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Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Teacher Leadership

As a concentration in a larger Ed.D. Program at Washington State University, the Teacher Leadership Doctorate has been designed to prepare K-16 teachers and practitioners for intellectual and practical leadership within classrooms, schools, districts, communities, teaching and/or community colleges, agencies, and the larger educational policy arena. As part of a multi-campus program, students can access courses on one of four home campuses during the academic year. In order to develop collaborative opportunities across the cohort, all students participate in a two-week summer institute held on the Pullman campus. This combination of face-to-face and distance delivery models offers an opportunity for educators to develop support systems with peers and faculty throughout the state.

The program itself involves a total of 72 credit hours. The 42 graded credits are distributed within of a minimum of five research courses, two educational foundations courses, at least five teacher leadership courses (two required and three each within a choice of four teacher leadership academic emphases), and additional electives. In the research strand, students learn not only to become critical consumers of research and skilled analysts who are able to interpret, report, and make practical applications of data sets (e.g., MSP scores, AYP, etc.), but also to generate and write about theory and engage in dissertation work. The two foundational courses focus on educational history, curriculum, and cultural identity. The Teacher Leadership strand provides students a common framework from which to examine past and current practices. Students take courses on inquiry into teaching and adult learning. They also select at least three additional courses that provide a current understanding of content knowledge from existing Ph.D. programs within the following areas: cultural/curriculum studies, English as a Second Language, math and science education, and/or special education. 

In addition, students complete a minimum of 20 ungraded 800-level credits as they complete their preliminary exam, dissertation proposal, and actual dissertation. Students can choose from a range of dissertation types, including traditional written dissertations, to action research, to art-based dissertations. For additional credits, students may take ungraded internships or possibly receive credit for previously completed coursework.

Throughout the program, the emphasis is on helping working professionals to develop an inquiry stance toward the problems of and possibilities for education in their own settings, and to pursue inquiry through collaboration and leadership.  Ultimately, the program prepares teacher leaders who learn the educational tools, communication skills, and cultural awareness to engage in and promote change and praxis within a rapidly changing educational and social landscape.

The curriculum

Research strand (15 credits, five courses)

Research infuses all courses; the program includes a minimum of 15 credits in research methodology.  Throughout the program, the emphasis is on helping working professionals to develop an inquiry stance toward the problems of and possibilities for education in their own settings, and to pursue inquiry through collaboration and leadership.

The goals for the research strand include enabling students to be critical consumers of research, skilled analysts who are able to interpret, report, and make practical applications of data sets (e.g., WASL scores, AYP, etc.), and competent researchers who are prepared for their dissertation work, including understanding the principles of research design, multiple methodologies, interpretation of data and findings, and writing skills appropriate for academic work.  Three of the five courses are shared across the three statewide Ed.D. specializations; two are specific to the teacher leadership specialization.

Foundations of Education (6 credits, two courses)

All students in the College of Education’s Ed.D. programs will take a course in the history of education and education reform and another focusing on diversity, race, and culture, both examining issues at all (p-20) levels of schooling.

Teacher Leadership Core (15 credits, five courses)

The Teacher Leadership Core will provide a common framework from which to examine past and current practices.  All participants will begin their programs with a course on inquiry into teaching.  All will additionally complete study in adult learning to contextualize research and leadership practice.  Students will select at least three additional courses that provide a current understanding of content knowledge from the following disciplines: curriculum theory, language (ESL) and literacy, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, special education.  This knowledge will serve to both frame and support students’ inquiries in the research courses and summer session core courses as well as in the dissertation.

Electives (six credits)

Electives provide students the opportunity to “customize” their Ed.D.  Students may take courses in school administration or additional discipline-specific courses from the Teacher Leadership Core.  They may also opt for graded internship credits.

The courses will include a field-based, action orientation.  With a focus on the diverse contexts of practicing professionals, participants will work collaboratively and individually to examine personal and institutional challenges through the lenses of current research, policy analysis, and opportunities for change.  Because participants from the ELCP department’s two statewide Ed.D. specializations will share some of the same courses, the program additionally  offers cross-specialization and collaboration opportunities as well as efficiencies to departmental scheduling and staffing options for courses.

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The summer institutes

In summers I and II (required), participants will take two complementary, core courses.  During the first summer, required for program initiation, students will take Research in Teaching (focused on participants’ own questions about the profession based on personal experience) and Action Research.  These courses will be intertwined around the concept of individual and large-scale change in education.  During the second summer, students will take Program Evaluation and Adult Learning & Development, which will both explore how programs and policies interact with teacher professional development as well as broader adult development issues.  The third summer is optional and will provide time to complete elective courses on various campuses.  During Summer IV, students will work on dissertation proposals/research.  It is possible for students to move through the program by participating in intensive summer experiences and three years of part-time coursework and research during the academic year.  It is also possible for students to move more slowly through the program.  Note that the Graduate School requires that doctoral students finish their programs within ten years.

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Comprehensive exams

Participants will formally work on their comprehensive exams during Summer IV.  The exam will require a final product that facilitates development of the dissertation proposal.

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The dissertation

Participants will choose from several organized, statewide research projects (reflecting research needs identified by the state’s school district leaders) as topics for their dissertations or they may elect an individualized project.  Possibilities could include more traditional written dissertations, to piloted curriculum products, to film.  Regardless of the format selected, underlying learning outcomes of the final product will be similar and will include clear reflection of major learning themes from the Ed.D. program.

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Learning outcomes

Goals and objectives of the doctoral programs in Teaching & Learning

Goals of all doctoral programs in the department:

1. To guide students in their development as professionals in their chosen fields related to teaching and learning.
2. To prepare students to be skilled and knowledgeable educational researchers/consumers of research.
3. To establish themselves as highly successful programs that are recognized for the quality of their graduates and their statewide/national/international visibility.

The objectives associated with each goal are these:

1. To guide students in their development as professionals in their chosen fields related to departmental expertise.  The programs
   
   
   • provide students with effective mentoring.
   • provide students with a variety of options for meeting their individual goals (coursework, internships, teaching/research assistantships, independent research opportunities, etc.)
   • provide students with opportunities to grow into effective researchers and disseminators of research.
2. To prepare students to be skilled and knowledgeable educational researchers/consumers of research. Program graduates
   
   
   • locate, analyze, and synthesize research literature, and apply that synthesis to problems of practices and/or theory.
   • effectively communicate scholarly work through written, oral, and/or alternate formats.
   • skillfully inquire into areas of program-related interest.
   • develop scholarly habits of curiosity, inquiry, skepticism, and data-based decision making.
   • conduct and disseminate original scholarship that demonstrates acquisition and application of new knowledge and theory.
   • become emerging experts in their field of study.
3. To Establish itself as a highly successful program that is recognized for the quality of its graduates and its statewide/national/international visibility. The programs
   
   
   • attract, secure, and retain high quality students.
   • graduate students who are satisfied with the professional preparation they have received.
   • graduate students who attain appropriate employment.
   • maintain an excellent on-time graduation record.
   • are delivered by a high quality graduate faculty that actively contributes to the program and scholarship that adds to the knowledge base of one of the program specializations.

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Statewide education doctorate (Ed.D.) program course requirements

Contacts

Professor and Director of
Education Programs
Gail Furman, Ph.D.
gfurman@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7939

Program information
Kelly LaGrutta
Academic Coordinator
lagrutta@wsu.edu
Phone: (509) 358-7942

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Mailing address
College of Education
PO Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
FAX (509) 358-7933

Student services
(509) 358-7537
enroll@wsu.edu