S t e p h a n i e J . J o n e s , E d . D .Te x a s Te c h U n i v e r s i t y

E d B e n g s t o n , P h . D .

K a r a L a s a t e r , E d . D .

M a u r e e n M u r p h y - L e e

U n i v e r s i t y o f A r k a n s a s

C o p y r i g h t 2 0 1 4 b y t h e C a r n e g i e P r o j e c t o n t h e E d u c a t i o n D o c t o r a t e , I n c . ( C P E D ) . T h e f o r e g o i n g m a t e r i a l m a y b e u s e d f o r n o n c o m m e r c i a l e d u c a t i o n a l p u r p o s e s , p r o v i d e d t h a t C P E D i s a c k n o w l e d g e d a s t h e a u t h o r a n d c o p y r i g h t h o l d e r. A n y o t h e r u s e r e q u i r e s t h e p r i o r w r i t t e n c o n s e n t o f C P E D .

WEBINAR

REDESIGN OF THE EDUCATION DOCTORATE

– INQUIRY AND RESEARCH

CPED Principles and Design ConceptsBackground to StudyProcess of RedesignUnique PedagogiesLearning EnvironmentsInquiry and Research Course - ContentInquiry and Research Course – SequencingInquiry and Research – Differences Between EdD &

PhDFaculty & Student Perceptions Inquiry and

Research CoursesChallenges with Inquiry and Research Courses

OVERVIEW

CPED has two (2) working principles (4 and 5) that guide inquiry and research in the professional doctorate (EdD) in education:4. Provides field-based opportunities to analyze problems of

practice and use multiple frames to develop meaningful solutions.

5. Is grounded in and develops a professional knowledge base that integrates both practical and research knowledge, that links theory with systemic and systematic inquiry. (“Definition of and Working Principles,” n.d., para. 6)

CPED PRINCIPLES

CPED has two (2) design concepts that define program components that support the development of the Scholar Practitioner related to inquiry and research: Scholarly Practitioner blends0 practical wisdom with

professional skills and knowledge to name, frame, and solve problems of practice; and

Inquiry as Practice is the process of posing significant questions that focus on complex problems of practice. By using various research, theories, and professional wisdom, scholarly practitioners design innovative solutions to address the problems of practice. (“Design Concept Definitions,” n.d., para. 2-6)

CPED DESIGN CONCEPTS

In order to explore how the first phase of Consortium members of

CPED have addressed these working principles and design

concepts in their redesigned education doctorates, a research

study was conducted in 2012 by faculty and Fellows from the

Consortium member institutionsA mixed-methods, multi-case study was conducted of the redesign

processes of the education doctorate at 21 of the 25 original CPED

member institutionsA subsequent web-based survey was administered in 2014, to the

21 study institutions that addressed their experiences in the

redesign process specif ic to inquiry and research 10 responded

Of the 21 study institutions, 11 are designated as very high

research activity, 5 as high research activity, and the remainder as

some research activity

BACKGROUND TO STUDY

Many of the study institutions used the CPED working principles and design concepts to guide their redesign processThese helped to frame the discussion around the

distinction between the Ph.D. and Ed.D.They provided guidance for redesigning failing EdD

programsThe provided guidance for redesigning programs

that were not conducive to student completion

PROCESS OF REDESIGN

Signature pedagogy is defined as “a set of practices used to prepare scholarly practitioners for all aspects of their professional work (http://cpedinitiative.org/design-concept-definitions, para. 3)

Interest in if signature pedagogy is tied to inquiry and research and what pedagogies are used to teach inquiry and research skills Inquiry is the process of asking questions that focus on

complex problems of practice and using “various research, theories, and professional wisdom to design innovative solutions” (http://cpedinitiative.org/design-concept-definitions, para. 4)

UNIQUE PEDAGOGIES

Majority of study institutions did not identify an inquiry or research focus in the description of unique pedagogies util ized in instruction

Pedagogies used were implicitly connected to the skill set needed for inquiry and research analysis such as “emphasis on knowledge/theory connections” and “real-world problems, data-driven decisions”

