Building and Sustaining a Cohesive Ed.D. Program: The Importance of Faculty Collaboration, Vision, and Institutional Structures in the Change Process

• In Event: Creating and Sustaining Professional and Online Doctoral Programs

Abstract

This study applies a theoretical model of the stages of institutional change (Fullan 1999; Fullan & Steigelbauer 2001; Kezar 2005) to learn how faculty at four schools of education engaged collaboratively in a process of building a cohesive Education Doctorate (EdD) program that is supported by the larger institution. While programs differed in terms of institutional structures, values and goals, this study sought to understand how faculty come together in collaboration to build a cohesive EdD program that served practitioner needs. We found that each institution followed different trajectories reflecting differing challenges stemming from institutional policies, reluctant colleagues, and retirements of key change leaders. Each institution accomplished change to some degree in localized ways that reflected challenges, difficulties and successes.

Authors

• Jill Alexa Perry, University of Pittsburgh

• William A. Firestone, Self-employed

• Robin McKeon, Rutgers University

• Andrew Leland, Southern Illinois University