Exploring the development of students’ identities as educational leaders and educational researchers in a professional practice doctoral program

<p>Building a doctoral program in leadership is never an easy task, and building an interdisciplinary doctoral program is even more difficult. Yet, it is the interdisciplinary approach that differentiates typical leadership programs from others and offers learners an integrated view of leadership theories and practices. This special report presents an example of designing and implementing an interdisciplinary doctoral program that promotes social justice leadership. Drawing from firsthand experiences of program faculty, staff, and administration, we share lessons learned and the logic behind adopting an interdisciplinary approach for those creating programs that seeks to promote social justice. We found that by allowing students and faculty to convene together, rather than disperse into separate, isolated academic disciplines, emerging scholar-practitioners are encouraged to engage in realistic, professional practice investigation and problem-solving techniques. Through this experience, we also found that conscious coursework design involves integrating multiple, often quite divergent, disciplines into a core set of courses. Additionally, we learned that unifying students through a common mission permits distinctive discussions, including personal reflection and ethical decision-making opportunities among the concepts, constructs, and knowledge that extend beyond disciplinary lines (Cherney et al., 2012). We also found that cultivating a diverse student body and faculty base requires everyone to work strategically within the program, recognizing the call for coherence and consistency across disciplinary lines. Finally, we discovered that developing a dissertation in practice allows students to implement an evidence-based solution within their professional practice setting as their pinnacle doctorate work (Herr & Anderson, 2014; Olson & Clark, 2009). We conclude this paper by reiterating our finding that leadership programs that promote social justice are enhanced by adopting an interdisciplinary approach as this allows for the creation of a program that challenges students to learn at a more complex level, faculty to integrate disciplines, and programs to promote socially just ideals. We discuss implications for other schools seeking to develop an interdisciplinary doctoral leadership program.</p>

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Creative and Innovative Solutions to Accommodate the Growth of a Professional Practice Doctoral Program

Impacting Education Journal on Transforming Professional Practice ◽

10.5195/ie.2018.55 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Craig A. Mertler ◽

Danah Henriksen

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Professional Practice ◽

Doctoral Program ◽

Online Version ◽

Face To Face ◽

Doctoral Research ◽

Successful Solution ◽

Innovative Solutions ◽

The Face ◽

Original Event

This essay describes one institution’s struggle to grow its EdD program by adding an equivalent online version of a successful face-to-face program. One of the challenges faced was that of creating a comparable experience for online students to share their ongoing action research, an activity that had long been part of the face-to-face version of the program. An innovative, all-day, virtual doctoral research conference was developed and implemented. We describe our creative rethinking of the original event, towards a new, successful, and fully-online redesigned event. Although the event continues to be refined, the inaugural event proved to be a successful solution to the challenge of transferring all components of a face-to-face program over to its online equivalent. Feedback from students who participated in the conference is shared, and recommendations for other EdD programs is offered.

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Becoming Practitioner-Scholars

Educational Leadership and Administration ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-1624-8.ch088 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 1914-1929 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sharon M. Ravitch ◽

Susan L. Lytle

Keyword(s):

Leadership Practices ◽

Doctoral Program ◽

Educational Leaders ◽

Practitioner Research ◽

University Of Pennsylvania ◽

Doctoral Studies ◽

Institutional Settings ◽

Rigorous Research ◽

Dissertation Research ◽

The University

This chapter explores how educational leaders learn to engage in site-based inquiry within a leadership-focused doctoral program through coursework and dissertation research. There is a dearth of research on educational leaders engaging in research, and specifically in local inquiries, that speaks to how leaders enact practitioner research in their institutional settings and how this kind of engagement in inquiry influences their leadership practices. This chapter is the outgrowth of considerable program and dissertation structure development over 14 years and argues that there is considerable value, for mid-career leaders and for the field, in doing rigorous research as part of their doctoral studies. The chapter describes how dissertations are conceptualized, cultivated, and framed within the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational and Organizational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania; it explores the relationships among coursework, dissertation research, inquiry-based leadership practices, and the cultivation of scholar-practitioners in leadership.

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Ripple Effects

Journal of Transformative Leadership & Policy Studies ◽

10.36851/jtlps.v8i1.1919 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 7-29

Author(s):

Debra Bukko ◽

Jose Manuel Martinez Cardenas ◽

Regina Coletto

Keyword(s):

Degree Completion ◽

Doctoral Program ◽

Educational Leaders ◽

Social Capital Theory ◽

Mentoring Program ◽

Capital Theory ◽

Ripple Effects ◽

Diverse Backgrounds ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

In this article we explore the impact of mentoring on individuals who completed a doctoral program in educational leadership. Participants described the impact and ripple effects of mentoring on degree completion and their work as K-20 leaders to inform policy, shape practice and transform education; they also provided recommendations for infusing mentoring into the doctoral program. Data collected through focus groups and Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) was examined through Social Capital Theory and indicates mentoring for professionals seeking the Ed.D. should be multifaceted, centered on the emancipatory belief in the capacity of each individual, and woven into each program element. This study contributes to mentoring literature and extends knowledge about the unique needs of P-20 educational leaders pursuing the Ed.D. We argue for provision of a multifaceted mentoring program, which draws upon the expertise of members within the program’s network (faculty, program graduates and cohort members). Purposeful, proactive and responsive mentorship will meet the individual needs of each student, including candidates from diverse backgrounds and other marginalized populations.

