Aligning the Professional DoctorateWith Professional Practice

Christopher M. Clark

Arizona State UniversityCollege of Teacher Education and Leadership

Doctor of Educationin

Leadership and InnovationCollege of Teacher Education and Leadership

h://ctel.asu.edu/programs/doctoral_ed/graduate

PROGRAM GOAL

INQUIRY DRIVEN LEADERSHIP:

To guide leaders in education in developing deep understanding, dispositions and skills to lead, study, and manage educational change for a better world.

SIGNATURE FEATURES

• Selective, Brief and Intense

• Action Research at the Core

• Implementing change at your work place

• Learning research skills as you conduct research

• Learning through and with others

Program Outcome: Leaders in Arizona education who become more thoughtful, systematic and intentional as they assess organizational needs, select and implement innovations informed by scholarship, and systematically study the results of their work for the benefit of their schools and communities.

Arizona State UniversityCollege of Teacher Education and LeadershipEd.D. in Leadership and Innovation

LEADER-SCHOLAR COMMUNITIES (LSC)

• Form in Second Summer

• A new form of doctoral advising and peer support

• Proposal & dissertation support groups

• Linked to field-based studies • Led by faculty scholars• Face-to-face and online

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM--DISSERTATION PROPOSAL: Spring Year 2

Students are examined on their:

• Description of the problem area in workplace• The basis for choosing the intervention

(connection to published literature)• The plan for implementation • The plan for evaluation (research methods)

Year 3: DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

• Action research design informed by scholarship; Act to improve and document impact of change

• Presentation of lessons learned & better questions

• Implications for policy, practice, and further study

• Public presentation and oral defense Spring Year 3

CTEL Ed.D. v. Usual Ph.D.

Research classes first, then dissertation

Most research skills learned just-in-time as needed

Individual work with faculty advisor

Continuous support from courses and LSC  

One big research project (do or die)

Several iterations of research with culminating presentation

Mostly elective curriculumMostly prescribed curriculum

Goal of dissertation is generalizable theory or knowledge

Goal of dissertation is local impact and spirit of inquiry

Develops high level researchersDevelops high-level practitioners

A New Conception of Doctoral Study

REMEMBER: The goals of this doctoral program are to help you as a full-time professional and current leader in the field of education to:

• Increase your capacity to Learn from Experience

• Help your organization become a Learning Organization

• Make Applied Inquiry a habit of mind and practice

This is not a career-change program; 

this is a career-deepening program.

Design Imperatives

I. Align Program Design with Needs of the Profession

II. Merge Theory and Practice at the Beginning

III. Coherent Theory of Professional Learning

IV. Design for Maximum Student and Faculty Success

V. Start Before Your Are Completely Ready