Action research was identified by multiple institutions as the method used for improving practice and the ability to conduct action research is a skill needed by change agents in the field of education

UNIQUE PEDAGOGIES

Comparison of the curriculum between existing EdD and the redesigned CPED-influenced program identifies a more “problem-centric” focus in the redesigned EdD Allows students to utilize inquiry in practice to identify the

problem, as well as determine what analysis tools and theories can be used to develop solutions for the identified problem

Many institutions util ize laboratories of practices within a course or through internship projects that allow students to engage as scholarly practitioners throughout the program

UNIQUE PEDAGOGIES

Some institut ions took a direct approach in addressing inquiry and research skil l accumulation and demonstration Established three phases of coursework in their redesigned

program Phase 1 - focused on research design, quantitative analysis, and

qualitative analysis Phase 2 - explores theories and frameworks related to the field

of education leadership Phase 3 - apply these skills to complete a capstone project that

applies field-based inquiry, using professional and theoretical knowledge, to understand a problem in practice

Some institutions identified problem-solving and gap analysis as pedagogies they emphasized

At some institutions, students learn basic statistical concepts and techniques that constitute the foundation of quantitative research, and learn to utilize research and evaluation in practical situations

UNIQUE PEDAGOGIES

Through the redesign process, some institutions have added new courses that address research design and development and program evaluation, with specific course content related to application of critical frameworks and theoretical constructs

UNIQUE PEDAGOGIES

Learning environments were described as emphasizing application of inquiry and research skills in the local context, with students’ jobs (their laboratories of practice) embedded into course assignments Allows students to apply theory to practice in authentic settings

Inquiry and a focus on research-practice connections appears to be more central and stronger in the redesigned program curriculum based on the discussion of the redesign efforts of the EdD at the study institutions

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Foci of courses include epistemological perspectives and approaches to systematic inquiry, applied research and measurement, as well as program evaluation, assessment, and planning Students begin framing their problem in practice, reviewing

relevant literature, and drafting synthesis of that literature in their first courses

In second strand of courses, students are exposed to key frameworks and theories that have bearing on educational leadership and their problems in practice

Utilizing field-based experiences, students are able to make meaning of lenses to form new meaning, which can be applied immediately to leadership practice

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE CONTENT

An analysis of the data collected through the web-based survey indicates that colleges and programs have taken different approaches for developing student inquiry and research skills

These approaches include: Four research-focused courses -- qualitative methods,

quantitative methods, and two general courses on inquiry Courses that are a hybrid blend somewhere between a

traditional approach and action research Mostly mixed-methods approaches -- research is embedded

into four courses and students learn the appropriate designs and methods needed to collect and analyze data in these courses

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE CONTENT

Incorporate a generalist approach in student research training 15 hours of research coursework in program of study Students' programs include field studies in educational

settings (qualitative), quantitative courses covering basic concepts up through regression models, evaluation using mixed methods, survey research design, and sometimes historical research techniques

A new inquiry sequence that is styled after the CPED themes and principles: data-based decision making, program evaluation, and action research

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE CONTENT

Courses in qualitative and quantitative methods, both of which are specifically designed for educational leaders

Courses in research design as well as program evaluation There are also a series of inquiry courses that are related, which

include Leaders and Data, Research Ethics and IRB, and Data Reporting

The development of an introductory course on reading research that will better prepare students to think conceptually about research design as they move into their methods courses

More institutional research examples and discussions have been incorporated into survey research and evaluation courses

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE CONTENT

More intentionality about understanding what skills practicing educational leaders really need in order to effectively conduct authentic inquiry in their professional practice

Focus is on using the statistical analyses and software most often used by practicing educators

Focus is on preparing students to read, understand, and critically analyze scholarship

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE CONTENT

Research courses are taken towards the beginning of the program

At some institutions, research courses are taken throughout the program Some require one after the other -- beginning with data-

based decision making as one of the first courses Some begin in the second semester and proceed throughout

the rest of the three-year programSome programs purposefully delay qualitative courses until

students have more conceptual and topical knowledge as this is necessary for the development of analysis