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Becoming Practitioner-Scholars

Contemporary Approaches to Dissertation Development and Research Methods - Advances in Knowledge Acquisition, Transfer, and Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-0445-0.ch010 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 146-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sharon M. Ravitch ◽

Susan L. Lytle

Keyword(s):

Leadership Practices ◽

Doctoral Program ◽

Educational Leaders ◽

Practitioner Research ◽

University Of Pennsylvania ◽

Doctoral Studies ◽

Institutional Settings ◽

Rigorous Research ◽

Dissertation Research ◽

The University

This chapter explores how educational leaders learn to engage in site-based inquiry within a leadership-focused doctoral program through coursework and dissertation research. There is a dearth of research on educational leaders engaging in research, and specifically in local inquiries, that speaks to how leaders enact practitioner research in their institutional settings and how this kind of engagement in inquiry influences their leadership practices. This chapter is the outgrowth of considerable program and dissertation structure development over 14 years and argues that there is considerable value, for mid-career leaders and for the field, in doing rigorous research as part of their doctoral studies. The chapter describes how dissertations are conceptualized, cultivated, and framed within the Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational and Organizational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania; it explores the relationships among coursework, dissertation research, inquiry-based leadership practices, and the cultivation of scholar-practitioners in leadership.

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A systematic approach to the assessment of impact in a professional doctorate

Higher Education Skills and Work-based Learning ◽

10.1108/heswbl-10-2013-0020 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 171-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Swapna Kumar

Keyword(s):

Professional Practice ◽

Professional Growth ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Doctoral Program ◽

Doctoral Degrees ◽

Content Type ◽

Professional Doctorate ◽

Program Content ◽

The Impact ◽

Systematic Collection

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present one approach to the measurement of impact in a professional doctorate in education that encompasses discipline-based coursework and practice-embedded research. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative and qualitative data on the impact of the doctoral program were collected at regular intervals, with a focus on students’ application of program content in their professional practice and on students’ professional growth. Findings – The research design and the findings are discussed in the context of the larger debate surrounding the measurement of doctoral impact and the value of online doctoral degrees for practitioners. Originality/value – This paper presents the systematic collection of data over four years in a newly developed professional doctorate in education.

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A systematic review of principals’ leadership identity from 1993 to 2019

Educational Management Administration & Leadership ◽

10.1177/1741143219896053 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 31-53

Author(s):

Cristina Cruz-González ◽

Carmen Lucena Rodríguez ◽

Jesús Domingo Segovia

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Professional Identity ◽

Professional Practice ◽

Educational Leaders ◽

Leadership Identity ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender ◽

Professional Leadership ◽

Emerging Topics

There is growing interest in the role that principals play as school leaders. Exploring how principals build their professional leadership identity is crucial to understanding their influence on school performance. A systematic review was conducted to examine how educational leaders develop their professional identity. Our objectives were: (a) to identify the factors that determine how educational leaders develop their professional identity; (b) to identify shared traits of educational leadership identity; and (c) to describe the implications that the results obtained may have for research and professional practice. A literature search on Web of Science (WOS), SCOPUS and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) yielded a total of 38 articles published in international journals. Thematic analysis was conducted using the Nvivo software package. Emerging topics include: leadership identity of school principals as the key to educational success; influence of politics and context on the construction of principals’ professional identity; race- and gender-based barriers to the development of leadership identity; and the influence of experience, training and transition on the construction of a professional leadership identity.

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Sociodrama in the Training of Social Educators: An Exploratory Research

The Journal of Psychodrama Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy ◽

10.12926/0731-1273-63.1.47 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

pp. 47-64

Author(s):

Sofia Veiga ◽

Ana Bertão ◽

Vitor Franco

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Qualitative Research ◽

Professional Practice ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Training Method ◽

Multiple Perspectives ◽

The Social ◽

Qualitative Research Methodology ◽

Education Degree ◽

Development Of Students

The object of this study is sociodrama as a training method in the Social Education degree. Using a qualitative research methodology, the aim was to understand how this method contributed, over two academic years, to promoting the personal, social, and professional development of students. In the four groups studied, the sociodrama method enables openness to multiple perspectives upon reality, sharing of feelings, and creative search of solutions to solve problems and difficulties, generating conditions toward the development of flexibility and spontaneity essential in professional practice.

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School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Adherence to Practice Guidelines for Assessment of English Learners

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/2020_lshss-20-00037 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Virginia L. Dubasik ◽

Dubravka Svetina Valdivia

Keyword(s):

Professional Practice ◽

Practice Guidelines ◽

Case History ◽

English Learners ◽

Online Survey ◽

Dynamic Assessment ◽

Federal Legislation ◽

Assessment Practices ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

School Based

Purpose The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which school-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) assessment practices with individual English learners (ELs) align with federal legislation and professional practice guidelines. Specifically, we were interested in examining SLPs' use of multiple tools during individual EL assessments, as well as relationships between practices and number of types of training experiences. Method School-based SLPs in a Midwestern state were recruited in person or via e-mail to complete an online survey pertaining to assessment. Of the 562 respondents who completed the survey, 222 (39.5%) indicated past or present experience with ELs, and thus, their data were included in the analyses. The questionnaire solicited information about respondent's demographics, caseload composition, perceived knowledge and skills and training experiences pertaining to working with ELs (e.g., graduate school, self-teaching, professional conferences), and assessment practices used in schools. Results The majority of respondents reported using multiple tools rather than a single tool with each EL they assess. Case history and observation were tools used often or always by the largest number of participants. SLPs who used multiple tools reported using both direct (e.g., standardized tests, dynamic assessment) and indirect tools (e.g., case history, interviews). Analyses revealed low to moderate positive associations between tools, as well as the use of speech-language samples and number of types of training experiences. Conclusions School-based SLPs in the current study reported using EL assessment practices that comply with federal legislation and professional practice guidelines for EL assessment. These results enhance our understanding of school-based SLPs' assessment practices with ELs and may be indicative of a positive shift toward evidence-based practice.

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