Graduates’ Continuing Work as Scholarly Practitioners after Participation in a Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate Guided, EdD Program

Abstract

Aim/PurposeThis paper examined whether, and how, graduates of an EdD program continued to (a) engage in scholarly practitioner efforts and (b) employ inquiry skills in their workplace settings after completion of their doctoral studies. Recommendations for PractitionersEdD programs that provide affordances for students to apply skills as scholarly practitioners and employ inquiry as practice methods during students' preparation will foster skills/abilities that can be applied in subsequent professional practice by educators after graduation. Recommendation for ResearchersAdditional studies of graduates' application of skills/abilities learned in doctoral programs are warranted because of the limited research that has been conducted in this area.Impact on Society Developing educators' scholarly practitioner skills and inquiry as practice methods will allow educators to more effectively attack the problems of practice they encounter on a daily basis and improve the educational situations of those they teach and serve. Future ResearchA likely next step would be to explore the use of scholarly practice skills and inquiry skills using a case study approach to examine more closely how educators apply these skills/abilities in daily practice.

Inquiry as Practice

“…To truly understand the value of CPED, scholarly practitioners need to recognize its significance beyond academia. Doctoral education in education has long been criticized for its lack of relevance to the needs and goals of professionals, often prioritizing theory over practical application (Buss, 2019). In response, CPED has implemented a practice-oriented dimension to doctoral education, emphasizing research and collaboration with educational institutions to address these critiques.…”

“…For doctoral education to effectively prepare practitioners for the realities of the educational landscape, it must prioritize a curriculum relevant to their needs. By incorporating the principles of CPED, researchers can ensure that their findings have a tangible impact on education practice (Buss, 2019). By emphasizing a practice-oriented approach to research, CPED ensures that educational research is rigorous, relevant, and impactful, ultimately leading to improved educational outcomes (CPED, n.d.).…”

Using Mentor Texts to Develop Disciplinary Literacy of Scholarly Practitioners Through Dissertations in Practice

“…For example, in the current situation, students moved from being peripherally involved to being more fully involved as scholarly practitioners. In doing so, they developed new identities as researching professionals, those who function as consumers and producers of research appropriate to their workplace settings (Buss, 2019;Buss & Avery, 2017). In our program, a fundamental component of the work of becoming a researching professional has been developing the disciplinary literacies of a scholarly practitioner.…”