter. Method Participants included 140 adults who do and do not stutter matched for age and gender. All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale. Adults who stutter also completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering. Data were analyzed for self-compassion differences between and within adults who do and do not stutter and to predict self-compassion on quality of life in adults who stutter. Results Adults who do and do not stutter exhibited no significant differences in total self-compassion, regardless of participant gender. A simple linear regression of the total self-compassion score and total Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering score showed a significant, negative linear relationship of self-compassion predicting the impact of stuttering on quality of life. Conclusions Data suggest that higher levels of self-kindness, mindfulness, and social connectedness (i.e., self-compassion) are related to reduced negative reactions to stuttering, an increased participation in daily communication situations, and an improved overall quality of life. Future research should replicate current findings and identify moderators of the self-compassion–quality of life relationship.

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.): A Viable Credential for Faculty in Programmatically Accredited Business Degree Programs?

10.28945/3529 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 217-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen L MacLennan ◽  
Anthony A Pina ◽  
Kenneth A Moran ◽  
Patrick F Hafford
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Program ◽  
Business Administration ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Degree Programs ◽  
Business Programs ◽  
Professional Degree ◽  
Doctor Of Philosophy ◽  
Business Practitioners ◽  
The University

Is the Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A) a viable degree option for those wishing a career in academe? The D.B.A. degree is often considered to be a professional degree, in-tended for business practitioners, while the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is por-trayed as the degree for preparing college or university faculty. Conversely, many academic programs market their D.B.A. programs to future academicians. In this study, we investigat-ed whether the D.B.A. is, in fact, a viable faculty credential by gathering data from univer-sity catalogs and doctoral program websites and handbooks from 427 graduate business and management programs to analyze the terminal degrees held by 6159 faculty. The analysis indicated that 173 institutions (just over 40% of the total) employed 372 faculty whose ter-minal degree was the D.B.A. This constituted just over 6% of the total number of faculty. Additionally, the program and faculty qualification standards of the six regional accrediting agencies and the three programmatic accrediting agencies for business programs (AACSB, IACBE, and ACBSP) were analyzed. Results indicated that all these accrediting agencies treated the D.B.A. and Ph.D. in business identically and that the D.B.A. was universally considered to be a valid credential for teaching business at the university level. Suggestions for future research are also offered.

scholarly journals Music Connects Us: Development of a Music-Based Group Activity Intervention to Engage People Living with Dementia and Address Loneliness

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 570
Author(s):  
Hannah M. O’Rourke ◽  
Tammy Hopper ◽  
Lee Bartel ◽  
Mandy Archibald ◽  
Matthias Hoben ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Intervention Mapping ◽  
Group Activity ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Severe Dementia

There is a need for intervention research to understand how music-based group activities foster engagement in social interactions and relationship-building among care home residents living with moderate to severe dementia. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe the design of ‘Music Connects Us’, a music-based group activity intervention. Music Connects Us primarily aims to promote social connectedness and quality of life among care home residents living with moderate to severe dementia through engagement in music-making, supporting positive social interactions to develop intimate connections with others. To develop Music Connects Us, we adapted the ‘Music for Life’ program offered by Wigmore Hall in the United Kingdom, applying an intervention mapping framework and principles of engaged scholarship. This paper describes in detail the Music Connects Us program, our adaptation approach, and key adaptations made, which included: framing the project to focus on the engagement of the person living with dementia to ameliorate loneliness; inclusion of student and other community-based musicians; reduced requirements for care staff participation; and the development of a detailed musician training approach to prepare musicians to deliver the program in Canada. Description of the development, features, and rationale for Music Connects Us will support its replication in future research aimed to tests its effects and its use in clinical practice.

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