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE SEQUENCING

Some programs require students to take a year-long research design course during their second and third semesters in the program Take qualitative methods the third semester and quantitative

methods the fourth semester Program evaluation is taken during the fifth semester Inquiry series courses are taken during the second, third,

and fifth semesters respectivelyMany courses intersect with the other courses being taught

in a semester Example is when students take the Program Evaluation

course, they are also taking a course on Data Reporting, which includes content/skill development in surveys and effective presentation of data

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSE SEQUENCING

Research courses are offered to both EdD and PhD students Some programs continue to allow students to self-select

(with guidance from their advisory committees) their program of study

An EdD student is more likely to take at least one course in all areas of research methods (quantitative, qualitative, and evaluation), and think about mixed methods to serve multiple audiences

A PhD student may follow one track to a more sophisticated level of research design suitable for scholarly publication to a discipline based audience but with less potential to share that research with a practitioner audience

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EDD & PHD

Two major differences in research courses are in terms of the content and the delivery Example is that the content is focused on what skills these

individuals need in order to be effective, and those skills differ for EdD and PhD students

Some programs do not distinguish between EdD and PhD research courses The faculty have had more conversations about what students will

use research methodologies for and this may affect the examples provided in class

All inquiry and research courses are embedded within the program of study for the EdD but may function as standalone for the PhD

INQUIRY AND RESEARCH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EDD & PHD

Some faculty would like EdD research courses to be more rigorous

Faculty perceive that college/program is moving in a positive direction relative to the intensity of research blocks Before CPED-influenced redesign, the general feeling was much

less positive In many programs, students and faculty seem satisfied with

the approach that is being taken with inquiry and research courses

Faculty at some institutions noted that students have a difficult time aligning research questions with methods of study and analyses, and understanding the impact of l iterature reviews on all of that

FACULTY & STUDENT PERCEPTIONS INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSES

Prior to the redesign process, perceptions were that the courses were not as thoughtful regarding the needs of practitioners, but changes have been implemented over the past year

FACULTY & STUDENT PERCEPTIONS INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSES

Challenges with delivery of inquiry and research courses: The bureaucracy of the university (e.g., silos, protecting turf)

has been the biggest challenge to effective delivery and scheduling of research courses -- particularly the research blocks

Faculty who are not well versed in a particular method is problematic

Getting a breadth of knowledge while still having enough confidence in the research skills to design a specific study for a specific question continues to be a challenge for students

CHALLENGES WITH INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSES

Students are told that they will be expected to use the skills they are learning to design their own studies, but in early coursework they treat it more like a cookbook and have trouble "cooking without a recipe" later

There have been challenges in terms of delivery of inquiry and research courses due to the structure of the program requires certain courses to be taught at each site and certain courses to be taught across the cohort

The Capstone experience is stil l a traditional five chapter dissertation Action research is not a good fit for the five chapter

dissertation and we continue to grapple with redesign and development of a Capstone project

The five chapter product remains an expectation of the college – this remains a hard sell

CHALLENGES WITH INQUIRY AND RESEARCH COURSES

Evidence is showing that redesigned EdDs are: Preparing leaders who can combine research skills with practice-

based expertise, who have the skills and knowledge to analyze problems of practice using multiple frames

The redesigned EdDs have an applied focus – and focus on problems in practice

Some of the study institutions have preliminary results that suggest both the time to completion and rate of completion will increase under the revised program.

Capstones are client-based and very positive feedback has been received that the discoveries and recommendations are extremely helpful

Students indicate that they learn a lot through the process

CONCLUSION

Definit ion of and Working Principles for EdD Program Design. (n.d.). The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate. Retrieved from http://cpedinit iat ive.org/working-principles-professional-practice-doctorate-education

Design Concept Definit ions. (n.d.). The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate. Retrieved from http://cpedinit iat ive.org/design-concept-definit ions

REFERENCES