DOCTORAL EDUCATION (EDLD)

This course introduces scholarly reading and writing processes required to develop a capstone. Candidates will examine a variety of sources specific to their problem of practice. The course will culminate with a presentation of a problem of practice for department approval and then prepare a written APA-formatted Introduction to the Problem of Practice.

This course presents the framework of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership program. Candidates will develop an Understanding of the change process grounded in leadership theories. Through discernment, candidates will identify their leadership competencies to explore a problem of practice that influences educational settings.

This course defines culture and identity from local and global perspectives. It involves understanding one’s culture, the culture of groups one belongs to, and the culture of others. Candidates will explore various life/world views with practical application for educators, as they develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes that promote self-understanding and student success.

In this course, candidates will analyze research articles from different research paradigms and evaluate the articles in terms of epistemology, design, methodology, and analysis. The goal is to identify research findings to apply within candidates' professional contexts.

In this course, candidates will identify various forms of data and organizational evidence to use for educational improvement. Methods, instruments, and data analysis will be presented for formal research, action research, and improvement science.

Integrated with EDLD 705B lab: Problem of Practice I (13-week Field-based Lab) In this course, candidates will marshal literature specific to their problem of practice to create a conceptual and theoretical framework and to prepare an APA-formatted Literature Review.

(Integrated with EDLD 705A: Review of Literature on Problem of Practice) This course accompanies the scholarly work found in EDLD 705A. Candidates will document their work on their Problem of Practice with experts, practitioners, community members, and other stakeholders in the field.

Integrated with EDLD 707B lab: Problem of Practice I (13-week Field-based Lab) In this course, candidates will build upon the work they did in the EDLA 705A Review of t he Literature on Problem of Professional Practice course. The candidates will analyze the findings from t he review of the literature, identify what new data or evidence is required, and make a plan to collect that new evidence. This course contributes to the development of the capstone project and will help candidates develop the skills necessary to lead a process of evidence-based decision-making.

(Integrated with EDLD 707A: Action Plan for Problem of Practice) This course accompanies the scholarly work found in EDLD 707A. Candidates will document their work on their Problem of Practice with experts, practitioners, community members, and other stakeholders in the field.

The purpose of this course is to provide candidates a foundation in the systems approach for change based upon evidence that promotes a culture for learning. Candidates will learn about an integrated approach in creating school structures that are grounded in achievement and the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students. Candidates will analyze information and create a plan, based upon the processes learned, that is informed through data and promotes action in supporting teaching and learning.

This course provides an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the function of philosophical inquiry and ethical analysis in the field of educational leadership. This course also provides a practical orientation to the understanding of forces that affect the ethical decision-making of school leaders. Candidates will analyze the ethical frameworks that bound their professional practice. Through critique of philosophy, theory, and personal practice, as well as classroom situation and analysis, candidates will broaden their understanding of a variety of divergent frameworks of ethical decision-making and relate what they have learned to their professional practice. Particularly in an era of increasing regulatory mandates and decreasing availability of both human and institutional resources, an understanding of the function of ethical analysis is of critical importance in the identification, elucidation, and resolution of controversies in school systems.

This course builds upon the other courses. Candidates will analyze the evidence they have gathered to improve student learning or the professional environment. This course contributes to, and will be documented in, the candidate's capstone project.

This on-line course is designed to help candidates align the strengths, interests, and needs of the people they serve with the mission of the organization. Candidates will develop and articulate their mission in a way that strengthens the competence and commitment of the people they serve. Candidates will also learn how to develop and put systems in place that enhance others in a way that builds their competence and commitment in promoting learning for all stakeholders.

Integrated with EDLD 712B lab: Problem of Practice I (13-week Field-based Lab) This course builds upon the other courses and contributes to the development of the capstone project. This substantive project should make a significant, evidenced-based contribution to existing knowledge in the field of educational leadership. The doctoral project may take on many forms, and it will be specific to the candidate's area of specialization or professional interest.

(Integrated with EDLD 712A: Review of Literature on Problem of Practice) This course accompanies the scholarly work found in EDLD 712a. -Candidates will document their work on their Problem of Practice with experts, practitioners, community members, and other stakeholders in the field. .

This online course is designed to help school leaders develop a practical knowledge of the professional, political, and organizational issues surrounding the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum, and to increase their ability to lead, direct, and support the learning process and continuing education for everyone in the school system. This course will help doctoral candidates develop an understanding of the various contexts in which curriculum improvement efforts occur, an understanding of the roles of various individuals and groups in curriculum improvement, and the skills necessary to lead the curriculum improvement process. This course is also designed to help school leaders develop the skills to lead the curriculum improvement cycle and the process of curricular evaluation.

The EdD program culminates in the successful completion of a scholarly project that demonstrates a synthesis of the doctoral candidate's work specific to a significant problem of professional practice. The EdD doctoral capstone is a tangible, academic, and professional product that reflects the candidate's ability to engage in scholarly and organizational inquiry to analyze a problem of professional practice, read and evaluate the relevant literature, collect the relevant data and evidence, and solve that problem of professional practice or transform a relevant aspect of professional practice.

In this course, candidates will explore organizational structures through the frames of power, culture, and intrapersonal and interpersonal perspectives. Candidates will propose a plan to remove systemic barriers in their context.

The EdD program culminates in the successful completion of a scholarly project that demonstrates a synthesis of the doctoral candidate’s work specific to a significant problem of professional practice. The EdD doctoral capstone is a tangible, academic, and professional product, such as an action plan, a publication in a professional journal, a book, or a result that can be developed from professional practice.

In this course, candidates will demonstrate the integration of the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program. They will also articulate their translation of theory into continuous improvement of professional practice. The Oral Exam is the final, formal interaction among the doctoral candidate and faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership and Administration. The Oral Exam is an opportunity for the candidate to share reflections and to articulate the level of integration of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions gained as a participant in the doctoral program.