Students will demonstrate competence in educational leadership
Objective
Development Of Knowledge And Skills In Educational Leadership
Doctoral students in Educational Leadership will develop knowledge, skills, and success in educational leadership fields
Indicator
Research Proposal
Doctoral students in educational leadership will develop a proposal for dissertation research
Criterion
Proposal Quality
At least 75% of currently enrolled doctoral students will present a proposal with the first three chapters complete, including introduction, literature review, and methodology
Finding
Number Of Successful Proposals
Ten current doctoral students successfully defended their proposal during the 2009-2010 academic year. This represents 32% of the number of eligible doctoral candidates. All students who proposed did so successfully and are now actively engaged in dissertation research. Weaknesses in student proposals include technical issues with writing and editing. In addition, 16 students successfully defended their final dissertation and earned their degree.
Indicator
Comprehensive Examinations
Passing scores on comprehensive examinations
Criterion
Comprehensive Examinations
Students will successfully complete comprehensive exams at the end of core coursework. Written comprehensive examinations are developed by faculty and are administered in two parts: (a) a take home exam, completed over a one month time period, that focuses on application of research methods and statistics; and (b) an all day written examination completed on campus that focuses on the application of theory and synthesis of learning. Examinations are scored holistically as pass or fail and are scored by six faculty members. After successfully passing all six questions, students must participate in an oral comprehensive examination with three of their dissertation committee members. During the oral examinations, students must demonstrate their fulfillment and mastery of the doctoral program objectives and competencies. Forms used to document student completion of these examinations are included. Patterns across students' passing or failing responses are analyzed to indicate strengths and/or areas of need within the doctoral coursework and program.
Finding
Examination Results
Fourteen students from Cohorts 16-17 completed the comprehensive exams in 2009. All students passed the quantitative and qualitative research critiques, the program evaluation question, and the synthesis question. Three students did not pass the leadership theory question; two have retaken the question and passed, and one has not retaken the question yet. Four students did not pass the statistics question. Three have retaken and passed the question; one has not retaken the question yet. Patterns across the failing responses in leadership theory included a lack of research and/or theoretical grounding of student responses in research. For the statistics question, patterns among failing responses included a lack of ability to articulate the appropriate statistical interpretations associated with specific measures.
Action
Addressing Student Weaknesses
Special attention will be paid to student weaknesses in statistics. Classroom instruction during statistics courses will include requirements that are similar to the comprehensive exam format, which involves designing an appropriate study for evaluating a problem rather than simply analyzing data. Feedback will be given to students on class projects that include this type of study design. Related to the leadership theory question, the professor in this course will emphasize in class the importance of connecting and integrating research and practice relative to school leadership.
Related to research proposals, students will receive additional preparation on effective writing and editing strategies both in EDL 737 and EDL 763, courses that specifically focus on writing and proposal development.
Goal
Quality And Effectiveness
Students in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership will display working knowledge of the literature in the field in papers they are required to produce and submit for journals and professional conferences.
Objective
Student Scholarship
During the doctoral program, all students will develop the skills needed to submit one article for publication and one paper for presentation at a research conference, both to be externally reviewed. (Papers may be submitted for publication or presentation in cooperation with doctoral faculty.) Assessment of students' knowledge will be based upon acceptance of the paper by the journal or conference.
Indicator
Correspondence With Journal Editors And/or Conference Planners
Feedback from journal editors and/or conference planners related to the quality of article and proposal submissions
Criterion
Positive Feedback Related To Publication Or Presentation
Positive feedback leading to the acceptance of a journal article or conference proposal
Finding
Presentations At Southwest Educational Research Association Annual Conference
Seventeen students had proposals accepted for presentation at the Southwest Educational Research Association Annual Conference and made professional presentations at this conference in February 2010.
Feedback on student research indicated that some of the research was in progress rather than completed or was conducted at a fairly novice level.
Action
Improvement Of Student Scholarship For Presentations
Students will be assigned a faculty mentor early in the doctoral program so that this faculty member can mentor and help the students with effective strategies for presenting and publishing scholarly research.