Engaging in the Battle of the Snails by Challenging the Traditional Dissertation Model

Kennedy, Briana L.; Altman, M. B.; Pizano, Ana C

doi:10.5195/ie.2018.27

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The larger implication points to the argument put forth by Kennedy et al (2018) that calls for educational doctorate programs to evolve from conducting research using a discrete, objective, detached lens to one addressing and solving problems of practice through contextualized understandings, as articulated by dialectical and reflective process that engages researchers in shared learning though co-authorship, negotiation of contested areas (such as writing), and maximization of individual strengths and perspectives. Upon reflection, this approach is consistent with and supported by the overall construct of the EdD program at AUCOE.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Group-Based Dissertation in Practice: A Journey Worth Taking

Hamilton

2022

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This personal reflective essay explores a group Dissertation in Practice (DiP) model and process used in a localized Doctor of Education program. It describes and recommends this team-based DiP approach as an innovation that prepares practitioners to tackle complex problems of practice by focusing on a process centered around group dynamics that requires collaboration, advanced dialectical activity, engagement of stakeholders, and application of solutions to localized problems of practice. The framework of the exploration is based on accepted theories of small group development. Implications of this DiP approach include providing doctoral students collaborative problem-solving skills and professional capacity building. Ultimately, the model enables doctoral students, as future educators and leaders, to transform an environment predicated on teaching and learning in isolation to one of a highly functioning, effective team-based professional practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Group-Based Dissertation in Practice: A Journey Worth Taking

Hamilton

2022

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“…As doctoral students progress, their underlying goal must be to develop an identity of a scholar (Kriner et al, 2015). For doctoral students to assume the role of a scholarly practitioner, they must have formal research preparation to demonstrate the skills of theoretical application, scholarly research, and instructional proficiency to solve problems of practice (Kennedy et al, 2018). Doctoral students should seek to achieve a well-written dissertation with findings related to current problems of practice within the educational arena to provide practice-based knowledge and inquiry-based learning to navigate any challenges to degree completion (Fertman, 2018).…”

Section: Dissertations and Scholarly Practitioner Writingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining Educational Leadership Doctoral Students’ Self-Efficacy as Related to Their Role as a Scholarly Practitioner Researcher

McBrayer

Fallon

Tolman

et al. 2021

IJDS

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Aim/Purpose: This study examined an educational leadership doctoral preparation program to better understand how students’ self-efficacy evolves from the lens of a scholarly practitioner researcher as they progress through specified checkpoints to degree completion. The aim was to identify what factors contributed to building scholarly practitioner researcher skills and what factors hindered the development of doctoral students as they progressed through their educational leadership preparation program. Background: Doctoral programs have the highest attrition of graduate programs, with almost half of the successful students taking six to seven years to complete. Thus, educational leadership doctoral preparation programs must find ways to enhance students’ perceived capability in an effort to facilitate their progress through the program in a timely manner. The researchers believe having high research self-efficacy coupled with evidence-based practices to strengthen scholarly practitioner research skills may be a contributor to effective program progression if viewed from the lens of a scholarly practitioner researcher. Methodology: A mixed-methods study utilizing an ex-post-facto research design based on descriptive statistics coupled with an analysis of qualitative data examined students’ perceived self-efficacy of educational leadership doctoral students in relation to their rate of progression. Contribution: This study provides other doctoral programs a lens into the importance of maintaining students’ high self-efficacy, specifically in the area of scholarly practitioner research to ensure efficient progression through the program to completion in a timely manner. Findings: Educational leadership doctoral students in the specified cohorts reported high self-efficacy at the pre-, mid-, and post-assessment checkpoints in the program during their coursework tier, and findings revealed this high self-efficacy was sustained throughout this progression to the dissertation tier. Four overarching narrative themes influencing students self-efficacy in scholarly practitioner research were identified as Social Support, Academic Challenges, Discipline, Effort, and Motivation, and Personal Challenges. Recommendations for Practitioners: Educational leadership and related doctoral programs should consider using a scholarly practitioner researcher approach. This focus may lead to faster rates of degree completion and better prepared students to solve problems of practice in their practitioner settings. Recommendation for Researchers: While the results are promising in support of evidence-based practices to prepare scholarly practitioner researchers, in turn sustaining or supporting high levels of self-efficacy may prove impactful, thus warranting further research. Impact on Society: Ensuring high levels of self-efficacy may help students to complete their doctoral degree in a timelier manner due to the perception they are capable of program completion and may also, better prepare students to serve as scholarly practitioner researchers in their educational settings. Future Research: Future research should continue longitudinally to examine self-efficacy from the lens of a scholarly practitioner researcher to better understand how this shapes doctoral students’ efforts and capabilities in their doctoral work from admit to program completion. Additionally, future research can quantitively assess a model identifying the relationship between self-efficacy and the four identified themes for the development of doctoral students’ research skills as scholarly practitioners.

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“…Whether research-focused DCPs are dissertations or collections of research articles, it has long been assumed, nearly as a fixed principle, that single-rather than multipleauthor work is necessary to demonstrate student competence. Although there have been exceptions to this rule in the past, in recent times joint and collaborative dissertations have been increasingly accepted or even promoted as a protocol for realistic scholarship in some doctoral programs (Kennedy et al, 2018). For example, in a brief article Gale and Wyatt (2017) described the intersubjective benefits of collaborating to produce an autoethnography dissertation.…”

Section: A Variety Of Doctoral Capstone Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Doctoral Capstone Products: A Systems Thinking Model for Quality Assurance

Sparks¹,

Chang

2021

Christian Higher Education

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This article draws from a keynote address presented at the 2019 Doctoral Education Forum sponsored by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). A review of the literature reveals growth in doctoral education in the United States and the proliferation of types of doctoral degrees. The article describes an increase in the variety of doctoral capstone products (DCPs) beyond the dissertation, including portfolios, digital DCPs, artistic performances, interdisciplinary collaborations, and professional endeavors; the article also identifies a concomitant need for achieving and maintaining quality outcomes in all forms of DCPs, including the dissertation. Systems thinking is applied to this end by first identifying three factors-the student, faculty, and program context-as influencing the DCP process, based on a review of the literature and then analyzing the interactions among those factors which influence the quality of the DCP processes and outcomes. To holistically improve the DCP process and outcome, five principles are offered: (a) develop a program context that adheres to its standards of excellence; (b) recruit qualified students and position them for success; (c) engage qualified and committed faculty in the growth journey with students; (d) prioritize resource allocation in support of high-quality DCP production; and (e) implement a fair and appropriate DCP evaluation system. The conclusion describes possible implications for future research related to this topic within the context of Christian Higher Education.

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Engaging in the Battle of the Snails by Challenging the Traditional Dissertation Model

Cited by 9 publications

References 19 publications

The Group-Based Dissertation in Practice: A Journey Worth Taking

The Group-Based Dissertation in Practice: A Journey Worth Taking

Examining Educational Leadership Doctoral Students’ Self-Efficacy as Related to Their Role as a Scholarly Practitioner Researcher

Doctoral Capstone Products: A Systems Thinking Model for Quality Assurance

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