Syllabus

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)

EDU 812 Dissertation Seminar I – Summer B 2018

Credits - 3

Description

Scholar-practitioners work directly with their dissertation chair and committee to define the research problem, literature and methodology they will use during the third year of the program. By the completion of EDU 812 and EDU 813, candidates will be prepared to pursue their dissertation independently and confidently, and will present a preliminary proposal for review and comment. 

Materials

Bloomberg, L. & Volpe, M. (2012). Completing your qualitative dissertation: A road map from beginning to end. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Creswell, J. W. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Boston, MA: Pearson. (You are welcome to use a previous edition).

Ravitch, A. & Riggan, M. (2012). Reason and rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Roberts, C. (2010). The dissertation journey. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

 

Supplemental Texts

Coughlin, D. & Brannick, T. (2014). Doing research in your own organization. London: SAGE Publications.

Creswell, J. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Merriam, S. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass Publications.

Salkind, N. (2013). Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics. (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

  1. Apply research skills to develop a coherent study
  2. Refresh and extend web-based library research skills through literature review
  3. Evaluate literature for gaps, opportunities to garner new knowledge
  4. Complete a working draft of Chapter Two that aligns with program criteria
  5. Craft a conceptual framework that supports development of research questions
  6. Apply peer review skills to the work of research team members

Assignments

Chapter 1 Peer Review – Week 2: Use the Chapter 1 Peer Review guidelines to provide substantive feedback to your Research Team group members

Conceptual Framework Peer Review – Week 3: Share your current Conceptual Framework with your RT group members. Provide feedback to RT group members.

Chapter 2 Literature Review – Weeks 4, 6: Edit and modify your work to date. These two submissions will be reviewed by peers and the instructor.

Chapter 2 Peer Review – Weeks 5, 7 : Use the provided Outline for Peer Review documents to provide substantive feedback to your Research Team group members

Chapter 3 Planning – Week 8: Draft a short paper (no more than 750 words) as an intro and defense of your research design choices. It will be your Chapter 3 Planning work and is a draft that reflects your current thinking and offers your instructors and advisor(s) a window into your emergent thinking. 

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment100 Total Points
Week 2: Chapter 1 Peer Review20
Week 3: Conceptual Framework Peer Review 10
Week 4: Chapter 2 Literature Review - Draft 120
Week 5: Chapter 2 Peer Review10
Week 6: Chapter 2 Literature Review- Draft 220
Week 7: Chapter 2 Peer Review - Draft 210
Chapter 3 Planning10

The criteria for all courses in the Ed. D. program are described in the modules and/or rubrics. Assignments will include guidelines with rubrics, descriptions of expectations, or examples, and include point values. Coursework will be assessed and graded using individual evaluation protocols that are provided for the three major assignments. Final “grades” will reflect the following schema:

  • High Pass (HP): Work that exceeds all or most of the criteria of the respective assignment. To receive a high pass the work must demonstrate exceptional command and display of all or most required elements;
  • Pass (P): Work that meets all requirements and expectations as specified in assignments, and is fully satisfactory in every respect;
  • Low Pass (LP): Work is deemed unsatisfactory.

Grade Scale: 95 = HP; 80-94 = P; 70-79 = LP.

Note** The instructor will determine if an assignment may be revised and resubmitted for rescoring. Candidates may proceed to subsequent courses in the curriculum with one LP grade, and although there is no failing grade, a second LP course grade results in termination from the doctoral program.

All assignments are to be completed in a timely manner with appropriate accuracy, detail, thought and reflection fitting of doctoral-level degree candidates. All assignments (done in writing or with other media applications) are graded on the basis of faculty assessment of your ability to accurately apply concepts from readings, organization, and mechanics. See the appendices for grading rubrics. Please note that you must save all submitted documents in Microsoft Word in order for them to transmit successfully. All work must be properly identified and include author(s)’ name(s). Submit all written work in APA style (Refer to the APA Publication Manual for guidance; Purdue OWL is an excellent, user-friendly resource). 

Schedule

Course Schedule at a Glance

Module

Focus

Product/Activity

Where to post

Due Dates

Week 1

June 27 – July 1

Chapter 1

Revise or create an emergent Chapter 1 (from 805)

Research Team Discussion Board

Due: Sunday, July 1 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 2

July 2 – July 8

 

Chapter 1 Peer Review

Chapter 1 Peer Review

Research Team Discussion Board

Due: Sunday, July 8 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 3

July 9 – July 15

Conceptual Framework

Revisit your Conceptual Framework and revise as needed.

 

Research Team Discussion Board

Post CF no later than Wednesday, July 11 at 11:59 PM ET

 

 

Review and refine Chapter 2 based on updated CF

Review Due: Sunday, July 15 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 4

July 16 – July 22

Chapter 2 – 1st submission

Prepare revised version of Chapter 2 for your peer reviewer and instructor.

Bb Assignments and to Research Team Discussion Board

Due: Sunday, July 22 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 5

July 23 – July 29

 

Peer review of Chapter 2

Peer review Chapter 2

Research Team Discussion Board

Due: Sunday, July 29 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 6

July 30 – August 5

Chapter 2 – 2nd submission

Use B & V checklist to evaluate your own Chapter Two

Bb Assignments and to Research Team Discussion Board

Due: Sunday, August 5 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 7

August 6 – August 12

Peer review of Chapter 2

Peer review Chapter Two

Research Team Discussion Board

 

Due: Sunday, August 12 at 11:59 PM ET

Week 8

August 13 – August 19

Draft research problem purpose statement, RQs, C.F.

Chapter 3 Planning

Bb Assignments

Due: FRIDAY, August 17 at 11:59 PM ET

 

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Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.

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Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

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